10 Popular Festivals In Long Island, New York

1. Long Island Water Lantern Festival [Last event in 2019]

Experience feelings of hope, unity, love, and happiness at the delightful Water Lantern Festival. A family-friendly event, this festival involves launching floating lanterns (made of eco-friendly rice paper and bamboo wood). People write and doodle their dreams and wishes on the lantern and at night float them on the water. This magical event comes alive with music performances, local food trucks, memorabilia for sale including hoodies and beanies, art, and drama. Let yourself be inspired by the lights, along with the hopes and dreams of many, many people just like you.

Long Island Water Lantern Festival

Address: W Shore Rd, Port Washington, NY

Website: Long Island Water Lantern Festival

Takes place: August

2. Long Island Hop Festival [Last event in 2019]

Long Island Hop Festival is an outdoor event held under tents, with live music by famous musicians and a selection of local and international hop-forward and hop-infused beers, seasonal beers, and pumpkin and Oktoberfest beers. One of the most unique experiences offered by this festival is the chance to try wet hop beers, which are prepared with freshly picked hops. Unlike other “hoppy beers,” these are brewed only during the hop harvest season. If the beer and music haven’t convinced you to attend this event, then the fun games like Pumpkin Chucker and unique auctions are sure to change your mind.

Long Island Hop Festival

Address: Jamesport Farm Brewery, 5873 Sound Ave, Riverhead, NY

Website: Long Island Hop Festival

Takes place: September

Price: From 45 USD

3. Long Island Fall Festival

The transition from warm summer months to snowy winters, fall is a magical time perfect for holidays. And what could be better than a fall festival in the delightful Long Island. This event offers everything that you could imagine—pumpkin picking, street-food stalls showcasing the best of world cuisine, live performances, carnival games, petting zoos, crab races, boat rides, and so much more!

Long Island Fall Festival

Address: Heckscher Park, 1 Heckscher State Pkwy, East Islip, NY

Website: Long Island Fall Festival

Takes place: October

4. Long Island Festival of Trees [Last event in 2019]

Does the idea of traveling, enjoying yourself, and contributing to the environment appeal to you? Then Long Island Festival of Trees is just what you are looking for. Visit Cradle of Aviation Museum and see the special exhibits, explore the famous gingerbread village, and of course enjoy the showstopper—uniquely decorated designer trees. Organized around Thanksgiving weekend, this event has a very festive feel to it. You’ll also have access to a free indoor ice-skating rink.

Long Island Festival of Trees

Address: Cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City, NY

Website: Long Island Festival of Trees

Takes place: November to December

Price: 15 USD

5. Long Island Guitar Festival

Perfect for music lovers, Long Island Guitar Festival offers an impressive lineup of renowned guitarists and other music performers. Not only do you get to hear world-class artists, but you can also learn from them at the master classes. For those who want to deep-dive into music, there are workshops, lectures, and discussions. The ensemble showcases are often crowd favorites and a must-attend. Apart from enjoying musical performances, you can also shop for guitars and guitar parts, other stringed instruments, and music accessories.

Long Island Guitar Festival

Address: LIU Post Campus, Long Island University, NY

Website: Long Island Guitar Festival

Takes place: Usually held in April

6. Long Island Family Festival [Last event in 2019]

Organized by Copiague Chamber of Commerce in the town of Babylon at the scenic Tanner Park, Long Island Family Festival is a favorite among young children. The event offers everything a kid would want in a fun holiday outing, including carnival rides, live music, exciting food stalls, a host of games with prizes to be won, a pet expo, canine shows, and art and craft exhibits. Every year, there are some unique shows, games, and things to do that keep festivalgoers guessing!

Long Island Family Festival

Address: Tanner Park, Copiague, NY

Website: Long Island Family Festival

Takes place: September

7. Long Island Apple Festival

Farm festivities and unlimited joy—that’s Long Island Apple Festival for you! There is live music, Johnny Appleseed present in “flesh and blood,” open-hearth colonial cooking tutorials, an apple-pie-baking contest, freshly pressed apple juice available in plenty, delicious food vendors serving farm-fresh food, hay and pony rides for kids, and much more! You really cannot go wrong with this delightful event. Enjoy sunny Long Island at its best. In addition, you can learn a bit of history through the Sherwood-Jayne House tour.

Long Island Apple Festival

Address: Sherwood-Jayne Farm, 55 Old Post Rd. Setauket, NY

Website: Long Island Apple Festival

Takes place: September

8. Long Island Fun Fest

Long Island’s largest fair, Long Island Fun Fest pulls in crowds from Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties. A local summer tradition, this fair goes all out with over 30 rides, fun, and games, themed events, and much more! You don’t need to head down to some fancy restaurants either as there are innumerable food stalls all around. One of the crowd favorites, Victoria’s Circus offers exciting performances, such as the thrilling globe of death. The evening comes alive with lights, music performances, and open-air festivities.

Long Island Fun Fest

Address: Suffolk County Community College - Brentwood Campus, 450 Wicks Rd, Suffolk County, NY

Website: Long Island Fun Fest

Takes place: June

9. North Sea Fire Department Carnival and Fireworks [Last event in 2019]

North Sea Fire Department’s almost weeklong carnival is pure fun and a must-attend summer event in Long Island. Hundreds of locals and tourists gather every evening to see the beautiful fireworks organized by the fire department. Along with the extravagant and colorful pyrotechnic display, there are also rides, raffles, games, food, and more to enjoy. Indeed it is American fun at its best.

North Sea Fire Department Carnival and Fireworks

Address: Firemen’s Field, 149 Noyac Rd, North Sea, NY

Website: North Sea Fire Department Carnival and Fireworks

Takes place: July

10. Great South Bay Music Festival

Located in one of the most romantic places in Long Island, the Great South Bay Music Festival is the most happening open-air music festival in Long Island. It is a four-day-long extravaganza that celebrates American culture through music and art. Featuring legends and new musicians, as well as local crafts and arts, this event is a hub for independent artists. This is a family-friendly music festival, so if you are traveling with children, you’ll be happy to know that there is a dedicated kids’ zone to entertain and educate your little ones.

Great South Bay Music Festival

Address: Shorefront Park, Patchogue, NY

Website: Great South Bay Music Festival

Takes place: July

Experience the best of Long Island

With the rich selection of tourist attractions and glamorous delights, a traveler is never bored in Long Island. However, attending one of the many annual events held here is an adventure like no other. Not only do you get to explore Long Island, but you also have a unique opportunity to experience a slice of life in this seaside paradise. So be sure to consider the best accommodations, too, including bed and breakfasts as well as hotels with smoking rooms.