Crowds flock to Malverne Fall Festival

Malverne’s Church Street was packed to the gills on Sunday as the Malverne Chamber of Commerce’s annual Fall Festival took over the street. The Chamber reported that the event was the most well attended it has been in years. The Chamber also used the event to highlight a number of new businesses in Malverne.

Countless stands, food trucks, bouncy castles, and more crowded the street and the neighboring Reese Park. Around the block, the parking lot behind Connolly Station Restaurant was filled with sleek vintage automobiles. Stores all along Hempstead Church Street and Hempstead Avenue had their doors open, inviting in fair visitors from near and far.

“It’s bigger and better than we’ve ever had,” exclaimed Chamber president Maria Casini. “More cars than we’ve ever had. Hundreds of people on the street. That’s what it’s about. Getting people into town. Getting people into our stores. Getting to know the members.”

Last year the fair celebrated Malverne’s 100-year anniversary, but Casini believed that turnout was even better this year. “We didn’t think we could top it. I think we topped it,” she said.

Each year the annual vintage car show, organized by Jack Sorrentino, accompanies the fall festival. Sorrentino, a broker for Newmann Realty and a Chamber trustee, also reported that the car fair had an abundance of participants, with 100 vehicles rolling into the parking lot.

“This started out way back when 29 years ago. It was only an antique classic car show. We always did it in this location. Then as the years went on it became incorporated with the fall festival,” Sorrentino explained.

This year, the car show also helped spotlight a new member of the Chamber of Commerce. Raquel Busa is the founder of Maquina 37, an illustration and design company named after her mother’s sewing machine, or máquina in Spanish.

Busa created a coloring book filled with drawings of vintage cars that she handed out for free. The coloring book was the third she had worked on.

“The first coloring book I did was a bilingual Spanish and English book. The second one I did was an LGBTQ coloring book for kids. So for my business, I really try to focus on under-represented communities,” Busa said.

Busa runs an online shop accepting commissions. While she mainly does line work, she also dabbles in collage and sewing.

Another entrepreneur new to the fair was Mary Alston. Alston is the founder of MEA cr Beauty, and MEA cr Jewel. Alston recalled that she had been interested in hair and beauty since childhood, when she would give the women of her church makeovers. Alston opened a storefront on Church Street in February, where patrons can get a makeover by appointment.

“MEA cr Beauty is a hair business. I do eyelash extensions, facials, all types of hair color, anything to beautify women. I also have a jewelry line, MEA cr Jewel, where you can purchase things I’ve designed online.”

One vendor who is not yet established in Malverne is Lost Farmer Brewing Company. Founded in Mineola, the brewery is working on a second location on Hempstead Avenue in Malverne, which is tentatively scheduled to open this spring.

“I’m at the mercy of permitting. It took almost all year to get our federal and state licensing. They were so behind from 2020 and Covid,” explained founder John Strohm. “We’ve got beers in UBS Arena where the Islanders play. With the opening of Malverne, with the continued growth of the company, we’re hoping one day to expand beyond Long Island an the city to all over the Northeast, and hopefully nationwide.”