BY EMMA MILLER
The 45th annual Richmond Hill Block Association Park Fair will take place on Saturday, Sept. 15.
This free event will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine, at Forest Park in Richmond Hill at the Buddy Monument. The fair includes food, local vendors, live music, rides, games, raffles and a flea market.
Thousands of people are expected to come to this event, said current RHBA President Wendy Bowne. “Even people that moved out of the area make it a point to come to the Park Fair,” she said.
The entire Park Fair is coordinated and run by the RHBA. Board members do everything from obtaining permits and calling vendors to setting up tables and running the flea market, said Bowne. Some community volunteers help on the day of the fair as well.
According to the Richmond Hill Historical Society, the RHBA was created on Oct. 14, 1973. Its first president was Richard Galvani. That first year, the RHBA represented 1,500 residents on 30 blocks in the Richmond Hill area. Now they interact with thousands.
The RBHA started the park fair as both a fun event and fundraiser, Bowne said. The whole fair is geared toward families and the community, which makes sense considering that the RHBA is, according to their Facebook page, “a community organization striving to improve the quality of life for its residents.”
The RBHA holds other family events throughout the year such as Santa Day in December. At this free event, children receive a picture with Santa as well as presents such as snacks and coloring books. Last year’s Santa Day brought in around 300 kids, Bowne said.
For more information about the RHBA and the Park Fair, call 718-849-3759 or email RHBA@att.net
