Fun run, roller skating, circus tricks and more planned for first ‘Community Day’ event May 14 in Riverhead

Grab some roller skates and head down to Stotzky Park in Riverhead May 14.

The Riverhead Recreation Department will be hosting “Community Day 2022,” a new all-day event that combines a variety of family-friendly activities as a kick-off to the summer season. Members of the Strong Island Derby Revolution, an all-female flat track roller derby league, will host a demonstration, giving viewers a peek inside the unique sport. Skaters will remain on the park’s rink as participants can then join them to learn some skating tips or just to have fun.

“People are encouraged to bring their own skates and they can skate around with them and practice some stuff,” said Ashley Schandel, an assistant recreation program coordinator.

Ms. Schandel said as members of the recreation department began planning different events for the upcoming season, they decided to bring several activities together to form one big event. She said the goal is to make it an annual event.

Admission to the park for the day is free, although some activities do require a fee, which is higher for non-residents. Some of those activities will require pre-registration.

The day begins with a fun run around the park. Runners are encouraged to wear blue and white accessories and other Riverhead-centric gear. The first 50 registrants receive a T-shirt. And hero sandwiches will be served to participants afterward courtesy of Lighthouse Market & Deli and Meetinghouse Deli. The fee for the fun run is $15 and $20 for non-residents. Registration on the day of the event is cash-only and begins at 10:30 a.m.

Another activity will be circus workshops where people can learn juggling, plate spinning and other nifty skills. The one-hour workshop will run from 11 a.m. to noon and again from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. The fee is $10 and $15 for non-residents. The workshop is for anyone at least 5 or older. Children ages 5 to 6 must have a parent register and participate as well.

Video game enthusiasts can try out a variety of games in the Game On Long Island truck — a 32-foot gaming theater that can accommodate 28 players at one time. The fee is $10. The truck will set up in the parking lot.

An interactive component called Agents of Discovery gives people the opportunity to use their phone GPS to identify certain missions around the park. The concept is similar to the popular Pokémon GO mobile game.

“That will be going on throughout the park and we’re also going to feature that at many of our special events this year,” Ms. Schandel said.

There will be food options, ice cream and other open activities like cornhole and tie dye.

Riverhead residents will also have the opportunity to purchase beach stickers for the summer or register for future programs offered through the recreation department.

“This will be our first year putting it all together, but we’re looking to continue it and grow it for years after this so it’ll be a nice thing to kick off the summer,” Ms. Schandel said.

She encouraged people interested in the event to sign up for text updates for any special events by texting “SPECIALEVENTS” to 631-364-0517. The event is rain or shine, but in the event of bad weather, it could be canceled ahead of time. More information can also be found on the recreation department’s website and Facebook page.

Ms. Schandel said it was a team effort in the recreation department to bring the various elements of the event together.

While the pandemic altered many programs over the past two summers, Ms. Schandel said the recreation department has mostly returned back to normal for 2022.

“We have seen some hesitancy with some people slowly trickling in to register for things,” she said. “People might be a little hesitant still, so we’re trying to make people feel as safe and comfortable as possible.”