The third and final boardwalk fair of the year took over the beachfront on Aug. 29 and 30 as more than 150 vendors stretched from Edwards Boulevard to Long Beach Boulevard. Clothing, jewelry, housewares, books and more were available, along with food and drinks from a well-positioned food trucks and food stalls.
The Long Beach Historical Society returned to organize the annual event, which served as one of the nonprofit’s most impactful fundraisers of the year. Proceeds from vendor booth rentals help to support the volunteer-driven organization. A raffle each day — with a prize package including gift certificates to local restaurants and a signed copy of Billy Crystal’s latest book — also helped to boost the financial drive.
“We’re a non-profit in an old building,” explained Sue Friedman, a historical society board trustee. “All of this money for maintenance and everything. We never can go anywhere without something needing repair or breaking. It’s just constant. That’s what the money goes to.” The historical society’s museum, an original house on West Penn Street built in 1909 and recognized in the National Register of Historic Places, is on the receiving end of the majority of the funds raised.
While many vendors were primarily retail-based, several were also fundamentally philanthropic. Rebuild The Beach, founded by Long Beach resident Liz Nachman, was one. “It started after Hurricane Sandy,” Nachman explained. “And it just snowballed to raise money for the school district initially, and then it just snowballed into a clothing line.”