Raising awareness, building community at Fall Fest

Katie Grainy 8, Maggie Grainy, 5 and Michela Shaw, 8, spent Sunday afternoon raising money and awareness for children’s cancer at the Harvest Fest in Garden City.

The team, together known as “The Cupcake Girls” -- Katie and Maggie are the daughters of event organizer Laura Grainy, who owns The Cupcake Corner in Garden City -- raised more than $130 selling lemonade for the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

“It’s a good lesson for the girls. And they’re having fun,” said John Grainy, Laura’s husband.

And having fun and building community were the goals of the event, Laura Grainy said.

The fest, held in a parking lot on Chester Avenue and New Hyde Park Road, included vendors selling kids toys, “Angry Birds” video game-themed items, bags and wallets, pop-up comics and, of course, cup cakes. Public House 55 sold hot dogs, chili and sliders.

The event also had face-painting, a bounce house and pony rides.

Garden City's Broadway Bound Dance Center dancers performed to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dressed as the walking dead, while local band “Crash and Burn” also put on a show.

“It’s great. The dance center is really popular,” said Susan Schlueck, whose daughter is in the group.

The event was postponed from a week earlier due to rain, leading some vendors to cancel. But Laura Grainy said it was a good first run as a way to get the community together.

“It was well attended for the first one,” said Billy Shaw, whose daughter helped raise the lemonade-stand money. “I loved it, we had fun.”