Weekly Wednesday promenades invigorate Great Neck Plaza

Robert Pelaez
Outdoor dining and dancing has returned to Great Neck Plaza in the form of weekly Wednesday promenades. (Photo by Janelle Clausen)

Summer promenades have once again returned to Great Neck Plaza, with outdoor dining and live entertainment awaiting families throughout the area every Wednesday evening.

The promenades, a longstanding tradition throughout the Plaza, is hosted in conjunction with the Village of Great Neck Plaza and the Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District. The weekly events are held each Wednesday from roughly 6:30-10:30 p.m., with the locations varying to highlight some of the Plaza’s various eateries and local businesses.

Village of Great Neck Plaza Mayor Ted Rosen and Business Improvement District Executive Director Ron Edelson said the general reaction from the public after the first two promenades held June 2 and June 9 has been extremely positive. Rosen touted the joint efforts of the two entities and recognized that a little bit of luck plays a role in the weekly outdoor events.

“Hosting the promenades has been something that has been in the discussion stages for the past few months and it was all subject to how things were going health-wise in respect to the coronavirus,” Rosen said in an interview with Blank Slate Media. “We’ve also been extremely lucky with the warm weather we’ve had and we certainly hope that trend continues going forward.”

He added, “As these coronavirus restrictions continue to subside, we hope people will feel more comfortable spending the evening surrounded by good food and lively music.”

Edelson said people seem to be happy attending the promenades again.

“New families in the area are hearing about this for the first time and coming out to experience this with their new neighbors.”

Edelson said that in addition to live music, the promenades will start holding raffle events for hundreds of dollars in gift cards for shops throughout the Plaza’s business district. The promenades are scheduled through July 21, but more could be potentially scheduled down the line.

Various entertainment scheduled for the events features some of the local “fan favorites,” including Nina Et Cetera, Nina Gordon, Gathering Time and newbies, noted electric violinist Michi Fuji and the David Lamm Duo. Rosen said the events are a terrific way to highlight local businesses and local performers.

“Our building department has worked very hard with restaurants and food establishments to maximize the outdoor space made available to them and filled the roadways with adequate seating,” Rosen said. “It’s great to see the restaurants taking advantage of the opportunity and having local residents featured in the entertainment aspect.”

Rosen conceded that the promenades are a way to attract residents to the village’s businesses but are restricted enough to not overcrowd the roadways such as a street fair would do. He encouraged residents to come out every Wednesday and experience outdoor dining and live music with others nearby to celebrate lifted restrictions.

“We look forward to welcoming people to the promenades to have a pleasant experience and a good meal at one of our fine eateries,” Rosen said. “Slowly but surely, things are getting back to normal.”

“The Promenade Series has proven to be a way for friends and family to meet up for a night of fun for all ages on a beautiful summer night,” Edelson said.

The rain date for any Wednesday promenades will be the following Thursday, Rosen said.

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