Hicksville Brings Art to the Fair

Hicksville Brings Art to the Fair


The Artists Group, who ran the Art of Paleontology for The Gregory Museum in 2004, has teamed up with The Hicksville Chamber of Commerce in support of their Train Campaign. Under the bright sunshine of the Hicksville Street Fair the winner of The John Bull art competition was announced. The artwork took its place on Kennedy Plaza, next to the gazebo, in the spot where soon the John Bull replica will stand. Music played throughout the day from the Town of Oyster Bay Show mobile with classic rock from Mid Life Crisis, dance tunes by Oriana LaRusso, acoustic sets by Tom Cavanaugh and the dancing ladies from Dance Dimensions. Non stop music kept the residents cool on this hot day and got them moving around the square. Vendors were selling everything from handmade jewelry to handbags to roasted corn and Hicksvillians enjoyed all of the activities. Brian Gregorius, “The Balloon Man”, created magical creatures for the many young people present and they were able to take their turn at the arcade games which, thanks to the sponsors of the Street Fair, were all free.
The Hicksville Chamber of Commerce put together an outstanding event for the people of Hicksville, but this was also the day that the winner of the John Bull art competition was to be announced. Voting had been taking place on the internet and in person at local businesses since the pictures were first displayed in June at the Trainville Train Show at the Community Center. Hundreds of votes were cast and in an intense competition the winner was “Just” John Filandro and his picture “John Bull, Columbian Exposition, Chicago”. John presently resides in Suffolk but went to Levittown Memorial High School and married a girl from Hicksville. He is a self taught artist and is always looking for new challenges. “It gives me great satisfaction to be able to create something that people take pleasure in viewing and to pique their curiosity to see more beauty in other works and in life around them.” This approach definitely worked for John as his John Bull took the $50 first prize in the competition. The pieces in the competition will be on view at the Hicksville Craft Fair in August and can still be seen at http://www.debbydoll.com/. “It was a great competition and we were delighted with the response to the public voting.” said Debra Ann Kasimakis, event coordinator and participating artist, “The mission of The Artists Group is to bring art out of the museums and into the public forum. To get such a wonderful response from the local residents was very encouraging.”