Thursday, October 1, 2026
Sea Cliff residents and elected officials, including Assemblyman Charles Lavine, came together on the green outside Village Hall to celebrate Independence Day and the United States’ semi quincentennial anniversary. The Sea Cliff Civic Association, led by President Ann DiPietro, holds its Independence Day Gala featuring a reading of the Declaration of Independence each year.
Mayor Elena Villafane opened the Saturday ceremony by ringing the village bell, and students presented the colors and sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.” DiPietro praised civic association members Christine Abbenda Hughes and Carol Vogt for their work in organizing the event.
DiPietro told the story “Wemberly Worried,” a children’s book about a mouse who worries all the time. But on her birthday, she made a wish to not worry for that one day. After blowing out the candle, her wish came true.
DiPietro urged attendees to do the same and put aside their worries for one day.
“There’s so much to be concerned about,” she said. “Preserving democracy, being good citizens of the world, all of those things. But perhaps without worrying we could enjoy this wonderful day, this beautiful, beautiful village, our wonderful, wonderful country, and the world, this magnificent world that we all live in. Happy birthday, U.S.A.”
The gala also featured a series of playlets narrated by Sea Cliff resident Heidi Hunt. Other residents, including elementary school students, each read a monologue about a significant person in the country’s history from the perspective of their descendants.
Local musician Roger Street Friedman and his daughter, Allie, performed “Dear Theodosia” from the play “Hamilton.”
“I got to say,” Friedman said as he introduced the song, “this chokes me up every year.”
Toward the end of the ceremony, Sea Cliff resident Victoria Bjorklund began the reading of the Declaration of Independence. Several Sea Cliff “villagers” participated, each reading a different section. All attendees were encouraged to read the final paragraph together.
