The Village of Malverne has several fun events lined up this summer, including the return of its popular concert series, as well as a free play and movie screening — all open for the enjoyment of the entire community.
“Our summer concert series is a wonderful long-standing tradition of offering several outdoor entertainment options that look to appeal to members of our community,” Malverne Mayor Tim Sullivan said. “This summer, Malverne is poised to offer more than we have ever before.”
All events are free for members of the community, and the programs, which are sponsored by the village, take place in the local parks. Audience members are reminded to bring their own seating.
Kicking off the concert series will be performances from The Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra, on July 12 at 3 p.m., and Risky Business, on July 25 at 7:30 p.m., both at Gazebo Park, near the Long Island Rail Road station in Malverne.
Formed in 1984, The Nassau Pops is an orchestra that plays music from popular movies, Broadway shows, and more — accompanied by two vocalists throughout the show. The orchestra first performed in the village in 1988 and has played in Malverne nearly every year since then.
“It’s a great venue for an intimate performance,” Louis Panacciulli, The Nassau Pops’ music director, said.
Panacciulli explained that direct sunlight can damage musical instruments, but the tree shade provided in Gazebo Park allows the orchestra to perform outdoors during the day, which it doesn’t do anywhere else.
“We get several hundred people at these performances,” Panacciulli said. “When people come to these concerts, after it’s over, they visit the stores and attend a lot of the nice restaurants that Malverne has there for dinner.”
Risky Business is a seven-piece band made up of veteran performers who showcase hits from every decade. The band is known for getting people on the dance floor, and during last year’s performance, members of the Malverne community danced the night away to its tunes.
Also, the village will host a screening of the 2024 musical drama “Mufasa: The Lion King” at Whelan Field, on July 31 at 7:30 p.m. This will be the first community event hosted at Whelan Field following its grand re-opening, which is scheduled for July 23.
In June 2024, construction began on the Pine Stream Extension Project at Whelan Field, leveling the field while adding a water retention system and other amenities to the space, including a parking lot. The movie screen will be set up on the newly renovated baseball fields and the village will provide treats for attendees to enjoy.
“We aim to offer these events for friends and families,” Sullivan said, “when we have time to create these memories.”
The Malverne Chamber of Commerce co-sponsors the annual Play in the Park with the village in August. “It reflects our shared commitment to supporting families and building an engaged and connected community,” Elizabeth Krull, the chamber’s president, said.
This year’s play, scheduled for Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. at Westwood Park, is “Elephant & Piggie’s ‘We Are in a Play!’” Based on the popular early childhood book series, the play follows the adventures of Gerald and Piggie as they spend a day together.
In the past, the theatrical performances at Westwood Park have been performed by theatre troops from outside of the local community, but this summer the village is highlighting local talent by working in partnership with the Malverne Community Theatre.
“We’re lucky enough to be given the opportunity to do the Play in the Park,” David Coonan, the theatre’s director, said.
The theatre is a member of the chamber, Krull said, adding, “This demonstrates how we invest in local events while uplifting our small businesses and local talent.”
The play will be about an hour long, according to Coonan, and made up of varying scenes.
“Almost every scene is based on a different one of the ‘Elephant and Piggie’ books,” Coonan said. “So if you’re like me and have read these books to your kid, you’ll be very familiar with these storylines. And they’re all set to music, which is really fun.”
The final performance of the summer will come on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m., as the Cold Spring Harbor Band returns to Westwood Park. The Billy Joel tribute band was a hit last summer, featuring the pop icon’s greatest hits and telling the story of the Long Island legend.
