The Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce is looking to build a synthetic ice rink in the middle of East Main Street for the first-ever Alive After Five Winter Wonderland planned for Dec. 20.
They’ll need some big bucks to get there.
So, the chamber has created a GoFundMe page for donations.
“We have a great holiday events committee working through the chamber that have come up with this great event …” said the chamber’s executive director, David Kennedy. “And the centerpiece, of course, is this potential of having an ice rink in the middle of our downtown, which would be fantastic.”
“But this is not something that we’ve budgeted for,” he continued. “If you want to have this be part of our holiday events this year, please, whether it’s a dollar, five dollars, anything, it would go a long way in guaranteeing it. We really need at least $14-$15,000. We’re very short of that right now.”
He noted that if all those people who’ve read about — and are looking to attend the event — so far took the time to donate, that number could be reached rather easily.
“Hopefully the public can come through, and we can make it happen,” he said.
The chamber also wants to line up reindeer, a carriage, snow-making machines, even an exhibition of ice sculptures.
Unlike Alive After Five, there will be no outdoor vendors or food trucks outside on that Thursday, Dec. 20. Instead, the hope is for shoppers to spill inside the shops and restaurants.
“It’s cold anyway, so who wants to stand outside?” Kennedy previously told GreaterPatchogue.com.
The event’s theme will be “It’s a Wonderful Life” in Patchogue, with prizes awarded for the best window displays in the village. Santa Clause will also be making an appearance.
Should the ice rink not happen, “one way or another we’re doing an Alive After Five Winter Wonderland,” Kennedy said. “This always was about focusing people to do some holiday shopping in our wonderful retail stores in Patchogue, and that will remain the main focus. Certainly retail stores will be open late that night, with special deals and sales regardless what happens out on the street.”
The Patchogue Village Board has already granted permission to close East Main Street from Ocean to Maple avenues from 2 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. That will provide enough time to set up and break down the synthetic ice skating rink. The event itself runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“One way or the other we’ll have family activities out on the street,” Kennedy said.
Check back at GreaterPatchogue.com for updates.
initial coverage
‘Alive After Five Winter Wonderland’ in the works for Dec. 20 in Patchogue
Photo: Ice skating in Port Jefferson in February. (Credit: Nicholas Esposito/file photo)
