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Heckscher Park Huntington

The Long Island Fall Festival 2022/Photo by Media Origins/TBR News Media

A beloved tradition is returning to Huntington. The Long Island Fall Festival heads to Heckscher Park for its 29th annual incarnation for Columbus Day weekend. 

The largest of its kind in the Northeast, the Long Island Fall Festival has become the premiere event for family fun. Brought to you by the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Huntington, this event attracts tens of thousands of families from all over the New York tri-state area to the 25 acres of beautiful Heckscher Park.

Truly a celebration of community spirit, this weekend event offers something for everyone. Attractions include three stages of live entertainment, a world-class carnival, hundreds of arts and craft vendors, international food courts, beer and wine pavilion, a farmer’s market, and numerous activities and entertainment designed especially for young children.

The festival begins with a carnival and live music on Friday, Oct. 6, from 5 to 10 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 7, and Sunday, Oct. 8, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., attendees can enjoy the carnival and more live music as well as enter contests and purchase merchandise from street vendors. Over 300 merchants will line up along Prime and Madison streets, adjacent to Heckscher Park, as well as within the grounds of the park. 

On Monday, Oct. 9, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the festival will offer the carnival and in-park vendors for another day of fall fun. 

Underwritten completely through corporate sponsorships, admission to the public is FREE. Dogs are welcome.

Heckscher Park is located at 2 Prime Avenue in Huntington. In addition to street parking, attendees can find free parking at the Huntington LIRR station and take a shuttle bus for $1 round trip. For more information and to get involved in this year’s Long Island Fall Festival, call 631-423-6100, or visit www.lifallfestival.com.

This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Harvest Times supplement on Sept.14.

Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Co. head to the Chapin Rainbow Stage on July 13. Photo by Darin Reed

Summer is finally here and that means the return of the Huntington Summer Arts Festival at the Chapin Rainbow Stage at Heckscher Park, 2 Prime Ave., in Huntington. Now in its 58th year, the festival will offer four weeks of free, live performances Wednesdays to Sundays from July 1 to 30. Sunday performances start at 7 p.m., all others performances start at 8 p.m. unless noted. 

Produced by the Town of Huntington and presented by the Huntington Arts Council (HAC), the festival clearly has something for everyone whether it be music, dance or theater. This year features festival mainstays such as the Huntington Community Band and The Huntington’s Men’s Chorus while highlighting new acts such as Tito Rodriguez Jr./Huntington Latin Night, Dr. K’s Motown Revue and Swing Sessions with Dudley Music and Guests.

Opening weekend sets the stage for this breakthrough season featuring Brooklyn based Sunny Jain’s Red Baraat on July 1 and the popular Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra on July 2. The Festival will go dark on Mondays and Tuesdays but ramp up again with the Huntington Community Band each Wednesday for the duration of the month.

The Englishtown Project is an exciting addition this year on July 7th. Followed by six-time Grammy winner Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, classic Motown sounds with Dr. K’s Motown Revue, The Hot Sardines’ take on classic jazz tunes, and the return of Huntington-born Chieli Minucci & Special EFX All Stars rounding out the weekend.

The 17th Huntington Folk Festival, a collaborative effort of the Folk Music Society of Huntington and HAC, returns on July 22. The open mic session at 12:30 p.m. will be followed by L.I. based singer/songwriters swapping songs on the hill from 1:30 to 3:45 p.m., and on-stage from 4 to 6 p.m. The day culminates with co-headliners Lucy Kaplansky and Cliff Eberhardt, pre-concert at 8 p.m.

Additional regulars include the North Shore Pops Concert Band, and Plaza Theatrical Productions with a presentation of the Broadway Rock Musical RENT. Fabulous dance performances are highlighted once again by Sol Y Sombra Spanish Dance Company, and the L.I. Dance Consortium.

Closing out the Festival will be The Jazz Loft Big Band and Tom Manuel with Grammy nominated guest vocalist Nicole Zuraitis on July 29 and Orchestra L.I., conducted by Musical Director David Stewart Wiley, serves up a delightful “In Concert With Nature” with works by Handel (Water Music), George Walker, the Mendelsohnn siblings Fanny & Felix, and for this year’s Festival Finale, Pastorale—Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Opus 68 on July 30.

“Huntington Arts Council takes pride in being able to present an exciting, free summer series of live performances. This year in particular, I am happy that our selection of acts is more representative of the diversity in our community. Our goal is to make the festival relevant, entertaining and accessible to everyone. All are welcome to attend!” said Kieran Johnson, Executive Director, Huntington Arts Council.

Below is the complete schedule for the season.

For a copy of the printed calendar click this link.

Saturday, July 1 – Sunny Jain’s Red Baraat

Sunday, July 2 – Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra, 7:00PM start time

Wednesday, July 5 – Huntington Community Band, “All Around The World”

Thursday, July 6 – Huntington Men’s Chorus, “Seriously Sinatra”

–      Northport Community Band 8:30PM, start time NPT Park

Friday, July 7 – The Englishtown Project

Saturday, July 8 – Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Sunday, July 9 – RENT Jonathan Larson’s Broadway Rock Musical by Plaza Theatrical Productions, 7:00PM start time

Wednesday, July 12 – Huntington Community Band, “Viva Long Island”

Thursday, July 13 – Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Co.

–      Northport Community Band 8:30PM, start time NPT Park

Friday, July 14 – Dr. K’s Motown Revue

Saturday, July 15 – The Hot Sardines

Sunday, July 16 – Chieli Minucci & Special EFX All-Stars, 7:00PM start time

Wednesday, July 19 – Huntington Community Band, “Una Celebracion de la Musica Latina”, 7:00PM Jazz Band start time; 8:00 PM Concert Band start time

Thursday, July 20 – North Shore Pops Concert Band

–      Northport Community Band 8:30PM, start time NPT Park

Friday, July 21 – Huntington Latin Night: Tito Rodriguez Jr. Orchestra; Opening Act – ZapOte Band; DJ Acito; Salsa Demo – Star Ballroom Dance Studiio 7:00 PM start time.

Saturday, July 22 – 16th Huntington Folk Festival, Cliff Eberhardt & Lucy Kaplansky, pre-concert interview at 7:15, concert at 8:00PM. Daytime open mic session hosted by Toby Tobias at 12:30, is followed by L.I. based singer/songwriters swapping songs on the hill from 1:30 to 3:45 PM, and on-stage from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

Sunday, July 23 – L.I. Dance Consortium, “Long Island Dances!, 7:00PM start time

Wednesday, July 26 – Huntington Community Band,”…and Home Again!”

Thursday, July 27 – Swing Sessions with Dudley Music & Guests, local emerging Artists. Performers include Gabi Rose; saxophonist/vocalist, alt-rock trio MJT; and bassist Andraleia, leader of Empathology. 7:30PM start time.

–      Northport Community Band 8:30PM, start time NPT Park

Saturday, July 29 – Jazz Loft Big Band, Tom Manuel Conductor, Nicole Zuraitis, Guest Vocalist

Sunday, July 30 – Orchestra L.I., David Stewart Wiley, Conductor “In Concert With Nature”, 7:00PM start time, 6:15 PM pre-concert talk by Maestro David Stewart Wiley.

For more information, visit www.huntingtonarts.org.

The Huntington Arts Council has announced the return of the Huntington Summer Arts Festival at the Chapin Rainbow Stage in Heckscher Park, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington from June 24 to Aug. 7. Now in its 57th year, the Festival will once again feature an abundance of exceptional music, dance and theatre performed by regional artists as well as those from around the U.S. and the world.

“The Huntington Summer Arts Festival is a cultural mainstay of Long Island and reflects our strong sense of community as we come together to celebrate the arts in an inclusive, family friendly environment. The Huntington Arts Council is proud to be the steward, in partnership with the Town of Huntington, of this FREE summer series,” said Kieran Johnson, Executive Director of the Huntington Arts Council.

“Our lineup is composed of a wide variety of artistic genres featuring something for everyone. Whether it be Women in Jazz week, Plaza Theatricals’ presentation of “Tick, Tick … Boom!,” or “How I Became a Pirate” for family night, Huntington Community Band, or Orchestra L.I. with David Stewart Wiley, I encourage everyone to come to a show; you won’t be disappointed. I hope to see you there!” he added.

Most performances start at 8 p.m. with family shows starting at 7 p.m. Shows are rain or shine unless weather is severe. 

Opening weekend features the truly innovative and incandescent Cyrille Aimee on June 24; followed by Plaza Theatrical’s production of the iconic Lerner & Loewe musical Camelot on June 25; and wrapping up the weekend on June 26 will be the Symphonic Pops of L.I. with conductor Stephen Michael Smith.

The season continues with:

June 28 Sonia De Los Santos

June 29 Huntington Community Band.

June 30 Huntington Men’s Chorus

July 1 L.I. Dance Consortium “A Celebration of Dance I”

July 2 Anthony Nunziata

July 6 Huntington Community Band

July 7 Alsarah & The Nubatones

July 8 Sol y Sombra

July 9 Dizzy Gillespie’s Afro-Latin Experience

July 10 Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra

July 12 Darlene Graham & The Shades of Green Band

July 13 Huntington Community Band

July 14 Oran Etkin Open Arms Project

July 15 The High Kings

July 16 Huntington Folk Festival, co-presented by Folk Music Society of Huntington: Paula Cole and Sophie B. Hawkins; (1:00 – 5:00 PM: Acoustic Music Scene Artist Showcases, Song Swaps)

July 17 Eastline Theatre Co. Shakespeare’s “Two Gentlemen Of Verona”

July 19-24 Women In Jazz Week: July 19 Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats July 20 Huntington Community Band. July 21 Lakecia Benjamin – Pursuance July 22 Bria Skonberg. July 23 Kandace Springs July 24 DIVA Five Play

July 26 Plaza Theatrical “How I Became A Pirate”

July 27 Huntington Community Band

July 28 Miko Marks & The Abrams

July 29 Oyster Bay Music Fest. Rieko Tsuchida & Maximilian Morel

July 30 Plaza Theatrical “Tick, Tick…Boom!”

July 31 Swingtime Big Band

Aug. 2 Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could

Aug. 3 Twin Shores Chorus/ Island Hills Chorus

Aug. 4 L.I. Dance Consortium “A Celebration of Dance II”

Aug. 5 American Patchwork Quartet

Aug. 6 Orchestra L.I., David Stewart Wiley

Aug. 7 Bumper Jacksons

Since 1959, The Northport Community Band has been delighting Northport residents and music lovers from all over Long Island. Thursdays from June 30 – July 28, the band performs at the Robert W. Krueger Bandstand in Northport Village Park. This year’s theme “Outdoor Overtures” will feature a blend of marches, overtures, classics and popular favorites. Concerts begin at 8:30 PM

All Huntington Summer Arts Festival Information and program updates can be found at www.huntingtonarts.org. The Chapin Rainbow Stage is in Heckscher Park, Huntington, NY 11743 at Prime Avenue/Route 25A. Performances start at 8:00 PM, Tuesday Family Shows at 7:00 PM. Shows are rain or shine unless weather is severe. Cancellations will be posted to HAC’s facebook page www.facebook.com/HuntingtonArts, or call TOH Public Safety (631)  351-3234.

 

Skerryvore will perform on the Chapin Rainbow Stage on Aug. 10. Photo by Rachel Keenan

By Sabrina Petroski

Art and music collide this summer at the 53rd annual Huntington Summer Arts Festival, where over 40 musicians, dance companies and theater companies will present performances on the Chapin Rainbow Stage in Heckscher Park over the span of seven weeks. The festival, which opened on June 26 and runs through Aug. 12, will be held every day of the week except Mondays, rain or shine.

According to John Chicherio, the performing arts director for the Huntington Arts Council (HAC), there will be “a whole new lineup of visiting or touring performing artists and ensembles who have never performed in Huntington before including Yael Deckelbaum, Las Cafetera and Skerryvore, other renowned artists returning with their latest projects, plus all new programs from superbly talented local and regional groups.”

Every Tuesday at 7 p.m. there will be performances geared toward children, including “Aladdin” performed by the BroadHollow Theatre Company, “The Pirate School” by David Engel and “Mammoth Follies,” a puppet show by the Hudson Vagabond Puppets. 

Returning acts include the Huntington Community Band, the Huntington Men’s Chorus, the Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra, The Long Island Dance Consortium, Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Company for lovers of dance and BroadHollow Theatre Company. 

“It says a lot about a community that supports the arts and we celebrate and cherish the Huntington Arts Council as a vibrant and essential part of what makes the Huntington community such a great place to live,” said Thomas Gellert, director of the Huntington Community Band, in a recent email. “As sure as there is summer, there is the Huntington Summer Arts Festival! I am proud to direct the 73-year-old Huntington Community Band and we thank the town and Arts Council for their unwavering support of the arts.”

Chicherio agreed, adding, “The entire festival is unlike any other on Long Island in terms of scope, variety and the high level of artistic quality. And you cannot beat the price — all concerts are free admission, open to all!”

According to the director, there will be multiple themed concerts this year including Huntington Jazz Week from July 17 to 22, Folk Americana Weekend from July 27 to 28 and the 13th Annual Huntington Folk Festival on July 29.

Festivalgoers are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets for seating as well as a picnic dinner. The HAC will sell sodas, water and ice cream in addition to T-shirts and novelty items, plus artists’ merchandise when available, and there will also be a snack vehicle located near the restroom building on most nights as contracted by the Town of Huntington. 

For the full calendar of events,  visit ​www.huntingtonarts.org. For further information, please call 631-271-8423.

‘Still Stunning After Storm,’ Honorable Mention, by Marianne P. Stone of Lynbrook

On Sunday, May 6, families across Long Island are invited to enjoy the Town of Huntington’s annual celebration of spring. The natural beauty of the historic Heckscher Park will once again serve as the backdrop for the town’s highly anticipated 18th annual Tulip Festival. 

The free event, located at 2 Prime Ave. in the Village of Huntington, will feature thousands of tulips planted in selected beds throughout the park, activity booths for children with creative, hands-on projects, lectures, demonstrations, a school art contest, refreshments and live entertainment on the Chapin Rainbow Stage from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

Councilman Mark Cuthbertson (D), the founder of the festival, and chief sponsor, NEFCU, are looking forward to an even bigger community-driven event this year.  

“The 18th Annual Huntington Tulip Festival is a free event that has something for the whole family to enjoy,” said Cuthbertson, adding, “So please stop by and enjoy the festivities!”

To help make this wonderful day a success, volunteers are needed to distribute festival programs to visitors. Any person or community group is welcome to volunteer by calling 631-351-3099.

Entertainment schedule

Gizmo Guys

 

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Explore the Heckscher Museum’s current exhibits for reduced admission ($2). Docents will be in the galleries to answer questions at 2 p.m.

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Winning works from local School Art Contest will be on display near the Chapin Rainbow Stage. 

Noon to 12:45 p.m. — Chapin Rainbow Stage Performance: Gizmo Guys, a rapid-fire juggling act with Allan Jacobs and Barrett Felker that exhilarates and inspires sidesplitting laughter in audiences of all ages.

Linda Humes and Sanga of the Valley

1 to 1:45 p.m. — Chapin Rainbow Stage Performance: Griots in Concert, an inspirational and motivational performance featuring stories, music and songs from Africa, the Caribbean and America with vocalist and storyteller Linda Humes and master percussionist Sanga of the Valley. Griot is the French term for a West African oral historian or storyteller. 

2 to 3 p.m. — Chapin Rainbow Stage Performance: Funkytown Playground, a music and movement program with Aly Sunshine and band featuring interactive songs that are catchy, fun and educational — a high-energy performance delivered with contagious enthusiasm! 

4 p.m. — Festival closes. Heckscher Museum exhibits on view until 5 p.m.

Photo courtesy of HAC The festival will showcase L.I. Dance Consortium’s Kaleidoscope of Dance 2 on Aug. 9. Photo courtesy of HAC

By Kevin Redding

For 52 continuous summers, Huntington has been a gathering place for lovers of live music, theater and dance, all on full display for multiple weeks during the town’s jam-packed and family-friendly performing arts extravaganza, the Huntington Summer Festival. This year the series of free concerts is bigger and better than ever, bringing touring and local artists of every variety to the Chapin Rainbow Stage in Heckscher Park six nights a week now through Aug. 13.

As the festival has grown since the Huntington Arts Council first started it in 1965, so has its roster of performers, which changes from year to year in order to bring new experiences to returning concertgoers.

New acts include the Adam Ezra Group, an up-and-coming, Boston-based folk band; New York Voices, an internationally renowned vocal ensemble; Miles to Dayton, an Americana-and-folk group from Port Jefferson; and Jay Armstrong Johnson, a Broadway and television performer, to name just a few. Local performing groups like the Huntington Community Band, the Huntington Men’s Chorus and the Long Island Dance Consortium will also have their chance to shine on stage. Plaza Theatrical Productions, a Lynbrook-based company, will put on several musicals throughout the summer including “My Fair Lady.”

The Huntington Community Band will present concerts on July 12, 19 and 26. Image from HAC

One of many brand new programs this year will be the Huntington Jazz Week, beginning July 18, which will feature big band jazz ensemble concerts put on by internationally recognized musicians, including harpist Brandee Younger and saxophonist Richie Cannata, of Billy Joel’s band, and nights dedicated to the music of composer George Gershwin and jazz legend John Coltrane.

The following weekend, on which the 12th Huntington Folk Festival takes place, will feature unplugged showcases with more than 40 different folk artists — everyone from Sarah Lee Guthrie, granddaughter of Woody and daughter of Arlo, to the Sweet Remains.

Every Tuesday evening is “family night” which offers kids music and live theater such as “Cinderella” on July 25 with fun-filled craft projects before the shows.

“It’s such a positive thing for the residents of the town as well as Long Island as a whole,” said Huntington Arts Council Performing Arts Director John Chicherio, who has served his position for eight summers and has been organizing concerts since the 1970s.

“Roughly 40 to 45 percent of the performances are really quality local group [and] roughly 55 percent of the program is made up of touring artists from all over the world and United States. These are all artists performing their own work and they’re new to Long Island in most cases. And the merchants enjoy it because we’re bringing people into the town and they go have dinner before or after the concerts. [The festival’s] just grown that way”.

He continued, “When the first Huntington [Summer Festival] was put together [in 1965], it didn’t have this many concerts, [but] because more groups wanted to perform over time, it grew and we’ve been building it into what it is today.”

Chicherio, who spearheaded the festival’s new, jazz-oriented week, said he’s excited for what’s in store for those who attend this summer. “It’s a very eclectic variety of performances in both the types of music and performing arts genres,” he said. “Plus, we’re doing workshops and master classes with a couple of groups. The whole week of jazz, one of the important things I’ve been trying to do, is [going to be] a very special week,” highlighting the Coltrane day, July 22, especially. “That evening I’ve got a terrific lineup with some very special guests, [like] the Kenny Garrett Quintet.”

According to Chicherio, the shows will go on rain or shine, unless “there’s lightning and thunder that can endanger the audience,” and attendees should feel free to bring lawn chairs and blankets, which they can place on the hill overlooking the stage for a great view.

Concession stands and vendors selling refreshments, such as ice cream and soda, will be set up inside the concert area and any outside food is welcomed. All shows begin at 8:30 p.m. with the exception of the children’s shows on Tuesdays, which begin at 7:30 p.m.

To see the full schedule of events, visit www.HuntingtonArts.org.