“The North Pole Adventure,” an interactive transformation of the classic holiday visit with Santa, sends children on a journey to the North Pole in a glowing 40-foot tall, 2,000-square-foot holiday house in the center of Ridge Hill’s Town Square.
Ridge Hill is the first of eight DreamPlace North Pole Adventure locations across the United States and the only one in the New York City metro area this holiday season.
Special guests at the Adventure’s launch on Nov. 6 included DreamWorks Animation President and CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg; Kathryn Welch, executive vice president and director of retail development at Forest City Ratner, developer and owner of Ridge Hill; and Yonkers Deputy Mayor Sue Gerry, in addition to characters Shrek and Santa Claus.
Children from the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester were specially selected to be the first in line for the Adventure’s magical debut in recognition of the Club’s success in improving literacy, graduation rates and healthy lifestyles.
“We are honored to be the guests of DreamWorks Animation and Forest City Ratner for the launch of this one-of-a-kind holiday experience,” said Brian Skanes, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester. “The children’s faces were illuminated with wonder. What a truly special way for us to kick off the holiday season.”
Throughout the holiday season, Ridge Hill will sponsor a toy drive benefitting the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester, the Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon and the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle. New, unwrapped toys appropriate for children ages 3 to 12 may be dropped off at the Holiday Tree in the lobby of the WESTMED building at Ridge Hill (73 Market St. in Yonkers) now through Dec. 14.
“The North Pole Adventure” is open through Dec. 24 at Westchester’s Ridge Hill.