Patchogue's Alive After Five and other Long Island summer street fairs
Crowds make their way along Main Street in Patchogue during the 18th annual Alive After Five Festival. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
Don't think you need to wait for the weekend to hit a street fair. On a recent Thursday night, Main Street in Patchogue teemed with people displaying rainbow-heart face stickers and colorful T-shirts at the village's Alive After Five street festival, the first of four summer events aimed at attracting crowds with live music, food trucks, retail vendors and children's activities.
The Patchogue festival, which starts at 5 p.m. and ends at 9:30 on select Thursdays through the summer, is run by the Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce. Executive director David Kennedy recalls the first event nearly 20 years ago that drew only 500 people. "Now it's one of the biggest events on Long Island with 20,000 each night," he says.
Jack Gersic, 21, has been coming to Alive After Five since he was a child with his mother and older brothers. This time, the Medford native says he came especially because the first night was a pride-themed event. "No one should be afraid to be who they are," he says, wearing a striped-rainbow T-shirt.
The July 11 event will honor the armed services, the July 25 fest will focus on awareness of women in the arts and Patchogue and the cultural arts will be celebrated Aug. 8.
WEEKNIGHT STREET FAIRS
TUESDAYS
Bay Shore's Alive By the Bay
WHEN | WHERE 5:30-9 p.m. July 16 and 30, Aug. 13. Main Street between Shore Lane and Ocean Avenue.
INFO 631-848-0458, facebook.com/bayshorerestaurantcommittee
WEDNESDAYS
Great Neck Plaza's Summer Promenade
WHEN | WHERE 6:30-10:30 p.m. July 10 (Bond Street) and July 17 (North Middle Neck Road) in Great Neck. Rain dates are the next day.
INFO 516-482-4500, shopgreatneck.com
St. James Summer Nights
WHEN | WHERE 5-9 p.m. Aug. 7 (rain date Aug. 21), St. James Elementary School, 580 Lake Ave., St. James.
INFO 631-584-5200, stjamesny11780.org
THURSDAYS
Patchogue's Alive After Five
WHEN | WHERE 5-9:30 p.m. Thursdays July 11 and 25, Aug. 8 (rain date Aug. 22), Main Street (Maple to West avenues) plus South Ocean, Havens and Railroad avenues.
INFO 631-207-1000, aliveafterfive.com
Farmingdale's Music on Main
WHEN | WHERE 5-9 p.m. July 11 and 25, Aug. 8 and 22; Main Street in Farmingdale
INFO 516-314-0050
Riverhead’s Alive on 25
WHEN | WHERE 5-9:30 p.m. July 18, Aug. 1 and 15, Main Street (from Griffing Avenue to Heidi Behr Way) (rain date Aug. 22)
INFO 631-209-4244, aliveon25.com
Babylon's Block Party
WHEN | WHERE 5-9 p.m. July 18 and Aug. 29, Deer Park Avenue between Main Street and Railroad Avenue.
INFO 631-669-8612, babylonvillagechamberofcommerce.com/events
FRIDAYS
Garden City's Friday Night Promenade
WHEN | WHERE 6-10 p.m. through Sept. 13, Seventh Street (between Franklin and Hilton avenues)
INFO 516-746-7724, gardencitychamber.org
