The third annual Mineola Fall Festival came with a plot twist. As Mayor Paul Pereira spoke to the crowd at Mineola Memorial Park over the weekend of October 17 and 18, a costumed wrestling villain interrupted him, grabbed the Key to the Village and declared himself the new mayor.

The takeover was a performance. The stunt was staged by LiPOPUP Event Production, the Long Island events company that produces the festival with the village, and played out in front of festivalgoers as live entertainment between the food trucks and the pumpkins. The company posted video of the key heist on its own account the next day.

Two days in Memorial Park

The festival ran both days from 12 to 6 p.m. at Mineola Memorial Park on Marcellus Road, with food trucks, seasonal beer and cocktails, live music and local vendors, according to the village's announcement. This was the festival's third year, and the village had scheduled rain dates for October 24 and 25 that it did not need.

Halloween is next

The village's fall calendar is not done. The Village of Mineola Halloween Party comes to Mineola Memorial Park on Saturday, October 31, from 12 to 3 p.m., with a parade stepping off at 1:30 p.m., according to the village's announcement.

After that, the village moves straight into the holidays: the Mineola Village Holiday Festival is set for two weekends, December 5 and 6 and December 12 and 13.

Mineola Memorial Park is at 195 Marcellus Road, a short walk from the Mineola station on the Long Island Rail Road. Details for the Halloween party and the holiday festival are posted on the village's website as each event approaches.

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