Queens Community Board 5 approved the proposal for the Fresh Pond Road street festival, slated for September, after a heated debate at a public hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
The festival, which has been a cherished tradition in the Ridgewood area for nearly 30 years, has been regularly proposed to last four days. However, its length has sparked mixed reactions from local residents, resulting in a tense exchange during the meeting.
Giovanni Silvagni, a vocal supporter of the festival, addressed the board early in the public forum, passionately advocating for the four-day format. He underscored the festival’s longstanding history in the community, emphasizing its significant economic benefits for local businesses.
Silvagni pointed out that the festival draws visitors from across New York City, offering a unique opportunity to showcase the Ridgewood neighborhood and its Fresh Pond Road businesses to people who might not otherwise visit. He also highlighted the event’s family-friendly atmosphere, which provides local families with an entertainment option close to home, especially when they often have to travel to Long Island, the city, or upstate for similar experiences.
“It’s a nice event for people who want to stay in the community,” he said. “For those of us that have kids, it’s good to have something right here in our neighborhood.”
Silvagni also defended the event’s safety record, emphasizing that no major incidents have occurred over the years.
“There have been no major incidents across the entire time of the event,” he stated, underscoring the support the festival has received from local law enforcement, particularly the 104th Precinct.
Silvagni then discussed the festival’s cultural importance, describing it as an opportunity to showcase Italian pride within the community.
However, not all residents shared Silvagni’s optimism about the event’s four-day duration. Charles Ober, a local resident, raised several concerns about the safety and logistical issues that had been associated with the festival in previous years.
Ober reminded the board of a consensus reached in 2018 when it voted to reduce the festival from its previous four-day format to a two-day event due to various community concerns.
He argued that four days of festivities brought heightened risks, including redirection of public transportation, which negatively impacts senior citizens’ ability to access appointments, and longer response times for first responders. Ober suggested that these safety concerns had not been addressed sufficiently in the years since, making the four-day event a potentially dangerous proposition.
He went on to note that, despite these concerns, the safety situation had not improved.
“It’s considered a soft target,” Ober said, referencing potential security risks, and called for a reevaluation of the event’s policing and safety protocols.
“Some of the hardened bigger events are putting sanitation trucks at the intersections and so on. I don’t know if that review has been done,” he added.
While Ober suggested the festival’s length be shortened, others were even more opposed to the event’s four-day schedule. Paul Kerzner, speaking on behalf of his wife, who could not attend the meeting, made it clear that he was “100% against the street festival being for four days.”
He recalled that the community board had opposed the four-day festival in previous years, citing votes in 2015, 2017, and 2018.
“It should be a one-day festival, preferably on a Sunday during the day,” Kerzner urged. “All we’re asking for is that 100s of people in Ridgewood don’t want this festival screwing up Fresh Pond Road, hurting us, and screwing up the bus route.”
Kerzner’s comments resonated with some other community members who were vocal about their opposition to the festival. These residents feared the disruption caused by the event would outweigh the benefits, particularly regarding traffic, transportation, and daily life in the neighborhood.
Despite these concerns, there was strong support for the festival among other community members.
Harper Toscano, who has long favored the event, spoke positively about its long history and success over the years. She praised it for being well-organized and noted that the crowds who attend the festival are generally receptive and enthusiastic.
“The festival is crowded, and the community really enjoys it,” she said. “It’s been four days for many years, and I feel that that’s a good way to continue it.”
Walter Sanchez, another festival supporter, reflected on the event’s long-standing tradition in the community and the sense of connection it fosters among residents.
“Those of us who have favored this festival for decades are so because we love the engagement,” Sanchez said.
“We love the volunteers who do this work. The community likes it. My children go there; many of your children have gone there in the past.”
Sanchez acknowledged that the four-day event presented some challenges but remained steadfast in his support. He praised the legacy of volunteerism and the positive impact the event has had over the years.
“When you get that legacy volunteer work in the community, it’s a great thing,” he added.
After this debate, the board moved to a roll call vote, which resulted in 23 votes in favor of the four-day festival and 13 votes against it. The 12 members who were absent from the meeting did not have their votes counted.
The approval ensures the continuation of the four-day Fresh Pond Road street festival for another year.
