Northport's Annual Leg Lamp Lighting Ceremony

Northport's longstanding, wacky tradition continues.

Two years ago, the annual Leg Lamp Lighting Ceremony was almost gone forever after Northport Hardware announced they weren't going to hold the event anymore, but the community wanted to keep it going.

A new business on Main Street— Carl's Candies— decided to save the day and take over the event, which was based on a scene from the iconic film, "A Christmas Story."

Carl's Candies will hold their second Leg Lamp Lighting Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 24.

The ceremony is set to start at 6 p.m. The family-friendly event will also offer a special performance by the Northport Tigerettes, holiday treats and more.

The lamp lighting ceremony became a Northport tradition in 2005 when Billy and Jimmy Reichert, owners of Northport Hardware, discovered the lamp while cleaning out the store's basement in 2005. They rustled up a few patrons to watch an impromptu lighting ceremony, and the Northport tradition was born.

The story behind the leg lamp:

In the film "A Christmas Story," Mr. Parker opens a massive package and jumps with joy to find a lamp in the shape of a woman's leg. As seen in the movie clip added below, Mr. Parker blows a fuse attempting to turn on the womanly-shaped object. "It's indescribably beautiful," Mr. Parker exclaimed as the lamp lit up his living room. "It reminds me of the Fourth of July."

"Turn off all the lights. I want to see what it looks like from the street."

Patch photo