It's a little earlier and shorter than usual but the Long Island Fall Festival returns to Huntington next weekend with its mix of music, food, rides and entertainment.
Because Yom Kippur (Oct. 7-8) coincides with Columbus Day weekend, the festival organizers decided to move the event up a week for the first time in 18 years. And without the Monday available as a holiday, the festival is shortened by a day. This year, the festival will start Sept.30 and run through Oct.2.
Last year's festival drew tens of thousands of spectators to to eat, shop from vendors and play games, talk with political candidates or test their courage on the carnival's rides.
To add to the fun, the Columbus Day parade will run from 12:30 to 3 p.m.
The vendor lineup involves hundreds, with wares ranging from pickles to the Marine Corps League; from pottery to Patch.
Huntington Patch will be well represented and participating again in such events as the meatball-eating contest, which is scheduled for 3 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
Among the many entertainers are Shudder, made up of youngsters Lennon Ashton, Madden Klass and Reese Ortenberg, the , Northport native Claudia Jacobs, John Qualls, Ken Talve and Soul Twist.
The schedule for the event, run by the, is as follows:
Friday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.: entertainment, carnival and park food court
Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.: Carnival and park food court; live performances; street vendors from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.: Carnival and park food court with free performances, street vendors fro 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Columbus Day parade and the meatball-eating contest.
Festival shuttle service is available from the Huntington Long Island Railroad Station. Parkig is free and the roundtrip shuttle cost is $1.
Parking is free at these locations:
North New York Avenue LotNew York Avenue approximately
2 blocks north of Main Street Clinton Street Lot
at Clinton and Main (rear entrance to
Dunkin Donuts, Jonathan’s, etc.) Gerard Street Lot
directly across the street from
Huntington Post Office Huntington Post Office Lot
55 Gerard Street West Main Street Lot
west end of Main Street
parking between Rite Aid & Wild by Nature and rear entrance of Golden Dolphin New Street Lot
on New Street between
Main and West Carver Streets East Carver Street Lot
East Carver Street and New York Avenue
(south of Main Street, east of NY Ave) Elm Street Lot
Elm Street & New York Avenue Upper Elm Street Lot
at top of hill after passing Elm Street Lot Elks Club Lot
on Main Street just east of Stewart Avenue
