Rain doesn't dampen spirit of Heritage Fair
by Tracy Bongianni

Amityville's Heritage Fair. Photos by Cliff De Bear

The Amityville community came together for the annual Heritage Day Fair on May 7 and to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Lauder Museum. Despite the threat of rain, children enjoyed the pony rides and had their faces painted. Historical Trolly Tours gave fair goers a ride around Amityville with guides pointing out the "it happened here" locations that give Amityville its rich history in politics, engineering, rocketry and flight. A real-life Lincoln was also on hand and fair goers got the chance to ask historical questions of honest Abe.

Larry Basile, Chairperson of the Amityville Historical Society Fair and past president of the Historical Society, said that the proceeds from this year's event will go toward the continuing renovations on the Lauder Museum.

This years' fair will help with efforts to restore the museum's interior, while $175,000 in government grants helped complete the renovations on the building's exterior.

But the annual event is much more than just a fundraiser. It's a chance for Amityvillians, and those who want to spend a day in the friendly Village by the Bay, to get out and meet and greet each other and celebrate Amityville's history. David D'Antonio, president of the Amityville Historical Society looked at the fair this way: "The community gathering together to celebrate Amityville."

There was plenty to eat, see and hear at the fair. The Amityville High School Jazz Band, conducted by 11-year-veteran Chris Lamarca, played songs such as, "Now is the Time", and "Chameleon" and presented a trumpet solo by Derrick Bishop.

Other highlights of the day included an antique car show sponsored by the Motor Touring Club. The club showplaced many vintage cars including a 1931 Lincoln Roadster owned by Bill McClerry. McClerry purchased the car in 1960, and, with the help of his son, restored the car to its original beauty.

"It took us nearly ten years," he said. "But it was worth it." He said the car would have sold for $5,000 when it was new.

The Amityville Artists Circle also brought local artists and their work to the fair, giving Amityville another chance to showplace its wealth of talent. The Circle was founded in 2001 by Andriani Mikolaitis. The Circle, a non-profit organization gives an annual art award to an Amityville High School student and its members have painted murals at various locations

throughout Amityville with the help of grants and donations. Irene Greenhalgh, president of the Circle, along with fellow artists Vera Mingovits and Ron Thomson, displayed their work at the fair.

So, whether it was history, culture or just a hot dog, a soda and friendly company, it was all at the Amityville Historical Society Heritage Fair last weekend.

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