Music on Main in Farmingdale reveals summer dates, plus first Oktoberfest
Music on Main will return to Farmingdale this summer. Credit: Marketing Masters NY
Spring might have just sprung but the village of Farmingdale is already planning for the summer. Music on Main is back for a new season with four dates: July 9, July 23, Aug. 6 and Aug. 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. The annual village street party put on by the Farmingdale BID (Business Improvement District) typically draws up to 10,000 people with each Thursday event.
"There’s something about the combination of being outdoors eating and drinking with live music playing that attracts people," Farmingdale BID treasurer/Music on Main founder Joe Fortuna, who is the co-owner of The Nutty Irishman, 317 Main Street, Vico and Recovery Room. "The event has grown tremendously because it’s very family oriented. The community really comes together."
NEW SCHEDULE
Live bands will perform at five locations:
- LI McGrath’s
- The Nutty Irishman (in front and on the back patio)
- Alibi Lounge
- Library Cafe/Dark Horse Tavern Stage
- The Caracara Stage (near the Farmingdale Firehouse)
The current schedule of rock cover bands is:
- July 9 — Jimmy & the Parrots (LI McGrath’s), Hot Date (Nutty front), Off the Hook (Nutty patio) and Blink 180 Who (Alibi)
- July 23 — Krush (LI McGrath’s), Radio Riot (Nutty front), Superbad (Nutty patio) and Down the Rabbit Hole (Alibi)
- Aug. 6 — Tradewinds (LI McGrath’s), Nicolls Road (Nutty front), Lucky Stiffs (Nutty patio) and the Jetty Sniffers (Alibi)
- Aug. 20 — Ready Ready Rome (LI McGrath’s), 12X (Nutty front), the Electric Dudes (Nutty patio) and the MySpace Band (Alibi).
Spanish instrumental guitar will be played on the Caracara Stage on each date and the Library Cafe/Dark Horse Tavern Stage scheduling is still in flux but will include The Electric Dudes and Superbad. Additionally, there are live DJ sets scheduled for Croxley’s Ale House, Whiskey Down Diner, the Tap Room and Burgerology.
Local restaurants put tables on Main Street for al fresco dining while taking in the various performances.
"This is a tremendous help to the restaurants because the summertime is slower for us," Fortuna says.
Vendors selling henna tattoos, fragrances, toys and other knickknacks are added to make the scene more robust. However, they don’t compete with local merchants.
"The event has brought both joy and commerce to the area," Farmingdale BID marketing manager Dave Saul says. "It’s a great advertisement for what we have going on in the village."
Even where the event is over, the party continues.
"Very often people don’t leave, they simply come into the restaurants and bars," Fortuna says. "At Nutty, we keep going with the music until 2 a.m."
BONUS EVENT
This year a bonus date has been scheduled for the fall. For the first time, an Oktoberfest will take place on Main Street on Sept. 27 from 1 to 5 p.m.
"Like Music on Main, this event will also have live bands in the street but with an Oktoberfest theme," Fortuna says. "The Nutty will even offer some live German music."
For more information, visit: farmingdalemusiconmain.com.
David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.
