Douglaston Village to Hold Arts Festival on Sept. 25

The streets of Douglaston will become a gallery for one day next week as the community hosts its third annual arts festival near the neighborhood’s Long Island Rail Road station.

A total 75 vendors will set up along 235th Street on both sides of the LIRR’s tracks to sell artworks, crafts and food, while musical performances will be held on three stages.

Dorothy Matinale, of the neighborhood's , said the Douglaston Village Arts Festival has grown from several hundred participants in its first year to one of the largest annual community events.

“The first year was very small,” she said. “But we doubled it in the second year. It’s not just a local event anymore. It’s become more widespread as we’ve gotten the word out.”

The festival, which will be held on Sept. 25 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature the works of local artists working in a variety of formats and styles, including fine art, pottery, painting, handmade arts and crafts, photography, glass work, jewelry and unique food items, such as homemade dried pasta.

Performers will include the , rock ‘n’ roll bands, piano soloists, children’s group, ’s theater group and improvisational artists.

For children, there will be a bouncy house, balloon man, juggler, stilt walker, face painting and classes during which they can learn to make art.

Creative Hair, a local salon, will make braids for youngsters.

The Little Neck Lions Club will serve its famous soup, while the chamber of commerce will offer sweets and coffee.

Village restaurants will set up tables in front of their establishments and serve food. Participants include , , , and , which is donating 50 percent of the day’s profits to the chamber.

Ruth Harrigan, a neighborhood beekeeper, said she would sell jars of honey at the festival. Last year, she sold out within two hours.

She said the festival is a great opportunity to bring members of the community together.

“It’s very well attended,” she said. “It’s a nice variety of homemade goods. And it’s very warm. Everyone knows one other. It reminds you of how things used to be. It’s like a Norman Rockwell painting.”

Matinale said the artwork for sale during the festival will range in price from inexpensive pieces to elaborate, high priced paintings.

“There’s a wide range,” she said. “There’s something for everybody.”

A number of community groups will set up shop at the festival, including the chamber of commerce, , Udalls Cove Preservation Committee, , Lady Lions Basketball Team, an autism walk group, Project HEAL, Douglaston Green Market and Douglaston Civic Association.

Matinale said the chamber is still taking applications for artists or nonprofits that want to take part in the festival.

“Now that we are getting the word out, hopefully more local artists will come and participate,” she said.

The rain date for the event is Oct. 2.