Holiday spirit around the Island

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Updated Monday, December 11.

Whether at The Ritz or on Edgartown’s Main Street, the holidays were definitely in the air this weekend. With streets and lampposts decked in lights, the annual festivities of Christmas in Edgartown brought out countless off-Island visitors and locals. Donaroma’s Nursery was decked out for their holiday stroll and light display on Friday night. Meanwhile, in Oak Bluffs, Santa Claus made an appearance at the Ritz for the Super Sparkly Holiday Extravaganza. On Saturday, despite the cold and rain, the Christmas parade in Edgartown drew a festive crowd.

Gathered on Main Street under umbrellas and bundled up in hats and scarves, hundreds gathered to get a glimpse of the colorful and creative floats in the parade. Stop & Shop won best float for its gingerbread house theme, and the best walker award went to the Spindrift Studio dancers, “for the pure reason that there were so many kids that came out,” parade organizer Leah Fraumeni wrote in an email to The Times. Horses, donkeys, and dogs even dressed up and made appearances along the way; Herring Creek Farm mini horses dressed as reindeer won the award for best animal.

Parade participants and organizers were overjoyed with the turnout. Tom Dresser, who drove his 1948 red Willys Jeepster through the parade, wrote in an email that he and his family “were doubtful people would show up, but [people] were on the sidewalks, two and three deep.”

Murdick’s Fudge had an open house all day Saturday for the parade, giving out samples of fudge, peanut brittle, and its famous hot chocolate that you can only get a few times a year. Mike McCourt, manager of Murdick’s, said they gave away over 700 cups of hot chocolate that day. Although the samples were free, they were accepting donations for the Red Stocking Fund, a non-profit organization that provides food and clothing to families in need during the holidays.

Mr. McCourt, who was in the parade himself dressed as Buddy the Elf, said this year’s Christmas in Edgartown, and especially the parade, was “the biggest crowd [he] can remember.”

“There were some that didn’t show up that had signed up,” Mr. McCourt also said, “but I get it — it was wet, it was nasty, and it was cold.”

With Hy-Line Cruises’ providing ferry service from Hyannis to Edgartown specifically for the event, more people could easily visit and enjoy the festivities.