Photo by Quicktime Panorama Photographers, John Grover

The Annual Summer Festival on Park Boulevard, held Friday, August 18, Saturday, August 19, and Sunday, August 20 drew crowds once again to the long strip of shopping and eating establishments known to locals as "town." Although gloomy skies and rain showers on Friday got the event off to a slow start, gorgeous, breezy weather on Saturday and Sunday, when the street was blocked off from Front Street to Clark Boulevard, attributed to the large turnout of fair-goers on those two days.

"We had a great weekend for the festival. Everyone had a great time. Park Boulevard has a such a small town, hometown feel," said Gail Klubnick, village trustee and event chair.

Tent-capped cubicles lined the insides of the street, serving as shady stations for arts and crafts’ vendors, who numbered over 100, leaving the sidewalks open for those who desired to walk at a faster pace than a browser’s stroll. Claiming that there were more vendors on site this year than in the past, Camille Lagno of Massapequa Park said, "I think it’s wonderful when the community gets together to have a fun day."

The smell of barbeque and its hazy accompaniment, smoke from the grill, signaled available food from the outdoor kitchens of some of the street’s hotspots. And with food, certainly there is drink. On Sunday, a trio stood at the corner of Park and Jackson Avenue enjoying a cold one and the merriment of the afternoon.

But strongly present also were parents wheeling baby strollers, as well as dog owners, with their pets at hand and on leashes, indicative of the fair’s family-oriented atmosphere.

Mary Pelus, a Bethpage resident walking a tiny, white pooch, was dog-sitting for her daughter. Pelus, formally of Massapequa, said, "I figured I’d take her for a walk while I look around."

Music was also an important factor of the day, determining what end of the block people milled around; musicradio.com broadcast classics and oldies from a small stage set up close to Carvel, while DJ Page Mullane, Massapequa Park’s resident rooftop dj, spun mixes of radio’s latest pop chart toppers from his booth above Caffeine while hoping to raise more funds for Christina Cowan, the East Lake student in need of a double-lung transplant. One member of Mullane’s street patrol, Jillian Smith said that fair-goers were very supportive throughout the weekend. "[The festival] drew a lot of people, and by closing off the street, everyone was in a concentrated area, so it made it easier to get donations."

Other entertainment throughout the weekend included groups such as Tiger Shullman Karate Demo, This Island Earth, Early Edition, Irredesense, Action Jackson, the Heart Beat Dance Team, Roadhouse and Flash Cadillac. The Town of Oyster Bay brought Beatlemania to a willing crowd on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. for a two hour performance of Beatles hits from the 60s and 70s, with costume changes that suit the songs of the different generations. According to Klubnick, some of the actors originated from the show’s Broadway cast. "We had some technical glitches [during Beatlemania.] The generator went twice, but they stayed and played until the end," said Klubnick.

The event was co-sponsored by the Massapequa Park Merchants Association, the Incorporated Village of Massapequa Park and Circuit City.