Merrick Fall Fest Saturday and Sunday

The 21st annual Merrick Fall Festival, sponsored by the Merrick Chamber of Commerce, is set to run from Friday, Oct. 21 to Sunday, Oct. 23.

As always, the festival will take place on Merrick Avenue, from the Long Island Rail Road station on Sunrise Highway in the south to Loines Avenue in the north. Carnival rides, provided by Newton Shows, will open Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. in the LIRR station parking lot, and Merrick Avenue, where the festival will take place, will be closed to traffic from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 22 and 23.

According to Merrick Chamber President Randy Shotland, this year’s festival will be one of the biggest yet. "We have a lot of things going on,” he said. “We are expanding every year dramatically."

More than 200 vendors have applied to this year’s festival, according to Shotland. A new addition to the festival will be a shark tank from the Atlantic Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center in Riverhead. The tank, which will be on a flatbed truck, will include a 24-foot replica of a great white shark. A faux scuba diver in a cage sits next to the shark, and children can stand beside the diver to have their pictures taken.

There will also be crafts and gifts areas with plenty of goods to purchase. Elvis will make a special appearance at the Town of Hempstead showmobile, along with other local talented musicians. Finally, there will be food vendors, offering everything from zeppole to kettle corn, and sausage and pepper sandwiches to hot soup.

"It's very family-oriented, and we are stressing that whether it's good times or bad times, people should shop locally and where they live," said Shotland.

To kick off the festival on Oct. 22, there will be a special tribute to honor members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard, as well as veterans, police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians.

The annual Halloween parade will kick off at the corner of Smith Street and Merrick Avenue at 2 p.m. on Oct. 23, with Halloween contests for people of all ages and even animals.