Bringing Hewlett and Woodmere together

Live music, dancers, craft vendors, artists, an outdoor bowling alley, health screenings and food, will be part of the second annual Arts Below Sunrise festival on Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. The musical entertainment starts two hours later for the event that ends at 5 p.m.

Organized by the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools Endowment Fund, the festival joins together several civic groups including volunteers representing the endowment fund, the Hewlett High School and Woodmere Middle School Youth Leadership Forum, Hewlett-Woodmere Business Association, Five Towns Community Chest, Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, the school district, Hewlett and Woodmere fire departments, auxiliary police and other neighborhood supporters.

“Anything and everything that brings our diverse community together for a shared event is a good thing,” said John Roblin, a Hewlett resident who serves as president of the endowment fund. “It’s easy to go about your business and forget who your neighbors are. A strong sense of community helps local businesses, real estate and a commitment to quality education.”

Last year’s success prompted organizers to expand the festival beyond Irving Place to Conklin Place along Broadway. This year it will stretch from Irving Place up to the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, also along Broadway. Roblin said the additional space will allow for more vendors.

The Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools Endowment Fund is a 6-year-old organization that raises money to support several school district programs. It is comprised of graduates, families and area merchants, and is designed to establish an endowment that will provide a continuing and sustainable source of financial support to help enhance the learning experience of all Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools’ students.

“The Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools Endowment Fund wants to promote community as well as build its endowment,” said David Rifkind, a Hewlett High social studies teacher ho is the endowment fund’s board. “The festival is going to be above all else fun.”

That fun includes a children’s area with games and carnival activities which will be overseen by the Youth Leadership Forum, along with musical acts such as the Mark Newman Band, Katie Pearlman, Benoir and the Long Beach All-Stars, Annie Marks & Chris James, Cecila Kirtland, Sweet Suzi and Sugafixx and the Macksings Band.

Woodmere resident Toby Tobias, a member of the Hewlett-Woodmere Business Association and owner of the Tune Tutors, his home-based music school, is the festival’s musical director and put together the slate of acts.

Tobias, whose own Toby Tobias Ensemble performed after the community’s Memorial Day Parade, will also perform Sunday and said the festival is an open invitation to visit Hewlett and Woodmere.

“It gives people from outside the community a chance to see how our community works, and in the long run, this will have an enormous impact on the community and its members,” said Tobias, adding that festival goers “will be exposed to some of Long Island’s best and most well known singer-songwriters.”