Newburgh Water Front Caroling Festival

(Newburgh) - The Newburgh-Beacon Ferry is completing its first year, complete with holiday magic as caroling groups and church choirs warmly welcomed home ferry riders last week.

Ferry Godmother Productions presented a community candlelight that conveyed the holiday spirit with an abundance of holiday cheer, using colorful decorations, holiday music, and caroling. The ferry family disembarked their floating “Winter Wonderland” to caroling and hot spiced cider, while the smell of roasted chestnuts filled the air.
Ms. Wright describes the tradition of caroling as, “quite universal and is intricately connected to the very survival of a community. Caroling serves the function of having neighbors visit each other to bestow blessings, check in, share and exchange food, money, and other resources... reinforcing relationships in the community. Caroling is a time for reflection and celebration - a time to express hopes for the return of the light, health, wealth, and fertility in the year to come.”

Pictured above, members of the St. Mary Roman Catholic Church Youth Choir perform peaceful and joyful hymnals as ferry riders arrive home Friday evening.