The Riverhead BID’s 15th annual holiday bonfire is set for Saturday at the Peconic River parking lot in downtown Riverhead and will feature something new: fireworks!
Or will it?
Fireworks had been planned for two events earlier this year — Fourth of July and the Edgar Allan Poe Festival — and both shows were cancelled due to torrential rain.
Riverhead Town Councilman Jim Wooten said he believes fireworks will happen Saturday.
“It’s not going to rain,” he said. “I checked the weather forecast. It’s going to be beautiful.”
The bonfire officially kicks off at 4 p.m. and vistors are encouraged to bring chairs.
In addition to enjoying warmth around the giant burning pile of wood, there will be free hot chocolate and candy supplied by the Riverhead Business Improvement District, free cookies from Blue Duck Bakery, and Christmas music played by a disc jockey, Wooten said.
Santa Claus is scheduled to arrive by boat at 5 p.m. and then will pose for pictures with kids inside the BID’s giant gingerbread house. The fireworks show is set for 8 p.m.
“We expect large crowds,” Wooten said. “In the past, we’ve had families line up in advance at the gingerbread house.”
The rain date for the bonfire is Sunday, but Wooten said he’s confident it won’t be needed.
