With a Pet Expo that acts as a magnet for pet owners, the Long Island Family Festival Sept. 13-15 is just as committed as ever to including furry and feathered family members in the weekend’s events at Tanner Park.
Not only is there four-legged action in the Dog Performance Arena through Pet Expo in the Park, but Saturday offers the popular “Corky’s International Haute Couture Canine Fashion Show” where Fido and gang sport the latest in doggie apparel from around the globe.
Admission is free for this annual event by the bay on Bay Lawn Avenue with carnival rides, food vendors, a weekend of live music and more. The hours are 6-10 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, but bad weather will postpone. The rain date is Oct. 11-13, according to Copiague Chamber of Commerce.
Of the event that kicked off approximately 17 years ago at Tanner Park, Chamber President Donna Farina said, “It has just grown to the point that we practically took over the whole park…We get a lot of people. It’s a family festival.”
And the pet connection is part of the event’s success, said Alyssa Nightingale, promoter/organizer, who describes Long Island Family Festival as “one of the fastest growing pet-friendly family festivals around in the Northeast.”
Expecting another banner year, Farina said, "At least 20,000 people come through the gates in the three days."
New this year, and adding to two custom car shows, will be the Long Island Family Festival Truck sponsored by New York Tow Trucks for Families on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a wide selection of trucks on display. A truck light-up show at 8 p.m. will pay tribute to Derek Eide, an organization member who passed away this year.
For those who like to compete, there’s the Pizza Eating Contest and Children’s Corn Husking Competition. For music lovers, there’s karaoke at the Premier Mobile Karaoke and DJ Lounge and the Long Island Family Festival Drum & Bugle Show, as well as live performances by bands like Crossing Sunrise, Rockin’ 45 and 20 Highview on the stage at Seashell Show Mobiles. Carnival rides, the Tanner Jam Skateboard Competition and the Ocean View Art, Craft & Gift Show round out the events.
Especially for the kids there are circus shows, Nightingale said, festival pirates that host treasure hunts, the festival mermaid and Sir Pumpkin King. Other general attractions are the Human Hamster Ball Races and a show by ventriloquist Jack Stein and his puppets.
“Copiague wanted to do something for the community and that’s how this all began,” said Farina.
She recalled that Nightingale and past Chamber President Anna Tambasco got together to collaborate on an event to benefit the community.
“Copiague’s just a small town so we need always to fight a little harder, to do a little bit more work to improve our community and to get the word out about what people are doing for the community,” she said.
According to Nightingale, funds raised “go back into the community to pay for things like scholarships,” as well as turkeys and other donations to community groups, holiday décor, planters and more.
“The goal is to increase the amount raised each year to better the community. This year the festival is going to be bigger and better than ever,” she said.
Backing this year comes from Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre, the Suffolk County Executive’s Office and Legislators Jason Richberg and Kevin McCaffrey.