The summer of 2020 will be a summer like no other as New York State continues working to safely emerge from the coronavirus shutdown.
Locally, the coronavirus pandemic has already canceled a number of annual events — the St. Patrick’s Day and Memorial Day parades and the Mattituck Lions Strawberry Festival, among others — and postponed others, such as the Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival.
Now Riverheaders can count the 46th Annual Polish Town Street Fair and Festival among the pandemic’s collateral damages.
Polish Town Civic Association has canceled the fair, which takes place every year in August. The group has requested Riverhead Town issue a refund of the $350 special event application fee it previously paid. The town board is expected to pass a resolution Tuesday authorizing the refund.
The final fate of other summer events is still uncertain.
Riverhead BID Management Association president Steven Shauger said this week the annual Fourth of July fireworks show is canceled and the organization is negotiating with the fireworks company for a smaller show at a later date, perhaps in conjunction with the holiday bonfire, as in a prior year when rain forced cancellation of the Independence Day event.
Shauger said the BIDMA and the Chamber of Commerce, which cosponsor the cardboard boat race, slated for August, are discussing ways the event could still take place if allowed by the state. The popular annual event draws hundreds to the Peconic Riverfront.
Organizers are considering reconfiguring the Alive on 25, downtown street festival series, perhaps reinventing it as a more low-key “Dine on 25” event this summer.
Shauger said the BIDMA and Chamber of Commerce would soon make an official announcement of their plans for these events.
East End Arts postponed its annual Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day Weekend, rescheduling it to Sunday, Sept. 6, according to a resolution on the town board’s agenda Tuesday.
Other events canceled by the pandemic include the Titan Run obstacle race, the Riverhead Rocks Triathlon, the Rotary Garden Festival, the Butterfly Effect Food Truck Festival, the Northwell Health East End Walk and a “block party” at Tanger Outlets. The town board will also vote on resolutions authorizing refunds to organizers of those events.
The L.I. Antique Power Association has canceled all its events for the month of June and will make a decision about its big July show within two weeks, according to board member Susan Young.
Hallockville Museum Farm canceled its North Fork Horseradish Festival, its spring tea and all events for the month of May. Updated information on Hallockville’s Annual Country Fair and Craft Show, slated to take place in August, was not available.
Organizers of the North Meets South Food and Drink Festival, originally scheduled for June 6-7, are requesting the event to be rescheduled to Aug. 22-23. It is slated to take place on the grounds of East End Arts and along the riverfront and is expected to draw a crowd of about 1,000 people.
A host of other annual events across the region remain on hold, awaiting word from the state on whether they can go on with face coverings and social distancing measures in place.
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