Photos: Decorating contest under way downtown; holiday market opens

East End Arts is offering a $500 award to the group that wins the most votes for its holiday window display in downtown Riverhead.

As of Wednesday, 13, windows were scheduled to be decorated on East Main Street. More people showed up Saturday to decorate downtown windows, making it 15 in all that were decorated.

Annmarie LaFace of East Quogue and her mother, Anita Amico of Mount Sinai, were found there on Thursday morning, painting a window to promote the family’s construction business, LaFace Construction.

Its theme, “Peace on Earth, Joy to the World and all cultures getting along,” and is based on a Christmas card Ms. LaFace received a couple years ago, the mother said.

The East End Arts nonprofit group will also be running a holiday gift market again this season, where it will be offering unique, art-related gifts, including hand-crafted jewelry at its East Main Street arts gallery. The market’s opening reception is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 2 at 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The market opened Tuesday and shuts down on Friday, Dec. 23. Voting begins for the decorating contest on Sunday, Dec. 3.

Votes can be cast at the East End Arts Gallery, Tuesday through Sunday during gift market hours. Voting will run through Thursday, Dec. 22.

The winner will be announced on Thursday, December 29 at the Riverhead Town Board Work Session. Ballots may be picked up at the East End Arts Gallery at at 133 East Main Street. For more information, visit www.eastendarts.org.

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