Long Island is finally getting its first taste of spring — and what better way to celebrate than getting to know all the camps and family activities the region has to offer? The Ultimate Camp Fair & Activity Expo helped parents and children connect with the small businesses that make Long Island a great place to grow up.
The annual event, organized by New York Family, saw hundreds of visitors fill the Cradle of Aviation in Uniondale on March 2 to connect with local camps and schools. The camp fair is a breath of fresh air for parents who might have otherwise been overwhelmed by the endless research that goes into selecting the right camp for their child.
“Some camps fill up so quickly, and there’s so many,” said Ed Hennessy of Future Stars, a camp that lets kids explore their passions in everything from sports to drama and everything in between. “[The Camp Fair] allows parents to just get exposed. And it’s also a day out with the family. They get to have fun.”
“Even if they don’t end up working with us, they get so much exposure,” he added. “It’s just a great day out.”
The day lets local summer camps show families just how much they have to offer.
“Campers get to swim, do sports, art, music, drama — you name it, we have it,” said Jean-Marie Marciano, director of Oasis Day Camp at LIU Post.
“The best part about being here is we get to meet all these lovely families and their children,” she said. “We get to interact with them, color with them, and learn a little bit more about what they want from camp.”
It also gives camp directors the chance to get out and interact with the community. They get to say hi to familiar faces while also meeting new parents and kids who are interested in joining their camp family.
“We come every single year; we look forward to it,” said Cheryl Turnier of Camps ‘R’ Us, a summer camp that offers sports, swimming, crafts and more. “It gives us a really nice opportunity to meet with all families throughout the Island.”
“We love it here because of the diverse families that come through, the conversations we have with them and their interest in an accelerated program,” said Donna Basile of Long Island School for the Gifted, an independent, private, all-day accelerated program for students from Pre-K to 8th grade.
Children also get the opportunity to talk about what their camp means to them, and encourage other young people to try it out. Vishanna Maharajh, Taylor-Star Davis and Valanna Maharajh came to the Camp Fair to show people what Kombative Edge Martial Arts is all about — and demonstrate some killer moves in the process.
“It’s not just a place where you can learn martial arts; it’s also like we’re all a family and a community,” Vishanna Maharajh said. “We get to do things together and hang out with each other, and we just get to make so many new memories.”
“There’s a lot of people who you can meet and people who you can become friends with,” Davis said. “Also, there’s discipline, more of a learning experience.”
The Ultimate Camp Fair & Activity Expo showcased more than camps alone — the day also showed parents fun family-friendly activities waiting for them around the Island.
“[Adventureland] is a local place for Long Island families to have fun,” said Jess Marino, who works with Adventureland. “We have rides and games, and it’s for people to come together and have a good time.”
“We love connecting with families, talking to all the different people that live on Long Island and having a lot of fun,” said fellow Adventureland coworker Alyssa Panvini.
On top of all that, the Ultimate Camp Fair & Activity Expo offered plenty of hands-on activities for all ages. Children enjoyed a martial arts lesson from Kombative Edge, face painting from Adrenaline Entertainment, slime-making from Mad Science, free cotton candy, balloon animals and even a bounce house.
The fun-filled day left small businesses feeling connected, parents feeling relieved and — most importantly — kids feeling excited about the endless possibilities this summer will bring.
