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The bands, artists and craft vendors have all been booked, and the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Bay Shore is getting ready to host its 16th Annual Arts Festival by the Bay.
The one-day festival kicks off at 11 a.m. this Sunday, June 12, and runs to 6 p.m. across a huge chunk of Main Street — from Smith Avenue to Shore Lane.
Donna Periconi, the chamber’s president, described the event as “an old-fashioned community street festival” with a huge musical component that features bands, orchestras and choirs from the Bay Shore middle and high schools, as well as regional acts like the Symphonic Band of Bay Shore-Brightwaters, The Greater Nassau Chorus and The Hibernian Festival Singers. The groups perform at the Main Street Bandshell.
(See a complete performance schedule below.)
“It’s a cabaret setting, as well as a fun-filled day for everyone,” Periconi said. “It’s an opportunity for us to showcase Bay Shore. When we started this years ago, we were in difficult times, and now, 16 years later, you see all these changes with all the great new restaurants. I’m very proud of this and we’re just delighted to do it.”
The 2016 Arts Festival will once again be graced with a special appearance by the historic Oyster Sloop Priscilla, courtesy of the Long Island Maritime Museum in West Sayville.
Priscilla, built in 1888, will be docked in Watchogue Creek behind the Main Street Bandshell.
Read More: Priscilla – a Brief History
Cynthia Schiavone of Brightwaters, an art student at the Earth ‘n Vessel pottery studio on West Main Street, said this will be her third year at the Bay Shore festival, which she said provides a nice opportunity for Long Island potters.
“I don’t really see much pottery at the other fairs at all,” she said.
(Click here to follow Schiavone’s work on Facebook.)
Also, all of the food for festival-goers is provided by the local restaurants, Periconi noted.
Local Burger Co. co-owner Mike McElwee said the festival is one of the biggest days of the year for Bay Shore.
Last year Local Burger moved 780 burgers on Main Street.
“This year the goal is 1,000,” he said.
