Summer activities

Hundreds turn out for Baldwin Day

Baldwin residents enjoyed annual picnic and fireworks

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The smell of grilled hot dogs and burgers filled the air as businesses and residents from Baldwin and the Town Hempstead celebrated Baldwin Day. The Baldwin Chamber of Commerce hosted a picnic at Baldwin Park where residents of all ages came out to listen to live music, play in the park, and enjoy the fireworks to cap off their night on August 6th. A passing rain shower tried to stifle the festivities but the celebration resumed as the sunshine returned.

Chamber of Commerce president Erik Mahler helped to coordinate a fun-filled picnic as he spoke with residents and other businesses from the town. He viewed Baldwin Day as a “fantastic opportunity” for Baldwinites to meet with their local businesses while they partake in the picnic. Mahler Realty, Home & Hearth Real Estate, the Baldwin Civic Association and the Baldwin Downtown and Commercial Corridor Resiliency Study were some of the companies that circled the park area as most of the residents made their way to each tent or table.

“I was very happy to see such a great turnout from all over the community because this is one of the biggest community events of the year,” said Nassau County legislator Laura Curran. “I was interested to get a lot of people to come and talk about Baldwin’s Downtown and Commercial Corridor Resiliency Study. We got a lot of really good input that our experts will then take and then use when they’re coming up with their study.”

Several other town and district officials made their way to celebration including 9th district senator Todd Kaminsky, Nassau County senior planner Sean Sallie, and Baldwin Civic Association members Karen Montalbano and Rita Cavanagh. They all greeted the residents and held friendly conversations.

“This is a great event,” Montalbano said. “It’s been a yearly event, the Chamber does a wonderful job with it, and it’s great to see the people come out. They get to see each other and they get to see the variety of not only businesses but other organizations that are here in Baldwin like us.”

The businesses at the picnic also visited each other’s tents to socialize and familiarize themselves. Montalbano said that this camaraderie resulted from the notion in which they all share the same common goal.

“We’re all here for Baldwin,” Montalbano said. “The civic association is here to support businesses, to support other organizations within Baldwin, to support the schools, and to support Baldwin as it is in its entirety. That’s one of the reasons why we’re here.”

Mahler also viewed this as one of the keys for businesses in Baldwin to flourish.

“For businesses to grow, it’s all about networking,” Mahler said. “The more people that know each other as businesses, that’s how they grow and thrive.”

The picnic was concluded with a raffle where prizes were given away from the businesses that supported or sponsored the event as everyone prepared for the fireworks show. Mahler said that this event will continue to progress with the help of Baldwinites and the connections they make with their local businesses.

“Just as long as the Baldwin community continues to support the Baldwin businesses, that’s all we ask for,” he said.