The Village of Freeport’s annual Fall Festival brought families, friends and neighbors together on Sunday for an afternoon packed with Halloween excitement along the Nautical Mile.
Beginning at noon, the free event featured Trunk-or-Treating, a Fire Expo, Chowder Fest and the popular Halloween Parade.
Festivalgoers gathered at Sea Breeze Park on Richmond Street for the parade before marching down Woodcleft Avenue to the parking lot across from the esplanade, where the celebration continued.
Children filled goodie bags with candy provided by the Village of Freeport, the Freeport Police Benevolent Association, and the Freeport Fire Department.
Costumes weren’t required, but nearly everyone joined in the spirit, transforming the waterfront into a colorful parade of superheroes, ghosts and ghouls.
Trunk-or-Treating served as a safe, family-friendly twist on traditional trick-or-treating. Families decorated their car trunks with creative Halloween themes, played music, and handed out candy to young visitors. The event offered a festive environment for children to celebrate without the need to go door-to-door.
The festival also included the Freeport Fire Department’s 35th annual Fire Expo, one of Long Island’s largest public-safety demonstrations.
Visitors took the opportunity to see the department’s fire trucks and equipment up close, learn about fire prevention, and watch live demonstrations given by firefighters. Children met local first responders and collected giveaways, while parents received tips on keeping their homes safe.
Food lovers flocked to the annual Chowder Fest, a culinary highlight that has become a favorite part of the festival. For a small donation, adults sampled a variety of chowders, while children ate for free.
Restaurants from the Nautical Mile competed for honors in several chowder categories, including Manhattan, New England, most innovative, Long Island, bisque, original and chunkiest. Past competitors included Halfway Down, Sonny’s Canal House, and Novi, with Halfway Down returning to defend its title as last year’s overall winner.
“It was a perfect day for the Fall Festival,” Elizabeth Comerford, director of the Freeport Recreation Center, said. “We had at least a couple hundred marchers. I think my favorite was this little skeleton riding a motorcycle, but every costume looked great. We also had some costumed dogs, who are always welcome as long as they behaved, which they all did.”
The festival has grown into one of Freeport’s most anticipated fall traditions, attracting between 500 and 1,000 visitors each year, depending on the weather. Each October, the recreation center coordinates the event with dozens of volunteers, the Freeport Chamber of Commerce, local schools and community organizations.
The day’s activities underscored the village’s emphasis on family, fun and community pride.
In addition to the main attractions, past festivals have featured face painting, hayrides, pumpkin decorating and live music from local performers. This year’s event carried on the tradition, providing entertainment for all ages while showcasing the scenic beauty of the Nautical Mile as a backdrop.
To start the Halloween celebration early, on Saturday night, the village hosted a free screening of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” at the recreation center, drawing many families eager to kick off the festivities before the big day.
With help from local businesses, first responders and community volunteers, the Fall Festival once again marked the close of the Nautical Mile’s busy season, offering residents a final opportunity to enjoy the waterfront before winter.
“What a great day was had by all at the fire department expo, Halloween parade, and chowder contest,” Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy said. “The weather was wonderful, which probably contributed to the size of the crowd attending. I think this was one of our largest Fall Festival events in the past 15 years.
“I, along with everyone who marched in the parade, had a great time,” the mayor added. “The distance from Sea Breeze Park to the esplanade is just about the right distance for the parade. We had about a dozen Trunk-or-Treat stations, as well as the Fire Expo stations. I also saw long lines at the chowder contest, which is always a good sign.”
