Thursday, October 1, 2026
As the final weeks of summer approach, I find myself looking back fondly on what has been an extraordinary season in the Town of Hempstead.
Summer has always been a special time in our township. It’s when parks come alive, beaches and pools fill with families, and neighbors have an opportunity to spend more time together. This year has been no exception. All across America’s largest township, residents have gathered to enjoy everything our town has to offer.
For me, some of the best moments of this summer were also the simplest: talking with families at a local park, seeing kids dancing at one of our children’s shows, meeting seniors enjoying the Senior Summer Beach Program, or watching generations of residents create a music-loving bond at one of our summer concerts. Those moments are what make the town such a special place.
This summer, we worked hard to offer residents more opportunities to get outside, encouraging everyone to take a “staycation,” to have some fun and to make memories without having to travel far from home.
Our free Summer Concert Series brought live music directly into neighborhoods across the township, with performances nearly every night throughout July and August. At Town Park Point Lookout, thousands gathered for our Disco Summer Dance Party, featuring Sister Sledge, C+C Music Factory, Lime, Alisha, Tavares and France Joli, along with food trucks, family activities and a spectacular drone show.
Our Traveling Summer Luau Series transformed local pools into tropical getaways, with music, games and activities for the entire family. Our children’s shows gave our youngest residents something to look forward to throughout their summer vacation, while programs for seniors offered opportunities to stay active, socialize and enjoy the best of this beautiful season.
We truly hit the ground running this summer, and it has been all gas and no brakes. We kicked off the season by opening town pools and splash pads early. When extreme heat arrived, we extended hours at our beaches and pools to ensure that people had plenty of ways to beat the heat.
These facilities are about much more than entertainment; they’re about quality of life. Local government is at its best when it delivers the services residents depend on while also strengthening the communities they call home. That means maintaining our roads and infrastructure, keeping our neighborhoods clean, investing in our parks and recreational facilities, and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.
But it also means creating opportunities for neighbors to come together. Every packed concert, busy pool and crowded community event represents something bigger: people choosing to spend time together. As we all plunge deeper into the era of smartphones, tablets and social media, it’s extraordinary to see everyone connect offline and strengthen their communal roots in our township.
The programs and events we offer are intended to provide residents with memorable experiences they can enjoy just minutes from their homes. I’m proud of what we accomplished this summer — but I’m even more excited about what comes next.
We will continue to invest in our parks, beaches and recreational facilities. We will continue to improve our roads and infrastructure. We will continue to look for new ways to offer high-quality services while respecting the hardworking taxpayers who fund them. And we will continue to find ways to bring people together and make our communities even stronger.
There’s still plenty of summer left to enjoy, including more neighborhood concerts and activities across the township. Come on down and celebrate the unofficial end of the season with our Endless Summer Concert at Town Park Point Lookout.
Soon enough, the beach chairs will be packed away, children will head back to school and another Long Island summer will come to a close — but the work of building a better Town of Hempstead never stops. This summer gave us plenty to celebrate. Now we’ll carry that energy and sense of community into the months ahead as we continue to make the town the best place to live, work and raise a family.
Thank you to every resident who joined us and made this a summer to remember.
John Ferretti is supervisor of the Town of Hempstead.
