An annual business-sponsored event that heaps appreciation on the community it serves is coming up soon.
The Throggs Neck Merchants Association 10th Annual Sidewalk Sale is scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 22 on the East Tremont Avenue commercial corridor between Lafayette and Miles avenues.
The upcoming event, a ‘thank you’ with giveaways and show of mutual support between the community and the merchants in this widely trafficked corridor, will take place between 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., said Bob Jaen, TNMA president.
“The Throggs Neck Sidewalk Fair is a way for the merchants in the area to come around and say thank you to the community for their support,” said Jaen, adding that he encourages all the residents to come out and enjoy some cotton candy or popcorn and meet local vendors.
It is also a chance for the merchants to showcase their products and services to potential and current customers, said Jaen.
The merchants will have the chance to interact during the fair, with many on the street outside their shops offering reduced priced items or giveaways, said Gerri Colon, TNMA special events coordinator.
“You may walk down East Tremont Avenue all of the time, but (as a consumer) you might not realize all that the stores have to offer on a daily, weekly or monthly basis,” said Jaen about interaction between the vendors and community.
The event has appreciation flowing both ways: customers to merchants and merchants to customers, said Colon.
“I would tell people to come to the event because you can meet the merchants who are already there,” said Colon, adding of the event “A lot of merchants give back on that day and it is a way to say thank you, once a year, for patronizing our stores.”
The community certainly comes out in force and enjoys the event, with the TNMA getting approximately 750 participants over the last few years with good weather, said Colon.
The Throggs Neck Merchants Association is still in the process of planning and coordinating the events and partner organizations, said Jaen and Colon, with some of the tentatively planned attractions including:
• Face painting and arts and crafts will be provided by Westchester Square Zerega Improvement Organization at the corner of East Tremont and Lafayette avenues, said WSZIO’s Sandi Lusk.
• Just Nuts band and students from their music school will perform beginning at noon in front of 3602 E. Tremont Avenue.
• Capital Shield Agency at 3600 E. Tremont Avenue will be offering popcorn and other giveaways.
• Cabo Restaurant will be serving up tacos and tortillas at their restaurant at 3764 E. Tremont Avenue.
• Dream Makers Performing Arts will be performing, at a location that is ‘to be determined’ as of press time, said Jaen.
Al Belifiore of Just Nuts Music School said the sidewalk sale is an opportunity for the students to play for an audience.
“Sometimes they play with the band or they do their own solos,” he said.
