Saturday, October 3, 2026
The sounds of the 1950s and ‘60s filled Rath Park on a warm summer evening as Step by Step, a Johnny Maestro tribute band, performed oldies and classics for hundreds of residents during the Town of Hempstead’s Neighborhood Concert Series.
The concert began at 7:30 p.m. in the parking lot next to the pool, where a crowd of attendees arrived early with blankets and lawn chairs to claim a spot for the show. The event drew music lovers not only from Franklin Square but from across Long Island.
Families and friends gathered under the open sky to enjoy wistful tunes from the golden era of rock ’n’ roll. Some danced along to the music, including children who twirled and clapped beside their families throughout the night.
For John Rigrod, who travelled to Rath Park from Northport just for the concert, said it was his first time seeing Step by Step and was impressed with how well they performed Johnny Maestro’s extensive discography, which he found nostalgic.
“If you lived during that time as a kid,” Rigrod said, “it was a whole different meaning.”
He remembered many of the songs the band played that evening, and while he believes the music can be considered “outdated” by some, the upbeat tunes still get people of all different ages out of their seats and dancing.
Margaret Morphis and her husband, John Morphis, travelled all the way from Bayville – a trip that took them about an hour – to see the band. Not only are they longtime fans of Step by Step, but they have visited Rath Park several times for concerts and events.
“The music is great and everyone is nice,” Margaret said.
“It’s just so much fun,” John added.
Councilman Tom Muscarella was in attendance, joining residents and guests for the free community event. He attends many of the town’s concert series and explained that the bands are chosen as per the community’s musical tastes and requests.
The evening was made possible in part by the support of Maspeth Federal Savings and Ridgewood Savings Bank, both of which helped sponsor the event. Volunteers from both banks were present to support the celebration and engage with community members.
The concert was part of the Town of Hempstead’s ongoing effort to bring accessible arts and entertainment to local neighborhoods during the summer season. The next show in Franklin Square will be Sir Duke, a Stevie Wonder tribute band, on Aug. 5 at Averill Park, starting at 7:30.
