Beach 116th Fall Fest Set for Oct. 5

By Katie McFadden

Pumpkin picking, vendors, live music and more will line Beach 116th on Sunday, October 5, beckoning the community to come together and embrace all things autumn. The 3rd Annual Beach 116th Fall Festival is here!

On Sunday, head to Beach 116th between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. for an afternoon full of activities for all. Bring some cash as in addition to the great business on the block, there will be more than 40 vendors selling everything on the street from food to clothing to jewelry, candles and more. And once again there will be a “kidpreneur” section with young entrepreneurs selling baked goods, jewelry, arts and crafts. Among some of the vendors will be Janice’s Trendy Treasures, Carmine Creates, Chokli Arepas, Young Hand and Heart, Churritos Locos, Gia Dane Designs, Far Rock Shop, Duke’s Doggy Blends, Rockaway Beach Local, My Grandma’s Kitchen, Rockaway Candle Co., Urban Roots, ZenTora, Crustino’s, Bagel Barista, Pico, Revived Residential, Orange Theory, Rogers, Bay Babes, The Gift is Love, Mazzone Ace Hardware, Meat Up Grill, Pete & Cubo’s, and more.

This is a family-friendly event and there will be plenty for the kids to do. From 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., kids will be treated to a pumpkin patch, some rides, bouncy houses, a petting zoo and arts and craft activities with NYC Parks.

There will be a DJ throughout the event and at 1 p.m., bands will start to take the stage, starting with Half a Mutt aka Bobby Butler and Danny Mulvanerty playing acoustic. At 2 p.m., Nobody & All His Friends performs. At 3 p.m., Derecho brings their alternative blues sound to the stage. And at 4 p.m., A Mad Revival closes out the show with their original tunes and alternative covers.

The Beach 116th Street Fall Festival is made possible by Councilwoman Joann Ariola, the Rockaway Civic Association and the Beach 116th Merchants Association, led by Michael McMahon, owner of Rogers, Rob Pisani, owner of Bagel & Barista Station, Meat Up Grill and Crustinos owner Michael Fiore and Matt Mazzone of Mazzone Ace Hardware.

“I am proud to bring this wonderful tradition back to Beach 116th Street for another year,” Councilwoman Joann Ariola said. “This festival is a reminder that Rockaway is not just a summer town – we are alive and kicking all year long! Thank you to the Beach 116th Merchants Association and the Rockaway Civic Association who work so hard to make this such a great event, and to all of the vendors and everyone else who plays a role in making this such a success!”

The group started the festival in 2023 to bring focus to the commercial block and to raise some funds to make it better. Leading up to and during the event, 50/50 tickets are being sold to help raise funds for things such as landscaping, flowers, lighting, and community enhancements on Beach 116th Street. They’re $10 each. The winner will not be allowed to give the money back. “We are trying to raise money to spend on the beautification of 116th Street,” Pisani said, adding that things still remain a challenge when it comes to putting funding to work. “It’s hard to get approval from Parks Department and other agencies that may be involved.”

But beyond the fundraising, Pisani says they keep it going to be there for the community.  “I love the idea of the community coming together and enjoying music from the young local bands, kids having a petting zoo, pumpkin picking and games,” Pisani said. “It just feels good to try to give back in a way that everyone can enjoy it for free.”