Nesconset Day Street Fair To Foster 'Community Spirit': What To Know

NESCONSET, NY — The Nesconset Day Street Fair is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 24. The fair, organized by the Nesconset Chamber of Commerce, will take place at Nesconset Plaza, at 127 Smithtown Boulevard.

The event will feature 200 vendors, a petting zoo, food trucks, a mechanical bull ride, bounce house, axe throwing, live music featuring Broken Nails, a mobile tap room with craft beer, adult beverages, a mobile cigar lounge, face painting, fairy hair, permanent jewelry, a blood drive, community spirit, and more.

Tracey Balakar is assembling the street fair for the first time after the previous organizer retired. She served as a vendor at the fair for years. Balakar complimented the "wonderful" previous promoter and decided she wanted to put her own spin on the fair. She decided to add live music, more adult beverages, more food options and vendors like tarot reading and axe throwing.

"I have been running a lot of other events, and always find that people enjoy live music," Balakar told Patch. "It adds a different vibe, and encourages people to stay and hang out, so I wanted to add that. I wanted to add more food options, to fit an array of dietary needs and tastes. People love to eat at these events!"

Balakar said balancing the pleasure and stress in organizing such an event has been "hard" at times, as she truly loves bringing fun events to the community.

"As a vendor, I feel like I know what vendors and visitors want to see at an event," she said. "But it can also be stressful dealing with things like permits, legal things, town rules, being at the mercy of the weather, and different personalities. Mostly it's a lot of fun!"

Balakar shared a message as to why people should attend the Nesconset Day Street Fair:

"This event has been a long running annual event to celebrate Nesconset, and its vibrant community," she said. "It's a chance to party in the street, but also to meet local merchants, local leadership, participate in things that give back, like donating blood, donating to veterans, supporting small businesses, getting to know the Nesconset Chamber of Commerce, and find out about what they do for the community, and most of all, to eat, drink, shop, and have FUN. You never know who you will run into... old friends, neighbors, politicians, or to score some amazing finds from the vendors."