Santa Visits Queens
BY DAN MILLER

Photo Tony Barsamian

Members of the Central Astoria Local Development Coalition and hundreds of area residents welcomed Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus as they made their first visit to the Astoria area this year on Friday, November 30.

Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus arrived at the intersection of Broadway and Steinway Street, where they greeted spectators and shoppers and posed for photos with local area children. Youngsters were given free books as a pre-holiday present, and were invited to join in the countdown to the traditional lighting of the holiday tree that sat atop of the Chase Bank located at the corner of Broadway and Steinway Streets.

Julie Wager, a well-respected, longtime community leader in Astoria and advertising director for the Queens Gazette, served as the master of ceremonies and did an excellent job of making the introductions for the event. Gazette Publisher Tony Barsamian was seen taking photos of the event that took place just a few blocks from the offices of the Queens Gazette.

Three-year-old Julia Ocasio and her grandparents, Trudy and Sam Levinson, await the annual visit of Santa and Mrs. Claus to Astoria for the annual tree lighting and start of the holiday shopping season on Friday, November 30.

Joining the festivities were Assemblymember Margaret Markey, City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., Queens Library Director Thomas W. Galante, James Van Bramer, Queens Library director of government and community affairs, Michael D. Sais, chief of staff for Assemblymember Michael Gianaris, Marie Torniali, Central Astoria Local Development Coalition executive director, Detective Glenn Yule, formerly of the 108th Police Precinct and now assigned to Patrol Borough Queens North, and Tatyana Magazinnik, Queens Library Broadway Branch manager.

Among the hundreds of children waiting for Santa's visit was three-year-old Julia Ocasio, who waited in the freezing weather along with her grandparents, Trudy and Sam Levinson, longtime Astoria residents. Julia said she wanted to receive a book as a gift from Santa, and was not disappointed. Five-year-old Arthemiga Mallay, a student at a charter with her mother, Susana Marchese, from Astoria, as she anxiously awaited her visit with Santa. Asked what she wanted for Christmas, Arthemiga responded, "A real doggy." Her mom shook her head in a silent negative. Mike Conner, an 11-year-old, received a book and candy cane from Vallone during the festivities.

Susana Marchese and five-year-old daughter Arthemiga Mallay anxiously await Santa's visit to the Astoria business district to start the holiday shopping season. Santa gave all children who came to the event a book and a candy cane.

Santa's visit to Astoria ushered in Astoria's holiday shopping season and was sponsored by the Central Astoria Local Development Coalition (CALDC) in conjunction with the Steinway Street Business Improvement District, the Broadway-Astoria Merchants & Professionals Association, the 30th Avenue Business Association and the 36th Avenue Merchants, and with the cooperation of the Queens Borough Public Library. Most stores in Astoria will be open late and on Sunday now through Christmas for shopping convenience.

Santa is greeted by neighborhood children on his arrival in Astoria.

This event was funded in part by City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. through a grant from the New York City Department of Small Business Services. For more information about Astoria shopping, call CALDC at 718-728-7820 or visit www.centralastoria.org.

Santa and Mrs. Claus are joined on stage by Assemblymember Margaret Markey and Michael D. Sais, chief of staff for Assemblyman Michael Gianaris, and Thomas W. Galante, Queens Library Director, as the Queens Gazette's Julie Wager introduces each guest at the event. Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. helps Santa give a book and candy cane to Peter Bantz. A local Astoria youth is one of the last to tell Santa what he wants for Christmas at the annual tree lighting and visit by Santa to the Steinway Street Business District. Photos Dan Miller/DMD Images