Music On Main Is Like 'Big Block Party' For Farmingdale: Founder

FARMINGDALE, NY — Music On Main returned to Farmingdale for its fourth summer earlier in July and will have three more installments every other Thursday.

Joe Fortuna, who co-founded both The Nutty Irishman and 317 Main Street, came up with the idea in 2016 after he bought The Nutty Irishman that spring. When Music On Main goes down, the whole street from the Village Hall to the train tracks is closed to traffic, paving the way for residents to enjoy live music, outdoor dining, games and other activities.

"It’s a good way to get the good neighborhood together," Fortuna told Patch. "It’s almost like a big block party."

Involved businesses include The Nutty Irishman, Croxley's Ale House, Dark Horse Tavern, Library Cafe, That Meetball Place, CaraCara, Vespa Italian Kitchen & Bar and more. In addition to live music, there are plenty of games and activities for adults and children. Cornhole and Connect 4 are put out on the street. There's also a bubble machine and face-painting.

Fortuna said Music On Main is a way for both Farmingdale's businesses and residents to benefit and interact.

"Because we’re landlocked, summer time is kind of slow because people like to go to the shore locations," he said. "It’s great because it helps the businesses, and it’s great for the community, so it’s a win-win for everybody. Every year, it's been growing."

Remaining dates and features include:

• July 25th – featuring DJ Danja and Electric Dudes
• August 8th – featuring the 90s Band/DJ Danja
• August 22nd – featuring DJ Danja and Electric Dudes Unplugged

Each Music On Main event runs from 5 p.m. through 9 p.m.

Fortuna, who lives in Northport, drew inspiration from a similar event done on Tuesday nights called Northport Harbor Family Nights.

"I had the idea from that, because it’s a cool idea and everyone from the neighborhood, we all walk down to the village," he said. "It’s a nice day of eating outside and having live music."