The Glen Cove Street Fair is returning on Sept. 13 with a new addition: a petting zoo and pony rides. The festival will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Glen Street and School Street and will attract hundreds of attendees.
“The street fair is great because it brings artisans and local craftspeople alike to have fun,” said Roni Jenkins, who leads the Glen Cove Special Events Committee. Jenkins said the committee is helping put together over 30 events in the city this year, aiming to drive tourism and boost local businesses.
Jenkins said the street fair is held in conjunction with Nassau County Fairs and will bring vendors from all over the county. There will be food trucks, jewelry, crafting, and clothing vendors, as well as games and activities. She said there will be a variety of food, from “tacos and knishes to sweet treats and ices.”
The day will be complete with live music from The Jam Brothers, playing from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Matt Pinto & Friends, playing from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Jenkins said the fair has been a Glen Cove tradition since the 1970s, but was recently moved from Memorial Day to the fall season. Last year, the festival was held over two days, but it was condensed to one this year due to logistics, she said.
Last year garnered hundreds of attendees, and Jenkins said the city expects a similar number this year.
A new addition to the fair this year will be a petting zoo, complete with pony rides.
“The pony and the petting zoo… it’s pretty unique, and it’s a lot of fun,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins said that many neighborhoods don’t have wide enough streets to accommodate the zoos, but Glen Cove has enough space. She said there will also be other free activities for kids, like a bounce house.
Another new addition to the street fair is a beer garden from Tapville, a vendor that features all Long Island draft beers on tap. She said the “mobile taproom” will be complete with Adirondack chairs, and that it will be near the soundstage so visitors can enjoy live music.
She said the set-up is “exciting and unique,” adding a new element to the annual fair.
For more information on the street fair, visit facebook.com/groups/glencovespecialevents.
