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It’s one of the biggest days each year for Islip, and an early mark of summer’s return to the South Shore of Long Island.
The Islip Summer Street Festival happens on Sunday, June 2, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. along Main Street.
The roadway will be lined with vendors, musical acts, food trucks and even more food from the restaurants — most of which will offer outdoor seating.
Main Street will be bookended by the more kid-oriented area on the east end near Town Hall, and a car show on the west end near Islip Cinemas and Town Hall West.
The road will close around 10 a.m. from Smith to South Bay avenues.
“Now the whole street’s like a party,” said Anthony Mastrantonio, the newly appointed president of the Islip Chamber of Commerce, which runs the event each year.
“It used to be that we had one stage and we’d line up different acts for it, but now the restaurants work together to hire bands like Tradewinds. So it’s a whole lot of fun.”
New to the festival this year is a rolling butterfly exhibit. The chamber foot the bill just for the attraction to get to Islip. From there it’s $3 per entry per person, with a feeding stick.
That’s toward the east end, where there will also be inflatables, pony rides and a petting zoo. Some of the local dance companies will be performing too.
The chamber will be setting up not far from Islip Cleaners, where volunteers will be raffling off gift baskets stuffed with items donated from local businesses.
The grand prize is a fire pit donated by Islip True Value Hardware.
“Across Long Island, it’s becoming increasingly tough because theres so many street fairs,” said Mastrantonio, but Islip’s is one of the first of the season.
“And everyone loves coming out when the weather starts getting good.”
