RVC is rockin’ around the village green

Members of the Rockville Centre community filled the Village Green along Maple Avenue on Thursday, Dec. 1, to ring in the holiday season with the annual lighting of the Christmas tree and Chanukah Menorah.

Since this year marked the first time that the village celebrated the holiday season with both a tree and a menorah, they invited Rabbi David Lerner of Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David to give the benediction and Father Anthony Twum of St. Agnes Cathedral to give the blessing of the tree.

People gathered excitedly around the tree to countdown the event as the two VIP guests, Caroline and Matthew Lennon of the St. Agnes Cathedral School, flipped the switch and lit up the night sky.

After the ceremony, students with the South Side Middle School Chorale, the South Side High School ‘Choraleers,’ and the South Side High School Wind Ensemble treated patrons to a performance of holiday classics.

And, of course, the holiday festivities wouldn’t be complete without a special visit from Santa Claus himself, who rode up to the tree along Maple Avenue atop a fire engine.