Fall Freedom Fest Set for Saturday
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By Katie McFadden
The chill is in the air but the vibes around Beach 129th Street will be warm this weekend. The 3rd Annual Fall Freedom Fest is Saturday, October 19.
On Saturday, from 12 p.m. until night, Beach 129th to 130th will be the place to be for one last hurrah for the community before the holidays and even colder weather approaches. For just a $20 donation bracelet towards a good cause, guests can enjoy live music, DJ music and food and drink specials at Callie’s, Panino Rustico-Baya Bar, Pico, Harbor Light and Jamesons. The fun kicks off at noon with Anthem taking the stage at Callie’s. Next up is Bobby Butler at 2 p.m. at Pico. The Knobs take the stage in the back of Harbor Light at 4 p.m. And the party ends at Jamesons with DJ Matt Finley spinning the ones and twos into the night starting at 7 p.m.
The Fall Freedom Fest began in 2022, as the world, and small businesses recovering from pandemic restrictions, started to return to normal, embracing the freedom from lockdowns and the ability for neighbors to come together once again. “It was our way to say thank you to our customers for supporting us through such tough times,” Sean Heeran, owner of The Harbor Light, said. And the community came out strong that first year, helping to raise more than $16K for St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy to make some upgrades.
Since then, the Fall Freedom Fest has quickly become a community tradition that people look forward to. “It’s good for the community and a good way for all the bars and restaurants to get people together,” Heeran said. “I think everyone had a pretty decent summer. It was hot all summer, which was good for everybody, but this is a good way to see everyone get together before the long winter. It’s become really fun and that’s why we’re doing it again. I always like to think of it as one last hurrah before the cold moves in.”
Last year’s festival was hindered with unfavorable weather including some early rain and high winds, forcing most of the celebration indoors. Donations were raised for a local family with a sick child, but not as much as the previous year. However, Saturday calls for warm fall air and sunny skies, setting up for a picture-perfect fall day in Rockaway. “Last year, the weather wasn’t great, so we didn’t have the turnout we wanted, but this year is looking better,” Heeran said. Once again, proceeds from the bracelet sales will go toward a young girl in the neighborhood who was diagnosed with a rare cancer. “Hopefully people turn out and get the bracelets and we can raise some money,” Heeran said. “You’re contributing to a very good cause.” Bracelets are available all week at the participating restaurants, and the day of the event.
“Saturday should be good. We’re encouraging people to come out, enjoy some music, food and plenty of drinks,” Heeran said.
For more updates and schedules, be sure to follow the businesses on Instagram: calliesrb, jamesonspub, picorbny, paninorustico_bayabar_rockaway and harborlightpub, as well as the 129merchantassociation.
