Long Island, New York, offers a variety of attractions, including Jones Beach State Park, Old Westbury Gardens and the Vanderbilt Museum. Visitors and residents of Long Island can also enjoy a variety of special events each year. Held in locations throughout Long Island, these festivals range in theme from celebrations of local food or art to family-friendly affairs geared specifically for children.
Each year, the Oyster Bay Rotary in the Long Island community of Oyster Bay sponsors The Oyster Festival. The event began in 1983 and draws approximately 200,000 event-goers annually. The highlight of the event for many is the food court area, which features seafood like oysters on the half shell and homemade clam chowder as well as international fare like gyros and empanadas.
A variety of vendors set up booths during the festival to sell their wares, which include crafts and artwork. Numerous events occur throughout the course of the festivities, including oyster shucking and eating contests, pirate shows, tours of historic tall ships and live music concerts. For children, the festival features a petting zoo, magicians and a carnival with rides and games.
The Oyster Festival typically occurs over a Saturday and Sunday in October. The primary location for the event is Theodore Roosevelt Park at the Oyster Bay waterfront area. Admission is free, but some attractions, like the carnival rides, require tickets that must be purchased for a fee. Free parking is available on site, and the Rotary sponsors free shuttles from several locations in Oyster Bay as well.
The Museum Row Family Festival is an annual event organized in cooperation between the three museums in the Long Island community of Garden City: Long Island Children's Museum, Cradle of Aviation and the Francis X. Pendl Nassau County Firefighters Museum and Education Center. During the festival, the three museums open their doors to the public at a reduced rate, which for the 2010 festival was only $10. Visitors can tour all three facilities an unlimited number of times during the event for the price of the ticket.
Once finished with the tours, festival-goers can visit the outdoor attractions located on the sidewalk area between the museums. A performance stage hosts live music for children, and puppet shows and organized games for kids are featured throughout the weekend. The festival also offers arts and crafts activities for kids.
The Museum Row Family Festival occurs over a Saturday and Sunday in May. Located along Davis Avenue in Garden City, the museums each have their own lots available for parking.
Each year, the Long Island community of East Meadow serves as home to the Long Island Fine Arts Festival. The event features of the work of local and national artists who gather in Nassau County's Eisenhower Park. In 2010, around 100 artists participated in the event. Visitors can walk through exhibits, view arts demonstrations and purchase paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs and a variety of other artistic works like glassware and jewelry.
Organized by Paragon Fine Arts Festivals, the Long Island Fine Arts Festival is a free event. The festival typically occurs on a Saturday and Sunday in May. Parking is available on-site at Eisenhower Park.
