Villages ready to celebrate

Published 10:20 pm Thursday, October 17, 2013

With winter creeping in, two Suffolk villages are planning fun street celebrations before the cold sends us all indoors.

This weekend, Driver will host its annual street festival, Driver Days, promising no shortage of things to do, see — and eat.

This event’s list of features is long, with a parade, car show, arts and crafts, cornhole tournament, bounce house and kids’ activities, plus a poker run and bike show.

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As well as food vendors serving up various tasty morsels, music is integral to the event. This year, Island Boy, Stakeout, DJ Cooly O, Pride Moore and Patchwork Gospel will provide the tunes.

Driver Days runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. It’s free and open to the public, just like another celebration in a different village the following weekend.

Chuckatuck will kick up its heels for the second annual Founder’s Day Oct. 26. It will include a parade down Kings Highway followed by music, food and fun at the volunteer fire department building.

1950s-style band The Rhondels will provide the live music, and folks are encouraged to come dressed in fashions from that era — and wearing their dancing shoes.

Kids will also be kept entertained, with face painting, pumpkin decorating, Halloween costume contest and games.

Hurricane Sandy somewhat dampened last year’s inaugural Founder’s Day, and organizers from the Greater Chuckatuck Historical Foundation are hoping this year’s will enjoy clear skies — or no gale-force wind and torrential rain, at the least — and healthier numbers.

One highlight will be the Oakland Elementary School chorus, and historical foundation members will be on hand selling copies of “Chuckatuck — A Crossroads in Time,” which tells the area’s captivating history.

The parade starts at 10 a.m., and celebrations at the firehouse are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

So, there you have it: Anyone who had no firm plans for the next two weekends no longer has gaping white spaces in their calendar.

The nice thing about the two celebrations is their uniqueness. For anyone new to the area wishing to learn more about Driver and Chuckatuck, they are the perfect place to start.

Bring the extended family and make a day of it.