Once again this year, the 6th annual Fair @ The Square will celebrate the best of Westchester Square and surrounding east Bronx communities.
In what has become a signature spring in the local area, the Westchester Square Merchants Association will present the street fair on Saturday, May 10.
The event takes place, rain or shine, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., in Westchester Square and on E. Tremont Avenue between Westchester Avenue and St. Raymond’s Avenue.
“Planning is coming along fantastically,” said WSMA President Greg Perry. “We are expecting between five and seven thousand people to show up. We are inviting our neighboring communities: Morris Park, Castle Hill, Country Club, Throggs Neck, and so on.”
Variety of entertainment
The fun-filled day should include numerous musical performances all day long for both adults and children, along with a spaghetti eating contest, raffles, dunk tank, vintage bus, a Fire Department “smoke house” and antique fire engine, children’s games and activities, and art exhibits.
WSMA is presenting Fair @ Square in partnership with Bronx Council on the Arts and the Parks Department. Support comes from the Westchester Square Business Improvement District.
One of the great things about the fair from a business perspective, said Perry, is that it gets people browsing the entire length of the Square’s commercial corridor, spanning 140+ stores.
On top of that, he added, it is an enjoyable day.
A day for families
“I like the marketing aspect, and the fact that it is a day for families to enjoy themselves,” said Perry. “The music is family orientated, and culturally oriented as to who may come into the neighborhood and who is already in the neighborhood. The type of fun that I can see gives me the greatest enjoyment in the world.”
It also highlights the community as a multicultural one, with Indian and Bangladeshi, African-American, Italian-American, and Latino music and dance, he said.
The music will be hosted by Dennis “Dion” Nardone of WVOX Radio and Artie Rodriguez.
Live music
Among the many live performances are Freestyle Sensation Coro, Grammy Salsa Artist Ray De La Paz, Ec Salsero, J Universal, Gene DiNapoli, Matt Violinist, Alive N’ Kicking, Just Nuts Party Band, W.R.A.T.H. (Writing Real and True Hip Hop), Sierra Nelson, and more.
The Kids Stage will feature Bharati Dance, Ariana Faith, Elijah Radio, Dancer Dreamzz, Roberto the Magician, Veronica Kole, and more.
BID executive director Lisa Sorin said that behind the scenes, the event helps form better relationships between merchants, landlords, and the community.
“I have a small, little part to play, and it only makes it all the bigger because it is so much fun,” she said when asked about what she took away from it.
