A fun Afternoon – The Heritage Country Fair

On Sunday, September 18th, the Smithtown Historical Society held its Heritage Country Fair on the grounds adjacent to East Main St. in Smithtown. The Heritage Fair is the Society’s largest event of the year, and a longtime community favorite.

The Heritage country fair is a yearly celebration of American traditions on 20 acres of preserved land within the Historic District. The other two main events are the Spring Farm Festival and the Heritage Christmas Fair. This year a “Winter Lanterns Show” is being added as well.

According to their web site, smithtownhistorical.org, the Smithtown Historical Society, which was founded in 1955, is committed to the preservation and restoration of Long Island’s history for the education and enjoyment of the public. There is a strong educational component to its mission, including school programs and a summer camp.

According to  Executive Director Priya Kapoor, the event had many sponsors, including National Grid, Pupfish Sustainability Solutions, Winter Bros Waste Systems, Douglas Elliman Smithtown, and State Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick. However, the Society relies largely on public donations and occasional State and local grants to operate its large campus and maintain its many dated buildings, including the Obadiah Smith House, which is located in Kings Park. “We are responsible for keeping the historical houses up to code,” said Kapoor.

Kaycee Jacaraso, who was attending the fair with her husband and two children, said she saw an outdoor theater show on the grounds in July, and decided to come back and enjoy the fair. “We’re having a great time listening to the band,” said Jacaraso.

Vendor Andrea Anico, of Anico’s Candles, was manning a booth selling her homemade soy candles and soaps. She had learned of the fair while participating in the Nesconset St. Fair a couple weeks ago, and was anxious to sign up for the Heritage Fair. “It’s been a great experience,” said Anico. Other vendors included raw honey, arts and crafts, homemade jewelry, artwork, and many others.

Attractions at the event included a petting zoo, pony rides, live music, a blacksmith demonstration, and the many historic homes open for touring. Of course, do not forget the food trucks and Italian ices.

One popular attraction at the fair was the Spirit of Long Island Mounted Drill Team, which performed at 2:00 before a gathered crowd. The riders, dressed in ceremonial red white and blue, performed a series of coordinated maneuvers on horseback, which the crowd enthusiastically applauded.

When discussing the covid-19 pandemic, the Society’s office manager, Victoria Del Vento, was quick to point out that being a largely outdoor venue, we were able to better manager than most businesses. “Unfortunately, it was the school programs that suffered the most. Now we are pleased to have things back to normal, and are even expanding our outdoor theater shows,” said Del Vento.

The Smithtown Historical society has a website, http://smithtownhistorical.org, where visitors can learn about the organization, peruse upcoming events, view a staff directory, and learn about volunteering or donating. Membership is open to all.