by Patrick Rocchio
Free face painting, magic shows, cotton candy, popcorn, and balloon giveaways will come to Allerton during the street’s second annual festival on Sunday, August 16.
The festival will take place on Allerton Avenue between Barnes and Wallace avenues, which will be closed to vehicular traffic from noon to 6 p.m. for musical performances and a vast array of vendors.
The second annual Allerton Avenue Street Festival will feature different various reflecting the tenor and tone of the neighborhood. Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera sponsors the festival in collaboration with Beth Abraham Family of Health Services. It is highlights the area’s many small businesses.
“Upon popular demand and success of last year’s event, it is an honor to present our community with the opportunity to once again celebrate and explore the treasures that can be found on Allerton Avenue,” Assemblywoman Rivera said. “As I have always said, a healthy business district means a healthy district, and that is why it is so important to work together to produce events like the Allerton Street Festival that promote local shopping and showcase our many small businesses.”
Beth Abraham Family of Health Services, located at 612 Allerton Avenue, is co-sponsoring the event, which fits in with its mission of being a place where the community can be treated for a wide range of medical needs – including long-term residential and community-based health care.
“We have been part of the community for close to 90 years, located right over here on Allerton Avenue, and we have a real commitment to be in this neighborhood,” said Marlene Konopolsky, Beth Abraham Health Services regional director of community outreach. “Beth Abraham has always served the community and this street fair is another way of giving back.”
Rivera will present awards to several individuals and institutions that have served the community well. This year’s honorees include Neighborhood Initiatives Development Corporation, Patrick Flanagan, and Armando Mota.
“We appreciate the support of the community and working with Assemblywoman Rivera on bringing much needed resources into the neighborhood,” said William Foster, executive director of NIDC. “
