Thousands of visitors came out to the Mill Neck Family’s Fall Harvest Festival on Columbus Day weekend and found plenty of returning favorites along with some new arrivals. There was much to see and do on the Mill Neck campus, where the annual festival is held, and naturally a variety of foods to choose from.
Beef, turkey and veggie burgers were among the grilled items, as well as bratwurst and roasted corn – a festival favorite. Specialty cheeses, artisanal breads, pies and fudge were available too.
Seeing the abundance of apple booths, it’s understandable why the Festival is also called “Apple Fest.” The varieties were especially welcome after a tough growing season for the fruit last year. Visitors were happy to see the return of the popular Honey Crisp as the apple sold out by the end of the weekend.
Some new additions that were welcomed this year included The Clipper Ship Tea Company, showcasing several of their custom-blended loose teas and specialty honey varieties. Owners Melissa Wawrzonek and Bryan Rosenbauer of the Northport-based shop also provided tastings of seasonal blends.
West Virginia woodturner Ervin Jones had a continual audience throughout the weekend. Using a lathe, he demonstrated the transformation of rectangular wood blocks into the petite, polished apples created especially for the Festival.
The festival had plenty of activities for kids too, from exploring the pumpkin patch to getting their faces painted by Agostino Arts. Other kids created their own masterpieces over at the Sand Art by Deaf Connection booth, as more bounced around the inflatables set up by Gooseberry Amusements.
Throughout the weekend, over 20 vendors, including Red Fish Toys, The Craft Closet, and Massapequa ASL Club among them, displayed their merchandise. Visitors could choose from handcrafted jewelry, sign language t-shirts, knitwear and other crafts. On Saturday, some 90 people took advantage of free hearing screenings offered by the testing van graciously provided by the Town of Oyster Bay.
The festival once again brought together Mill Neck Manor alumni who, along with dozens of deaf visitors, attend the event each year. The festival serves as a homecoming of sorts, with the heart of the Long Island deaf community looking forward to the annual gathering.
Proceeds from the festival will benefit the Mill Neck family of organizations, which includes Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf, the Mill Neck Manor Early Childhood Center and
Mill Neck Services for Deaf Adults. The Mill Neck family of organizations is dedicated to serving individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing and/or have other special needs through educational, vocational and spiritual programs and services. For more information about any of its programs, call (516) 922-4100 or visit https://www.millneck.org. “Like” Mill Neck on Facebook at www.facebook.com/millneck.
