Editorial

Meet me at the fair

Posted

Long Island is famous for its wide variety of things to see and do, and when autumn announces itself with cooler temperatures and kids heading back to school, one of the most enjoyable activities a family can take part in is attending a local fair.

The sights, sounds, tastes and smells of a fair (cotton candy and sausage with peppers can be a truly heady experience) add an exclamation point to the summer, and this month and next, there is no lack of family festival fun.

Now in its 29th year, the Bellmore Family Street Festival, hosted by the Bellmore Chamber of Commerce, is the largest event of its kind in Nassau County. More than 250 exhibits and attractions are featured in a 25-square-block area, drawing more than 120,000 visitors each year. The festival offers carnival rides, magic shows and a petting zoo as well as sports, military and business expos, live entertainment and a host of vendors.

The Merrick Chamber of Commerce’s annual Fall Festival, which attracts 10,000 to 20,000 visitors, offers amusement rides, food and live music. It is a true community affair, at which local clubs and organizations raise money for local causes, and the Merrick and North Merrick fire departments show off their skills in firefighting demonstrations.

If you’re wishing summer didn’t have to end, don’t miss the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce Super Boardwalk and Street Fair, featuring vendors, food trucks, rides and a petting zoo.

For more waterfront fun, the Village of East Rockaway has moved its Stars & Stripes Festival from July to September for the second year in a row, offering rides, games, vendors, DJs and live music in cooler temperatures. There will be shuttle bus service throughout the village to the site of the fair.

So as the leaves begin to take on fall colors and the evening air cools, a ride on a Ferris wheel, some live music or a bite of freshly powdered zeppoli sounds like just the ticket for the whole family.

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