Halloween
Halloween has always been an important day in Irvington. I attribute this added excitement to our namesake Washington Irving and one of his best known stories, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” While we may not have the activities and notoriety of our neighbors to the north, Halloween is a busy day.
The recent tradition of the Halloween Block Party, hosted by the proud volunteers of the Irvington Fire Company, has brought a lot of activity to the Main Street area. Overall, this is very positive as there are adequate sidewalks, the area is well lit and there are lots of great trick-or-treating opportunities for our younger residents. However, with all the children (and adults) in the Main Street area, things can get very congested. I am asking that you try to avoid driving on Main Street, if possible, from about 4pm to 9pm. We, of course, want you to enjoy all the festivities and restaurants in the Main Street area, so we arranged with the local churches to allow us to park in their lots so you can walk down to Main Street. If your destination is the Bridge Street area, please consider using Station Road or West Clinton Avenue to get there.
While the safety of residents will only be ensured if other residents act carefully, the Board of Trustees and I have requested the Police Chief to increase the police presence on Main Street tonight. Pedestrians need to do their part and stay on the sidewalks and only cross in the crosswalks. If you do drive on Main Street, I ask motorists to be extra cautious and drive even slower than usual. If we all cooperate, we can experience another safe and enjoyable Halloween in Irvington.
Halloween 2015
The Village is considering a program for next year’s Halloween that will aim to assist the Main Street residents with their unbelievable number of Trick or Treaters. The program, which has not been finalized yet, will allow residents who live in less trafficked neighborhoods to drop off candy before Halloween so the “down town” residents do not have to foot the entire candy bill for living in a popular trick-or-treating neighborhood. If you are interested in this program for 2015, please email me and I will add you to the list of volunteers.
I hope to see you in the Village this evening. Please never hesitate to contact me with thoughts or concerns.
Brian C. Smith
bsmith@irvingtonny.gov