'Banana Quest' Continues On Day 6 Of Community Hide 'N Seek

LINDENHURST, NY — Benny the banana hasn't slowed down on day six of "Banana Quest," the elaborate game of hide 'n seek that has adults and kids alike hiding–and finding-a large stuffed Rasta banana on Long Island.

As Benny's first week of galavanting around his hometown of Lindenhurst comes to a close, he's made multiple public appearances at schools, narrowly escaped an unexpected trip to NYC, got nominated as grand marshal for the St. Patrick's Day parade, been invited to visit is "birthplace" at Adventureland to help prepare for opening weekend and secured a spot in Lindenhurst history as an icon.

On day six, he marked his 100th stop around town.

"Searching for Benny has brought so much fun to the families and friends of the community. We all look forward to seeing where he will go next," Ria Figliozzi told Patch.

It all began on Saturday when Jenn Rossetti's family was doing a little spring cleaning and decided to have some fun with a 5-foot tall stuffed banana her son won on a class trip to Adventureland.

"I told them it’s time for the banana to go. My son was like, 'noooo.' But he was just kidding, he knew it was time. It’s just too big and has moved all around the house," Rossetti told Patch. "My kids and I love a good adventure, so we came up with the idea to post it on Facebook with a picture and a hit to its location to see if anyone would take it and keep it going."

Immediately, Benny hit the road and "Banana Quest" was born.

A Banana Quest tracker Facebook page documenting his whereabouts that's garnered over 1,200 followers since it was launched by Lindenhurst mom Jennifer Mackey-Aulino, who with her children were the first to find the banana.

Since then, Benny's kept Lindenhurst adults and children alike on their toes chasing the 5-foot-tall banana around town. People are following him in their cars, sharing updates in text groups and spending hours on end trying to find him.

One of those people is Meaghan Cullen who played a game of cat and mouse until she found him.

"We brought some snacks in the car and drove around for almost two hours trying to catch him," Cullen told Patch. "We kept missing him by a minute or two at each stop. It’s good, clean, family fun and just another reason why we love Lindenhurst so much. The sense of community here is unmatched."

Benny's also been making the rounds on these school circuits. On Tuesday night, he dropped in on Community Night at Lindenhurst High School and was a huge hit.

Since then, he's visited Pee Wee Folks PreSchool, Bower Elementary School and SuperKids DayCare and PreSchool.

"Benny enjoyed his first day of school at Pee Wee Folks. He spent time with our toddlers, 3-year-old and pre-K students. He did circle time and even got to spend time on the playground," Cathy Carlson Scuttelaro said. "All of the students were so excited Benny is really bringing such a sense of hope and positivity to the community in Lindenhurst."

After school, Benny hit the town to mingle with the grown ups. During the first few nights of his adventures, Benny had beers with the guys. On Wednesday night, he crashed girls' night and had a few glasses of wine.

Nicole S. and two friends started the big banana's night out at Pino Wine Bar & Bistro where he was quickly swooped up.

"Our time with Benny was short and sweet. He was enjoying a cocktail at Pino’s in Lindy when we ran into him. He only stayed for a sip or two, posed for a few photos, and then he was whisked out the door again for another adventure," Kelly St. George told Patch. "Looking forward to seeing him spread more fun and happiness in our amazing town."

Benny's day isn't over and he'll likely be going strong until his 11 p.m. bedtime (yes, it's official) and will do it all over again tomorrow.

Brittany Repetti, who brought him a drink at The Color Palette, can testify to how quickly he moves.

"He made it two minutes before another family came in to take him away for his next adventure," she said. "I absolutely love how much this is bringing the community together."