The Village of East Hills is marking its 85th anniversary with a day in the park that will offer family activities and a chance to learn about the community’s history.
The celebration will take place on Sept. 3 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and village officials said they’re planning a unique end-of-summer event.
“It’s really coming together,” Trustee Stacey Siegel said. “It took a lot of time and a lot of effort getting the details right.”
Siegel is on the committee, headed by Natalie Mansbach, that put in six months of work to organize the event, and she said residents can expect events for all ages.
“There’s something for everyone, and we really are trying to get it so families find it entertaining,” Siegel said.
The celebration will tie into the village’s founding in 1931 with Art Deco-themed decorations, and actors dressed in period clothing. In a village newsletter, “more adventurous residents” were encouraged to dress in that period’s attire.
“All the entrances will be decorated with that [Art Deco] theme, and lots of festive balloons,” she said. “It’s going to make it look really, really fun.”
The event will have a “Jazz Brunch” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the park grill, featuring music from the Paul Carlon Trio, while residents and guests eat from a special menu.
One of the features tying the event together is a miniature train that will transport families from one activity to the next.
“The train is connecting all the activities, that way they’ll get to see lots of different parts of the park that they might not have enjoyed before,” Siegel said.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the train will stop at stations like a Disney character meet-and-greet, a puppet show, an art mural signing, carnival games, pony rides and a petting zoo.
To bring in some historical elements, the Old Bethpage Restoration Village was invited to stage an old-time baseball game. Guests can join the game by signing up beforehand.
From 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., residents can learn about East Hills’ history from a local historian, Orin Finkle, at the park theater. Finkle will focus his presentation on life during the Gold Coast era, when the village was incorporated.
Those taking a dip at the pool will be treated to a performance by a magician from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
To wrap up the celebration, there will be a North Hempstead-sponsored concert by the pool area from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
During that time, attendees will also be able to join a “mocktail party,” with alcohol-free refreshments and appetizers.
Siegel said she and the committee tried to arrange a day that can be enjoyed by everyone, and all they can hope for is good weather. The rain date is scheduled for the next day, Sept. 4.
“We just really wanted to make it special,” Siegel said. “It’s something fun in memory of back-in-the-day when East Hills was formed, but will also give families a fun celebration.”
