Great Neck Plaza’s Summer Promenades Are Back

jprisco@antonmediagroup.com

With the summer just beginning, the Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District (BID) has announced the dates for this year’s Summer Promenades. The Great Neck Plaza Summer Promenades are taking place every Thursday evening from June 29 to Aug. 3. The BID has arranged for roads to be closed off starting at 5 p.m. for live musical entertainment, restaurants to expand into the streets and local shops to stay open a bit later for shoppers.

While many towns and villages began planning summer promenade events during the COVID-19 pandemic to accommodate social distancing regulations, Great Neck Plaza’s BID started its promenades in 2008.

“We’ve been doing this for years. We first started it on Bond Street because that block is easy to close off with the participating restaurants,” said Maria Montanez, BID events coordinator. “The event grew and grew and grew every year. Everybody would ask for it. So we continued to do it every year.

Now the promenades have expanded to the north side of Middle Neck Road from Grace Avenue to Maple Drive. This year, three nights will take place on Bond Street, and the other three will take place on Middle Neck Road.

“We decided to start these to do something that would be not only giving back to the community but also allowing the restaurants and all the merchants to participate,” said Montanez.

Bond Street has about five restaurants participating and Middle Neck Road has even more.

The merchants on the roads are encouraged to stay open till 8:30 p.m. or later to give patrons a chance to do some local shopping.

“They all enjoy doing this type of thing, and it’s a way also for us to have community relations, and it builds morale, especially after COVID-19,” said Montanez.

“We did one or two [promenades] during the pandemic, which were very socially distanced. But obviously, the pandemic has dwindled down and we’re trying to make them bigger, especially with many great new restaurants on Bond Street.”

On Bond Street, participating restaurants include Great Neck Diner, Paprika, Bee ORGANIC, Yahoo Asian Cuisine and Dagim.

June 29, July 6 and July 27 are promenades on Bond Street. Middle Neck Road has many participating restaurants, for example, Rothchilds, Grill Time Express,

T-Swirl Crepe, Ramen Totem and more.

July 13, July 20 and Aug. 3 are promenades on Middle Neck Road. Restaurants will set up extra tables on the streets during the promenades. If a participating restaurant in the promenade accepts reservations, securing a table is recommended, especially for parties with six or more people.

The BID has announced the entertainment lineup for the evening promenades

June 29: Roni Shalom

July 6: Gotcha Covered featuring David Lamm

July 13: The Beatles vs. The

Rolling Stones; who is your favorite?

Music by Liverpool Shuffle and Street Fighter.

July 20: Gathering Time (plus a rock climbing wall for kids)

July 27: Country Line Dancing

Aug. 3: Mr. Shabbos and White Shabbos Group

“I encourage people to come and eat early, then stick around for a great show,” said Montanez.

The BID has received some entertainment group names by resident recommendation. Some are long-time participants in Great Neck Plaza’s Summer Concert Series, such as David Lamm (performing on July 6). The performers

Summer Blood Drive

are set up under a nice tent with some lighting and space is cleared for people to dance.

On July 27, the BID has planned a special evening where residents can learn Country Line Dancing.

“We wanted to try something a little different. Years ago we decided to do a dance instruction night and this year, we decided to bring it back,” said Montanez. “This time around, we have a dance instructor named Nicole. She’s going to bring her own music and teach people how to country line dance.”

The Summer Promenades are great for date nights and family fun time, especially on July 20, when a rock climbing wall will be set up for children. The performances begin around 6:30 p.m. and go on till the end of the night, around 10 p.m.

For more details, visit shopgreatneck.com or visit the Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District’s Facebook page.

Great Neck Library to host a community blood drive

Let’s save lives! Get a pair of New York Mets tickets when you give.

The New York Blood Center is having a Summer Blood Drive at the Great Neck Library’s Main Building Community Room at 159 Bayview Avenue, Great Neck, NY nybc.org/donor/schedules/drive schedule/304817 or call (800) 9332566. Appointments are preferred; however, walk-ins are welcome if space permits. Please remember to eat, drink, and bring your ID with your name and photo.

11023, on Thursday, July 6, 2023, from 1:30 pm to 7:30 pm. You will be given a pair of NY Mets tickets when you give (while supplies last! Prizes hold no cash value and are non-transferable). To make an appointment, go to donate.

For more information, please email csimeti@greatnecklibrary. org or call 516-466-8055 x259.

—Submitted by the Great Neck Public Library