East Setauket Car Parade Celebrates 5-Year-Old’s Birthday
Car parades to celebrate birthdays and other momentous occasions have become popular during the pandemic as people look for alternate ways to commemorate their loved ones’ milestones.
On May 9, a short distance from the TBR News Media office, a car parade was held for Siena Figliola who turned five the day before.
In addition to her father, Anthony, mother, Christine, and siblings 7-year-old Anthony and 14-month-old Celine on hand, friends, family members and her fellow Setauket Elementary School pre-K classmates headed down her street.
Her mother said the family had an amazing time.
“It was so wonderful seeing the children with big smiles on their faces,” she said. “For a brief moment parents and their kids were able to forget about what was going on in the world and just be happy. The pre-K class was adorable — the children hanging out of their car with signs, birthday cards and presents. One dad retrofitted his car with microphones and flashing lights.”
Christine Figliola said the hope was to not only celebrate her daughter’s birthday but also give other children a “small break from the lack of normalcy they’ve all been experiencing.” During the birthday parade, participants received curbside favors, treats and goodie bags, handed out from a safe distance.
The mother said her daughter has been taking the recent changes to everyday life in stride and enjoyed her big day.
“I know she will look back on this time, and it will be a birthday for her in the history books,” Figliola said.
