The Village of Williston Park is celebrating its centennial next September, and it’s planning for it to be an all-year affair.
“It’s extremely important to the village to recognize our history and how successful we’ve been over the last 100 years,” said Mayor Paul Ehrbar. “We’re looking forward to the next 100 years.”
The village was officially incorporated on Sept. 8, five months after its neighbor, East Williston, which is also creating a full-year celebration around its centennial in 2026. To mark its founding month, the village is holding a Sept. 26 centennial parade.
“We wanted to make it something fun, and something that lasts the whole year long, so that people can attend different things,” Village Clerk Kristi Romano said. “Everyone is invited, and it’ll be a great community gathering to bring everyone together and to celebrate the village that’s been here for 100 years, and how it’s progressed from 1926 to 2026.”
The celebrations are set to start on Jan. 10 with a 3 p.m. interfaith, ecumenical service at St. Aidan’s Church. All of the village’s community organizations, like Girl and Boy Scouts, the fire department and auxiliary police are invited.
“It’s just a nice way to start off the celebration, having all the different community groups in the area join together,” Romano said.
She said the village is asking residents to help build a historical display by sharing any old memorabilia they have for the village, such as photos or other physical items. She said people could reach out over email or stop by village hall with their historical items to add them to the already growing display.
In April, the historical society will hold a breakfast and presentation where members will showcase and share photographs and documents dating back to the village’s incorporation. Over the summer, Romano announced that the village will host a pool party, and on October 15, a centennial gala will take place at the Inn in New Hyde Park.
Ehrbar said the event lineup takes inspiration from the way the village has celebrated its 50th and 75th anniversaries, and that the village’s typical events, such as its holiday celebrations and Ragamuffin Parade, would be billed as 100th anniversary celebrations and taken to the next level in honor of the significant year.
He emphasized his belief that it was important for the village to come together and celebrate the milestone.
“We’re a very tight-knit community, a very welcoming community,” Ehrbar said. “There’s a lot of interconnection between the different families, even with all the changes. People want to continue this community.”
The mayor and clerk said planning for additional events is still underway and will be announced in the coming months. Information will be posted on the village website as it becomes available.
