The Village of Mineola’s Chamber of Commerce is set to host a family-focused street fair this Sunday after two years of less-than-ideal circumstances.
On Jericho Turnpike between Mineola Boulevard and Willis Avenue, there will be a frenzy of food and fun from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In 2020, the street fair was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in 2021 was rained out after a downpour started two hours after it began.
This year will be the second fair under the leadership of Louis Panacciulli, who is the music director for the Nassau County Pops Symphony Orchestra. Panacciulli, who was installed as chamber president in June 2021, took over from Joel Harris, who organized the previous three fairs before Panacciulli took over.
Tony Lubrano, the chamber’s vice president, told Blank Slate Media this year will spotlight Mineola businesses and families.
“We decided this year we are going to take it back and go to our roots,” Lubrano said. “We decided to target a theme this year of a family fun day.”
Lubrano mentioned how this year the chamber took on the full responsibility for planning the street fair after having a third party help out over the past few years.
“The atmosphere was there was really no reason to hang out there,” Lubrano said. “Once you take one lap, you’ve seen everything and don’t need to stay.”
To fix the problem, there will be a bigger focus on interactive activities, including kid rides, a yearly staple, and the dunk tank, which the chamber donates to the Mineola Junior Fire Department.
In addition, there will be carnival games with the Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corps, donated by the chamber, bouncy houses, clowns and magicians, among other activities.
Can You Escape? Long Island will also be bringing a portable escape room and attendees can expect additional activities such as ax throwing or viewing a boxing demonstration.
For musical entertainment, a show mobile will be set up and feature 10 acts.
At 11 a.m., JHL Dance Dynamics will perform, then American Theater Dance Workshop at noon, an opening ceremony featuring bagpipers, color guards and elected officials at 12:30 p.m., Ariel Loft at 1 p.m., Jason the Clown Magic Show at 1:30 p.m., Portuguese Dancers at 2 p.m., Master Jeon Tai Kwon Do at 2:30 p.m., vocalist Nick Fabiano at 3 p.m., Jason the Clown Magic Show again at 3:30 p.m. before ending with Herricks musicians at 4 p.m.
For live music, Run for Cover will be playing at a designated spot for each live act at 11 a.m., Perfect Strangers at noon, North American Pandas at 1 p.m., Delusions of Grandeur at 2 p.m., Fuzz at 3 p.m. and Skyward Effect at 4 p.m.
Panacciulli thanked The Booking Ave, who provided four of the music groups playing Sunday.
The Mineola Street Fair started over 200 years ago but adopted the name “Mineola Fair” in 1899, according to Panacciulli. It was held in Mineola Memorial Park from 1991 until 2013 when it moved to Main Street. It then settled in its current Jericho Turnpike location in 2016.
The decision to move the fair to Jericho Turnpike was made because the chamber’s goal is to help local businesses and it thought the park was too small to help them, said Panacciulli.
Lubrano said he and the chamber are expecting Sunday to be the best fair yet.
“We all do this because we love the community and we’ve always enjoyed doing things like this, Lubrano said. “We put a lot of time into this and we have a great group of people who give a lot to make this happen. We’re looking forward to this being the best one ever.”
