Moriches Fall Fair draws over 1,000 people

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Over 1,000 Long Islanders flooded Main Street in Center Moriches on a sunny fall Sunday.

The Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches hosted its annual Fall Fair Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the heart of Center Moriches. Tents and carts offering artisan and street food, drinks, apparel, accessories, cigars, toys and more lined several blocks of Main Street.

The annual event provides sales and exposure for integral businesses to the Center Moriches community, from longtime staples such as Jimmy Osbourne Music to the relative newcomers, including Moriches Field Brewing Co.

“This is what brings people to the community for our local businesses,” Gerry Sapanaro, the chairperson who oversees the Fall Fair for the chamber, said. “It keeps our Main Street alive.”

Other community essentials which bolstered the event included the Center Moriches Free Public Library and the Center Moriches Fire Department, the latter of which hosted its annual fire prevention open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event featured auto extrication demonstrations, taught fire safety tips, and provided a fun experience for children, including the two little ones with Tina Marie Fatzie, who attended the fair “so I could take the kids out here to have fun Sunday afternoon,” she said. “They wanted to go play on the fire trucks.”

As Peyton, Fatzie’s daughter, and her friend, Emma Norberto, played jumbo Jenga, Fatzie said getting candy from vendors was by far the children’s favorite part of the day.

In addition to sugary treats, those perusing Main Street could order up Jamaican food such as jerk chicken and curry goat and patties, courtesy of Good Bickle and good pickles from the Perfect Pickle tent. Of course, it wouldn’t have been a proper street fair without the classics, from cotton candy and pretzels to hot dogs and sausage and peppers. And for those old enough, there was plenty of beer for groups of friends, including Bruce Loesch and his friends.

“We live right in the neighborhood, so we came to check it out,” Loesch said. “Kids are walking around; it’s a great time for friends and family.

“We did hit up the bar first; now we’re here walking around,” he continued. “What better to do on a Sunday.”

Beyond eats, drinks, and goodies for purchase, students of the Artistic Choreography Dance Academy treated those on Main Street to a live performance at 1 p.m. Fair attendees also enjoyed live music performed at two locations throughout the day.

Although she has overseen the event for nearly four decades, Sapanaro said her favorite part of the day is the chance to see the sheer volume of people who inundate Main Street to support community businesses.

“They were almost shoulder to shoulder,” Sapanaro said of the crowd. “There were times of the day it was incredibly busy. That’s probably the most I’ve ever had, and I’ve been doing the fairs now for over 30 years.”