Submitted by Pageant Committee

Dec. 23, 2020: It is with heavy hearts that the Village Christmas Pageant Committee announces that this year’s annual Village Christmas Pageant will not be held on December 24th due to COVID restrictions on outdoor gatherings. This year would have marked the 106th pageant, an iconic and treasured Bronxville tradition.  

Although the pageant will not be held, we hope you will join us in saluting the wonderful young people of our community who graciously agreed to participate if the pageant could have been held. They are:

Caroline McGrath as Mary

Patrick Bird as Joseph

Paige Insley as the Manger Angel

And, angels:

Senior girls: Olivia Conniff, Anna Kate Kochansky, and Caroline Palermo (a former Manger Angel)

Edelawit Bird (a former manger Angel)

Rachel Conniff

Erin Foley

Ruthie Haims

Lauren Rao

Cate Spitz

Furthermore, we would like to acknowledge the outstanding individuals who, year in and year out, make this iconic Bronxville tradition possible. The clergy of our seven community churches (Christ Church, First Baptist Church, Golden Sword Fellowship, The Reformed Church of Bronxville, St. Joseph’s Church, Village Lutheran Church, West Center Church) each carve out time on Christmas Eve to participate in the pageant. Their dedication-on a very busy evening- is truly a blessing!    

Lifelong Bronxville resident, Dale Walker, has led the singing every year since 1993. Her presence and beautiful voice have become synonymous with the pageant. The Bronxville Pops Concert Band, a brass quartet lead by Ron LoPinto, also adds to the joyous sound of the pageant each year. 

Local resident Maryann Palermo organizes the Invisible Chorus, who gather silently at the top of the hillside and lead those gathered in song. One special Invisible Choir member is David Oelerking. This year would have been his 60th year of participation in the Village Christmas pageant!

The pageant would not be the same without the live animals, which provide an extra special element. For more than 50 years, our local pageant has featured live animals. The cast always includes the donkey and sheep, and often, the star of the show…the camel! One might think that their participation in the Bronxville Christmas pageant is their biggest “role,” but did you know that these animals are big stars? 

The animals work for the Dawn Animal Agency and star annually in Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular! Please click here for a wonderful story about these animals and their celebrity careers-both at Radio City and in Bronxville!

The costumes for the pageant cast are stored in the basement at the Reformed Church. The closet doors are plastered with photos of pageants from years past. Every year the angel wings and trumpets are inspected, and the costumes are checked for any repairs or cleaning that might be necessary. Almost all of the costumes have been handmade over the years. Most notable is Mary’s long blue wool cloak. 

It is a beautiful (and warm) cape with a faded label stitched into the collar. It reads “la mante Mary,” Property of Village of Bronxville, Gift of Mrs. Will H. Low. Mary Fairchild Low was a well known painter who specialized in landscapes, genre paintings and portraits. She and her artist husband, Will Low, lived on the Hilltop in Bronxville for many years in the early part of the 20th century. 

Mary’s “mante” is likely more than 100 years old!

And finally, the Village Christmas pageant would not be possible without the unwavering support of many volunteers who anonymously work behind the scenes to make the pageant possible. 

And last but not least….the wonderful clergy, staff, and members of The Reformed Church of Bronxville, including but not limited to: Louanne, Hazel, Joe and Leo, and most especially, Rev. Dr. Matthew Waterstone.

We look forward to gathering together next year for the 106th Annual Christmas Pageant, and hope the memories and magic of “pageants past” will be in your hearts this Christmas Eve!

Click here for a short clip from CBS local news of the 2018 pageant.  Click here for a link to pageant photos.