HUDSON – Seasonal spirit outshone a rainy Dec. 3 at the 19th Downtown Hudson Holiday Stroll.
Nearly all activities still took place except for a petting zoo that would have been stationed in the Main Street Bank parking lot.
“The owners of the petting zoo felt it necessary to cancel based on their concerns for the welfare of their animals,” noted event organizers on Facebook that morning.
The stroll is a collaborative effort of the Hudson Business Association and the Hudson Downtown Business Improvement District (BID).
Main Street was closed to vehicular traffic from Manning to Felton streets to make way for horse-drawn hayrides as well as strolling residents and visitors.
Businesses offered activities, refreshments, discounts and giveaways. Attendees also roasted marshmallows courtesy of the Hudson Rotary Club at the Avidia Bank Financial Center parking lot.
Families created beaded snowflakes and kids got their faces painted at Serendipity. In exchange, donations were encouraged for the Hudson-based nonprofit Fresh Start Furniture Bank. Also, proceeds from handmade tree ornaments are going to the nonprofit Hudson Armory Project.
REHarmonix, an a cappella group of the River’s Edge Arts Alliance, sang holiday carols under the direction of Manoj Padki at several downtown locations throughout the four-hour event.
Meanwhile outside the Town Hall, kids lined up to meet Santa Claus (aka Galen “Red” Isaacs of Hudson). Typically, Santa leads a countdown to the tree lighting. However, this year’s lighting got washed out from the rain.
“There’s so much water in all of the connections to the lights in the tree and the bushes,” explained Richard Braga Jr., the BID district administrator.
Although no tree lighting, the event continued with Hudson High School chorus members singing holiday carols under the direction of Sarah Worrest.
Follow the Hudson Business Association at hudsonbusinessassociation.com and facebook.com/hudsonbusinessassociation, and the Hudson Downtown BID at discoverhudson.org and facebook.com/DiscoverHudson.
