The Floral Park Chamber of Commerce’s street fair, sponsored by the New York Racing Association, was cancelled Sunday due to inclement weather. It was the third event to be cancelled or pushed back over the weekend, joining Manhasset Al Fresco and the Mineola Portuguese Day parade.
The cancellation now marks three years since the street fair was held.
The chamber told members in an email the decision was a difficult one and explained there were cancellations ahead of their final decision by the rides vendor and live bands.
“This left us with the decision to have a pared-down street fair with no rides and entertainment. We wanted to bring the fair back with a bang, not a whimper, and with no clarity about the afternoon weather, and the 50/50 chance of a complete washout, we decided to cancel entirely to save the vendors and workers the time and trouble of settingup their stations, and to save the village many hours of overtime and expense, which our taxpayers bare,” the chamber said in a statement.
“We share your disappointment that another year will go by without the street fair, but assure you we are more determined to host it again next year.”
Original plans were to hold the fair’s return one day after the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes on Tulip Avenue from Verbena to Plainfield Avenue.
As of Saturday night, the fair was still on, according to emails from chamber officials. Another email, sent Sunday morning, confirmed the fair’s cancellation following a chamber vote. It was then posted to their Facebook page Sunday morning.
“Due to the unpredictable weather, this year’s street fair will be canceled,” the chamber said in a post. “We will be back next year.”
Stephen Wickes, the immediate past president of the chamber who has organized the street fair for the past decade, had told Blank Slate Media earlier the fair was another chance for Floral Park to show what it’s made of after two years of being on the sidelines since COVID-19.
“It’s important for the local businesses because we draw a really big crowd,” Wickes said. “We want to attract people to the heart of our village and experience what Floral Park has to offer, which is shopping, dining and living in a family-friendly community.”
Manhasset’s first Al Fresco, which promotes local businesses, outdoor dining, and live entertainment along Plandome Road, was also canceled. The event takes place every other Sunday starting June 12 and ending on Sept. 18. The new kick-off date is slated for Sunday, June 26, at 4 p.m.
In Mineola, the Portuguese Day parade was pushed back one hour from its original 11 a.m. start time. Village residents, elected officials and local organizations were among those who participated in the parade that eventually ended at Wilson Park for the Mineola Portuguese Center’s Annual Portuguese-American Feast.
