Thousands Attend Tarrytown Craft and Food Fair

Main Street was filled with shoppers and strollers as good weather encouraged more than 10,000 visitors to attend the 24th annual Tarrytown Craft and Food Fair on Sunday.

"Everyone is having a great time... We have thousands of people here," said John Sardy, Executive Director of the Sleepy Hollow Tarrytown Chamber of Commerce. "The word really got out about this. The planning committee did a wonderful job."

Food stand operators were pressed to keep up with the demand for their wares; some called in extra employees and kitchen staff who had been given the day off to help. Trays of freshly prepared food were still being delivered to stands an hour before the fair closed. Many vendors were prepared for the large turnout. Anticipating good weather, Sardy had alerted several food stand operators that they needed to stock up for the fair.

This year's fair was slightly different in that there were a few less vendors than in previous years (90, down from 100) and more of a focus on vendors selling hand-made arts, crafts and wares.

"We stressed more crafts than ever this year," Sardy said.

Further up Neperan Road, the held the 46th annual Strawberry Festival, which attracted hundreds, if not more, visitors.

"We've been really busy," said museum curator Sara Mascia. "It's a good day for the Historical Society."

Those who came up to the Society's location on Grove Street were entertained by high school musicians who played off of the deck and into the back garden while Girls Scouts from Troop 2041 scurried about making sure everyone's dishes were full of strawberries, shortbread and whipped cream.

Across the road, in Neperan Park, the Historical Society also held sack races, egg tosses, pony rides, an animal petting area and even some old period clothing to dress up in.

"This is our biggest fundraiser, and we've been doing it for 46 years," Mascia said. "It was a lot of fun to organize this year."

The event was also the kickoff for the Society's latest exhibit on the Civil War.

"The Society was founded in 1889, so a lot of the founding members were Civil War widows or Civil War veterans and a lot of our items come directly from them," Mascia said.

Check out our photo gallery for pictures of the Strawberry Festival and the Tarrytown Craft and Food Fair.