Fun for all at Merrick Fall Festival

The Merrick Chamber of Commerce handed out a thousands goodie bags with coupons and giveaways from local businesses during the fair.

Scott Brinton/Herald Life

The staff of the North Merrick Public Library was on hand at the fair, including Director Tom Witt, second from right.

Scott Brinton/Herald Life

Merchants and professionals filled Merrick Avenue, including the staff of the Merrick Herald Life newspaper.

Scott Brinton/Herald Life

More than 150 crafts vendors were on hand, selling anything and everything, from scarves to signs to mirrors and more.

Scott Brinton/Herald Life

Among the thousands of attendees at the Merrick Fall Festival was Ron Luparello, the Merrick Fire Department spokesman and a former chief, who came with his two sons, Sal and Vinny.

Scott Brinton/Herald Life

Heather Parker of East Meadow, on the Ferris wheel, was among the thousands of attendees who helped to make the 23rd annual Merrick Fall Festival the largest Merrick Chamber of Commerce-sponsored fair to date.

Scott Brinton/Herald Life

By Scott Brinton

Thousands of fair-goers flooded Merrick Avenue in downtown Merrick for the 23rd annual Fall Festival, sponsored by the Merrick Chamber of Commerce. By far, the festival was the largest Chamber of Commerce-sponsored fair to date, said Randy Shotland, the chamber president.

Shotland said that he was particularly proud that the festival served as a fundraiser for local charities. Synergy Fitness Club of Merrick raised $500 for the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County by holding a “flash mob” of dancers that strutted up Merrick Avenue to music that was piped through the public announcement system. Synergy raised $500 for UCPN, Shotland said.

Serengeti Design Studios in Merrick held Pony Portraits for Charity, a fundraiser for HorseAbility, a nonprofit organization that helps children with disabilities learn to ride horses. Femy Aziz, Serengeti’s owner, photographed children as they rode the ponies at the fair, at a cost of $3 per photo, with all proceeds going to HorseAbility, whose volunteers collected the funds at the festival.

The weather could not have been better for the fair on Sept. 27 to 29, with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. No doubt, the weather helped bring out a crowd for the festival, which featured amusement rides for kids, live entertainment at the Town of Hempstead showmobile, demonstrations by Merrick firefighters and loads of fair food. And, as always, Merrick merchants and professionals set up booths up and down Merrick Avenue, from the Long Island Rail Road station at Sunrise Highway to R.S. Jones restaurant at Loines Avenue.

“Everybody had a good time,” Shotland said. “It was a classy group of people who came.”