Artist Paints Cheerful Huntington Holiday Snowflake Streetscape

HUNTINGTON VILLAGE, NY— Cassandra Jones is a Brooklyn-based artist who is used to making art of all kinds of materials—tattoos, body paint, metal—so when the Huntington Business Improvement District asked her to help her with a pandemic-friendly but inspiring holiday display she embraced the challenge. The Huntington Holiday Spectacular is meant to be an interactive but coronavirus-safe destination for residents to enjoy. There is a a "tree of hope," light shows, snow cannons, and a block closed to traffic covered in whimsical painted snowflakes.

The way the snowflakes festooned Wall St. between X and X wasn't an accident, Jones told Patch. The snowflakes don't have an order to them, so visitors won't congregate or line up, but rather can enjoy the display while staying socially distanced.

"We wanted it to be enjoyable for everyone, so the snowflakes are inclusive of different [holidays] and there are Mickey Mouse snowflakes for kids. We wanted you to be able to enjoy the site from anywhere."

Jones says she was inspired by the tall Christmas tree, something reminiscent of early holiday traditions in a tough year she said.

"It was almost therapeutic." Jones, who studied graphic design and works as an artist doing body painting at events, tattoo work and other gigs, painted the street with occasional volunteers using white masonry paint and spray paint. She made stencils out of coat hangars.

The Huntington Holiday Spectacular opened last Saturday and will run until January 3. It was launched by: the Town of Huntington, the Huntington Business Improvement District, Huntington Business Recovery Task Force, Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce and Looks Great Services.

Jones says the winter wonderland is even more needed this holiday season.

"It's somewhere to walk to, and something to brighten up the community . People are tired of all the bad news, it's cold, but now you have something to do outside for the holidays. With so many tree lightings canceled, it's something people can enjoy it while socially distancing."

She even saw someone propose on the painted block.

There are light shows every half hour on Friday and Saturday from 5:30 to 10 p.m.