The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

summer

Discovering the Summer Concert Series in Chappaqua

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Photo by Grace Bennett

Rec Field on Wednesday summer nights is the place to be when New Castle’s Department of Parks & Recreation holds their annual Summer Concert Series. The free series usually starts the first Wednesday after July 4th and concludes around the first or second week of August. Expect to see families dancing or relaxing on the lawn plus children participating in kids’ activities. The concerts cover a wide swath of musical genres including classical, Americana, jazz, R & B, Motown, 90s music and an ever-popular Bruce Springsteen band.

An annual summer tradition for the past 30 years, the concerts begin at 7 p.m. with the bands taking center stage on the Gazebo. Recently food trucks have been a welcome addition to the mix.  Commuters love coming off the train catching live music and families love interacting with their neighbors and just taking in the beautiful summer nights with a lovely musical backdrop. Concertgoers recommend bringing lawn chairs and blankets and anything you wish to dine on al fresco. In case of inclement weather, concerts will be held at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. To check on the location of a concert, please call the Recreation and Parks Department events hotline at 914 238-2540.

Courtesy of New Castle Recreation and Parks Department

Discover Chappaqua’s Private Pool Clubs

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Chappaqua boasts four private swim & tennis clubs. The cost to join doesn’t vary too radically–there’s a bond and an annual fee–and all offer rental memberships so prospective members can try them out. Each club welcomes visitors to come and see and consider joining.

Birchwood Swim & Tennis on Quaker Road has been a cherished family club for more than 50 years. Birchwood offers eight Har-Tru tennis courts, large pool and diving well for adults and older children, a children’s pool, ping-pong, playground equipment, expansive open grass field, paddle tennis courts and its own Clubhouse Grill, run by a family of restaurateurs. Each year the club runs a robust swim and dive program and holds summer tennis clinics and camps, as well as adult competitive leagues at all levels. Paddle tennis leagues and events run throughout the winter. birchwoodswimandtennis.com

Chappaqua Swim & Tennis Club is a beautiful, flower-filled club just off Hardscrabble Road with a Division 1 swim team, Red-Cross-certified swim lessons, tennis staff headed by Lukas Beman of Club Fit and an excellent snack bar. There are several paddle tennis courts for winter racket fun and CST holds an annual fundraising swim under the auspices of Swim Across America to raise money to fight cancer. cstclub.com

Seven Bridges Field Club, one of the oldest swim clubs in the area, is a family-oriented, year-round club nestled in a tranquil setting at 160 Seven Bridges Road. Summer fun includes a swim team, barbecues, potluck dinners, frog catching, movie nights, an annual clambake and more. For tennis lovers, there are five Har-Tru courts and private lessons with the pro are available by appointment. Two lighted paddle tennis courts are available throughout the winter months. Seven Bridges does not charge any guest fees. sevenbridgesfieldclub.org

Willowbrook Swim & Tennis Club on Millwood Road in Mount Kisco is one of northern Westchester’s premiere swim and tennis clubs for families. Members can enjoy the large heated pool, deep end for diving, kiddie pool for tots, basketball court and eight Har-Tru tennis courts. The Division 1 swim and dive team offers a fun experience for all. Additionally, club members can golf twice a month at Anglebrook Golf Club, a private club in Lincolndale. willowbrookst.org.

 

Descriptions above, courtesy of respective clubs.

Third Thursday in Armonk: NOTE RAIN DATE PLANS/Changes

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Autos and Music, and Sales… Oh My

Due to the weather forecast, the Armonk Car Show will be held Friday, July 19, in downtown Armonk starting at 5pm. Tomorrow’s concert, 1 Stop Pony Band, will still be on Thursday, July 18, but will be held at the North Castle Library’s Whippoorwill Hall. 

SCHEDULE

  • CAR SHOW AND PARADE DOWNTOWN: FRIDAY, JULY 19, begins 5 P.M
  • FREE CONCERT, 1 Stop Pony Band, has been moved to the North Castle Library’s Whippoorwill Hall
  • SALE DAYS IN ARMONK as planned

 

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The Making of the 45th Annual Fol-De-Rol: A Fun-Filled Event for All

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Lea, a puppy sponsored by the Armonk Lions who partcipates in Puppies Behind Bars
PHOTO COURTESY OF ARMONK LIONS CLUB

This year will be the 45th of that beloved Armonk tradition, the annual Fol-De-Rol. From June 6-9, residents and visitors will flood Wampus Community Park to enjoy rides, food, vendors, entertainment and more – there will even be a pig race–all arranged for and run by the Armonk Lions Club, to raise funds for their many charitable endeavors.

“It takes you back,” North Castle Town Supervisor Michael J. Schiliro, a longtime Armonk resident, said of the Fol-De-Rol. “It’s a throwback–a simple country fair.”

Schiliro said preparation for the event isn’t too demanding for the town. They plan for police presence, and ready the park. The volunteer firefighters make sure a truck is there. The advance work is really done, he said, by the Lions.

“We plan all year,” said Douglas Martino, president of the Armonk Lions Club. “In January we kick into high gear.” Members of the Lions get permits and insurance and get vendors–an extremely time-consuming process, Martino said. “We don’t like to have two of the same type of vendor.”

Categories such as jewelry may have duplicates, because attendees appreciate choice in certain categories, but overall there’s a three-person committee that seeks to find a diverse and interesting group of vendors who sell everything from pet food to local honey.

“During the event itself we man the ticket booths, set up for the vendors and help them, help set up the tables and so on,” Martino said, adding that the Lions also arrange for lavatories. They bring doughnuts and coffee to the vendors early in the morning to show appreciation as well. “We sell raffle tickets throughout the event,” Martino said. First prize will be $1,000.

A Way to Mark the Years…

Stacy Wilder has lived in Armonk for 25 years. And over time, her experience at the Fol-De-Rol has changed. For a while, she took her children to the rides. “It’s nice to have something so local, without having to go to Playland or Great Adventure,” Wilder said.

As Wilder’s children got older, they wanted to go to the Fol-De-Rol with their friends. “It’s like a rite of passage in Armonk, to go at night with your buddies,” Wilder said. Now, Wilder attends by herself. She enjoys seeing the many people she knows in town, and perusing the vendor’s wares.

And Bring in New Faces

Neal Schwartz, owner of Armonk-based College Planning of Westchester and president of the Armonk Chamber of Commerce, always set up as a vendor at the Fol-De-Rol when his business was new and he was looking to get to know people in town and spread the word about his services in a friendly way, without a hard sell. “That was how I connected to the community,” he said.

Schwartz said besides benefitting good causes, “the biggest benefit (of the Fol-De-Rol) is that some people may not have been familiar with Armonk and might never have been here before. It certainly brings people to town and keeps them in town for that particular weekend and there’s natural overflow.” Attendees often seek out local restaurants for a meal before or after, Schwartz said.

The Fol-De-Rol has even caused interest in living in Armonk, Schwartz said. “The hope is–and it’s happened–that they’ll come and then they’ll say, ‘This is where I want to live.’”

“The Armonk Lions Club gets all the credit in the world for putting this thing on–and then they put the money back into the community,” Schiliro said. “It’s a win-win-win-win-win.”

The Armonk Lions Club helps fund scholarships every year, built a gazebo in Wampus Park, and underwrote the North Castle Citizen’s Council Disaster Relief Trailer, among many other local contributions, Martino said, adding that they’re always looking for new people to join the Lions. The Lions also donate to Open Door medical centers, Meals on Wheels, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and many more, especially sight-related charities. The Armonk Lions is sponsoring Lea, a puppy who is part of the program Puppies Behind Bars. Lea will be trained by an inmate at the Bedford Correctional Facility and hopefully one day will become a service dog for an injured veteran or first responder.

“If it’s a nice day–and that’s the risk factor in all this–you’re outside,” Schwartz said of the Fol-De-Rol. “What’s not to like?”

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARMONK LIONS CLUB

Chamber’s Third Thursdays Offer a Fun-Filled Evening for the Community

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There is nothing better than events that allow a community to come together, and once again, the Third Thursday events in Armonk promises to do just that. Five years ago, the Armonk Chamber of Commerce made the decision to start Third Thursdays, a series of events held on the third Thursday of the summer months. These events serve as a celebration of the community, and they bring people into town to listen to music, try new food, shop, and participate in other fun activities. The Third Thursday events showcase the best of Armonk, including the spirit of community, the scores of local merchants, and the beautiful downtown. Because of its connotations with celebration, community, and fun, Third Thursday has transformed into a much-anticipated passage into the summer months.

This year, there will be many returning events, as well as a few new ones. The popular Chili Cook-Off and Car Show will make a return, as well as a kids’ night featuring music, dance, and other children’s activities. Plus, a free evening concert series in the park has been added for this year in July and August. And for anyone who is excited about shopping locally, Third Thursday dates will also be “Sale Days.” Each of these days will feature discounts and specials at participating local businesses.

The Third Thursdays 2019 schedule will be as follows.

On June 20, there will be live music from 5-8:30 p.m. and the Chili Cook-Off from 5:30-7:30 p.m., both of which will be held in Armonk Square. In addition to enjoying the live music, people will get the opportunity to sample the recipes and vote for their favorite chili. July 18 will be even more jam-packed with events, with live music from 5-7 p.m. in Armonk Square, a Car Show from 5-7:30 p.m. at St. Stephens Church, and a free concert in Wampus Brook Park from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Finally, August 15 will feature “Kids on the Town” music, dancing, and activities from

5-7 p.m. in Armonk Square, as well as another free concert in Wampus Brook Park from 7:30-9:30 p.m. The late-night concerts in the park in July and August are a new addition this year, and people are invited to bring blankets, chairs, picnic food, and wine. Plus, the Fortina food truck will be parked there for all to enjoy. Celebrate your community by celebrating with your community during the Third Thursdays in Armonk–they are the summer events you won’t want to miss!