Freeport officials are holding an open forum Thursday night regarding the village’s decision to cancel the popular Nautical Mile Festival, citing public safety concerns from first responders and emergency service personnel.
In a letter dated Feb. 28, Mayor Andrew Hardwick, announced that along with the Board of Trustees, the village decided to cancel the one-day June event, though the mayor left open the possibility that the festival be held later in the year.
“We are actively working to find the best options for the festival’s future,” he said in the letter.
Hardwick noted that the Freeport Chamber of Commerce suggested the festival, a boon to local businesses and restaurants that run along Woodcleft Avenue, be changed to the fall.
The forum is scheduled to take place at the Freeport Recreation Center on East Merrick Rd. from 7 to 9 p.m.
The festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year, including people from New York City and other areas.
“It is our sincere hope that we can come together as a community to find the best solution for the festival’s future,” Hardwick wrote.
