It's Here: East Haven Fall Festival

Family, friends and neighbors will gather together this weekend on the town green to enjoy rides, games, live music, food and fun for all ages during the .

The annual three-day event begins on Friday evening and will continue through until the end of the day Sunday. And thankfully, it looks as through with chance of rain later on Saturday.

"Things are going well for an event now in its 21st year," , told East Haven Patch.

Hours of Operation

Friday the entire festival will be open from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

On Saturday the main portion of the festival will be open from noon to 11 p.m. The Business Showcase opens at 10 a.m. and the rides begin at 11 a.m.

And on Sunday, the main festival will run from noon to 6 p.m., with the car show starting bright and early at 9 a.m.

The 's traffic pattern/street closure guide has been attached to this article.

Live Entertainment

The top live act for the 2012 festival are The Duprees. The musical group, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, will take center stage on Saturday night.

"We were lucky to get them," Limoncelli said.

While the weekend of entertainment will be a diversified mix of various forms of local and regional talent — as well as the award-winning Yellow Jackets Marching Band — Friday night's feature act will be the “The Bronx Wanderers."

Limoncelli said the group has a solid mix of new material along with all the favorites of doo-wop and rock and roll.

"The Bronx Wanderers they are a great 60s rock n roll group. I wouldn't miss it," he said.

And Sunday's featured act is the The Sonido Libre Latin Band.

"We really hit it out of the park at the Latin Sonido Libre Latin Band," Limoncelli said. "They're a fantastic band, I think everyone will really enjoy them."

The complete entertainment schedule is attached to this article.

Rides, Games & 'Pie the Firefighter'

In addition to the live entertainment, the weekend will feature a wide variety of restaurant booths, an arts and crafts exhibition, and carnival rides for small children.

And there will be a special new addition to this weekend's festivities: , sponsored by East Haven Fire Dept Volunter Company One, which will feature "notable citizens" taking part in the fun.

Limoncelli noted that of the 13 food booths from last year 12 are returning again this year.

There is a new vendor who does smoothies, a first for the festival

"And the Dockside Restaurant in Branford will have a full booth," Limoncelli said. "And that's something we've never had before: seafood."

T, but town officials expect it to return in time for next year's event.

And Sunday morning will feature the always popular Classic Car Show.

Corporate Hospitality Tent

The “Corporate Hospitality Tent” — which will be open to corporate sponsors during the entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights — will house the Business Expo on Saturday afternoon.

And, this year the business fair will be coordinated and run by the East Haven Chamber of Commerce. 

Teen Corner

This year’s event will once again feature a “Teen Corner” area on the green, which is under the direction of the Town’s Youth Coordinator Bob Petrucelli. 

The area will be open Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. It will be staffed by several other adults.

The “Teen Corner” will include various activities for youth, including a Mobile HD Video Game Trailer and 3 Lane Bungee Run. A teen Karaoke contest on Friday and a Rock Climbing Wall on Saturday.

Major Sponsors

The feature entertainment once again this year is being presented through the generosity of David McDermott Auto Group and Town Fair Tire, who both have been major contributors to the festival for more than a decade.

In addition to these longtime contributors, this year the committee also received major sponsorships from PMA Companies and Talmadge Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.

"So they will be there, too, this year," Limoncelli said.

Thanking Town Workers

Lemoncelli also noted that the festival would not be possible without the hard work of the town officials and workers

"They do an incredible job serving the fall festival committee and the citizens of East Haven," he said.

Lemoncelli said the committee was particularly thankful for the hard work, dedication and assistance of East Haven's Department of Public Services.

They are behind the scenes making sure the mechanics work, the staging works, making sure everything is in their proper places — and then cleaning up afterwards," he said.

"They are the most outstanding public works department in the state of Connecticut," Limoncelli said. "The good work they do for the town and not just for festival."