Editorial

Safety first, especially at the fair

Posted

Fair and festival season is upon us again. Last weekend, the Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores staged its famed Family Street Festival, touted as the largest such fair in Nassau County, annually attracting as many as 100,000 people. This year, the crowds were back, despite the coronavirus, thronging Bedford Avenue.
It was, on one hand, a much-welcome relief to see people back together, laughing, smiling, chowing on roasted corn and zeppole. On the other, it was more than a little concerning that so many people were elbow to elbow in relatively close quarters. Social distancing — and masking — were out.
In no way are we suggesting canceling such festivals. We need them now to help rebuild our tattered spirits. We would like to see more people wearing masks during such events, however.
Yes, folks are outdoors, so ventilation isn’t a problem. Yes, many Nassau adults are vaccinated. We should make every attempt, however, to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in all ways possible, and masking helps.
By the way, the Bellmore chamber wasn’t the only organization holding a festival over the weekend. Huntington Mobilization for Sustainability did as well. The Huntington Environmental Festival brought together conservation groups from across Long Island to teach about subjects ranging from electric cars to geothermal energy, composting and more.
What a wonderful idea! We suggest that other groups, like our chambers of commerce, incorporate their own environmental corners into their festivals and fairs in the coming years. Long Island juts into the Atlantic Ocean, so it’s vulnerable to the effects of climate change (see accompanying editorial). We need all the environmental education we can get.