Main Street Storefronts Filled for the Holidays

Community groups and community-oriented individuals have been ringing in the holiday season over the last couple of days, filling up vacant windows downtown with holiday scenes and decorations, and will continue to do so today. Organized by the , the 2010 Holiday Window Decorating Contest will feature 22 displays up and down downtown Riverhead, with the fan favorite display winning a $500 prize next weekend at the .

"You have to have some positive energy during the holiday season," said Pat Snyder, executive director of the EEAC. Snyder, a former elementary school art teacher, said she believes public displays of art, from street painting to mosaics, can bring crowds together. On the flipside, logic would presume vacant storefronts lining Main Street can drive people away.

"Nobody wants to go into the holiday season with vacant storefronts," she said. "It's not necessarily a brilliant idea, but hopefully it gets some people downtown. We used to have a holiday market down here, and over the years, fewer and fewer people have come to shop on Main Street. Hopefully this can draw some people down."

Participants range from civic organizations to houses of worship to striving artists looking to get their name out. Storefronts currently unoccupied were donated by landlords for public use. Those seeking to participate in the contest dished out $25, with the chance to win $500 next week. The contest winner will be determined by votes, cast in-person, at the East End Arts Council in the next seven days.

"I hope a lot of people come down and look," said Dylan Sullivan, a 23-year old graphic designer setting up his storefront on Friday night. "It's a good opportunity for people to come and enjoy Main Street, like they used to. And it's a good opportunity for myself to show people my work, and promote myself as a graphic artist."

A couple doors down, members of the House of Praise were looking forward to the opportunity the contest will provide the community to come and see different people's definitions of the holiday season. Their display, 'Dreams of a Child,' was conceived by Marietta Upshaw, and combines a creative use of props and decoration, and the handy electrical work of parishoner Justin Winter.

"We are a part of the community, which was why we participated," said Pastor Mary Cooper. "This give us a chance to come together and experiences the season's wishes for the town. And it livens up Main Street."

On Thursday, members of the Suffolk County Historical Society set up a display of historical holiday stamps, designed by Suffolk County residents, some dating back to the 19th century. The group would have liked to bring artifacts to display for the public to see, though the unheated buildings could not provide a safe enough environment for such dated and fragile objects.

However, that didn't stop the group with coming up with a neat idea of their own.

"We thought the stamps would be a fun idea," said Kathy Curran, public programs coordinator with the SCHS. "And we really thought it would be fun to do something in town. Plus, I've always wanted to do a store window display."

The window decorations will be on display until Jan. 15.