Rainy skies, bright smiles: Port Jeff Station/Terryville chamber ignites fall fun

By Aramis Khosronejad

Over the rainy weekend and despite the weather, the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce, determined to kick start the fall season, hosted a community celebration on Saturday, Sept. 30. 

The chamber held its annual Family Fun Day celebration at the Train Car Park in Port Jeff Station, where this unique site goes well beyond Saturday’s festivities.

The chamber is “trying to make it the hub of Port Jeff Station,” said PJSTCC president Jennifer Dzvonar. “We’re trying to bring a central sense of community here.”

Family Fun Day has taken place since 2018. However, this year was the first the event was back after a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, among other factors. The event consisted of many local vendors and businesses, various performances, games for children and adults, and apple pie and scarecrow contests.

One of the local businesses that performed at the event was the Backstage Studio of Dance, a volunteer group that teaches young adults various dances, including ballet and boys hip hop, among others. “My kids can perform and not feel pressure of competition or anything else,” said Gwenn Capodieci, the executive director of the dance studio. “They’re just up there having fun.” 

Capodieci added what this event means for the community: “Support your local business while having fun with your family.”

Dzvonar noted that the event aims to “bring something to our community that encompasses everybody — the local businesses, families, our community.”

The original incentive, she added, was to create a simple, fun space where families can gather and enjoy each other’s company while supporting their local businesses. 

Dzvonar also mentioned how the event “is really highlighting our kids, our next generation and our future.”