Toms River celebrates the holidays with menorah parade, Christmas tree lighting
TOMS RIVER -- Holiday celebrations abound in Toms River this week, with a menorah parade planned for Thursday evening and the annual Christmas tree lighting scheduled for Friday.
The menorah parade, featuring cars decked out with rooftop menorahs to celebrate Hanukkah, is expected to kick off about 4:45 p.m. Thursday from the J.C. Penney parking lot at Ocean County Mall, Hooper Avenue.
The parade, which is sponsored by the Chabad Jewish Center of Toms River, will make its way to Riverwood Park, Riverwood Drive, for a menorah lighting and Hanukkah celebration, featuring a "gelt drop," of chocolate coins. To reserve a menorah for your car, go to Chabadtomsriver.com/parade.
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Mayor Maurice B. "Mo" Hill Jr. and township council members participated in a menorah lighting in front of town hall on Tuesday.
Christmas tree lighting Friday
The township's annual Christmas tree lighting and celebration will be held Friday, Dec. 3. The event runs from 5 to 7 p.m. in the courtyard of town hall, 33 Washington St. The courtyard is next to the Ocean County Library entrance.
Entertainment will kick off at 5 p.m. with the Donovan Catholic Chorus performing until 4:20 p.m. Applaud Our Kids will perform from 5:30 to 6 p.m.; Exit 82 Theater Co. from 6:10 to 6:20 p.m., and Toms River High School South Choir from 6:30 to 6:50 p.m.
A reading of Clement Clarke Moore's poem, "Twas the Night Before Christmas," will be followed by the arrival of Santa Claus on a fire truck at 7 p.m., to light the tree. Photos with Santa will be available in town hall folllowing the tree lighting.
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Toms River Fire Co. 1 will have hot chocolate and cookies for sale to benefit the fire comp[any, and downtown businesses will be open.
On Saturday and Sunday the town hall courtyard will be transformed into a "winter wonderland village," sponsored by Downtown Toms River, the township's business improvement district.
There will be more than 15 vendors, kid’s activities featuring a s’mores station, letters to Santa, a dreidel craft, face painting and balloon artist. Hot chocolate, kettle corn, and a food truck will be onsite and downtown businesses will be open.
For more information on the winter wonderland village, go to downtowntomsriver.com.
Jean Mikle covers Toms River and several other Ocean County towns, and has been writing about local government and politics at the Jersey Shore for nearly 37 years. She's also passionate about the Shore's storied music scene. Contact her: @jeanmikle, jmikle@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Toms River marks the holidays with menorah parade, Christmas tree lighting
