Manhasset Al Fresco could launch by month’s end

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Manhasset Al Fresco could launch by month’s end
An outdoor dining experience may come to Plandome Road by the end of the month. (Photo via Google Maps)

Pending confirmation from local police authorities, Manhasset Al Fresco could kick off by the end of June, according to one of the community members leading the charge.

Inspired by a similar slate of outdoor events in Port Washington, efforts to establish Manhasset Al Fresco were spearheaded by the Manhasset Chamber of Commerce, with input from community and business leaders.

Co-organizer Sue Auriemma said at a June 9 meeting of the Council of Greater Manhasset Civic Associations that the Plandome Road events were originally planned to be on Wednesdays and start later, but that business owners and families had requested the changes.

“The dates were moved from Wednesdays to Sundays at the suggestion of business owners, and since they’re the ones who were involved, it made more sense,” Auriemma said. “And then more recently, both business owners, a lot who either don’t open Sunday or close early on Sunday, and also families asked if we can make it earlier.”

Hours will be between 3:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., according to Auriemma, with the roads also closed for an hour before and after each event for setup and cleanup.

Auriemma noted that while the plans drew inspiration from the similar Port Outdoors events in Port Washington, that the difference in timing would provide a unique “vibe” separate from Port’s downtown.

“It has a little bit of a different vibe than Port,” Auriemma said. “We wanted to make sure that we weren’t stepping on the toes of Port. It’s actually going to be great because we’re not going to be up against commuter traffic, and we hope that it means people who were away will come back in time to have a dinner outside.”

As of now, four dates throughout the summer are scheduled for South Plandome Road, which would close the street from Park Avenue to Dennis Street, and North Plandome Road, which would close down the street from Webster Avenue and Colonial Parkway to Maple Place and Hillside Avenue.

So far, dates for South Plandome include Sunday, June 27; Sunday, July 25; Sunday, Aug. 22;  and Sunday, Sept. 26, while dates for North Plandome include Sunday, July 11; Sunday, Aug. 8; Sunday, Sept. 12; and Sunday, Oct. 10, with rain dates to be finalized later.

Different event days will spotlight different businesses, with the inaugural night on Sunday, June 27, set to feature an antique car show from Elite Automotive and Repair, demo classes at Mayweather Fitness and Tiger Schulman’s Manhasset, outdoor seating at Herb and Olive Marketa and For Five Coffee Roasters, and even walk-in COVID-19 vaccines at Manhasset Park Drugs, among other promotions. Local organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, the Tower Foundation, and the Manhasset Rotary Club will also take part that day, with the full schedules for each event to be finalized at a later date.

“So, it’s almost all in place, and the learning curve has been steep, and the next step is that we’ve got to get people to come out and attend the events, so we want to make it worthwhile that the businesses have opened up and stayed open on a Sunday,” Auriemma said.

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