Beach 116th is the Rockaways' main street — the block where the A train, the boardwalk and the surf shops all meet — and the fall festival is what fills it once the beach season closes. Early October on the peninsula is the sweet spot: the crowds have gone, the boardwalk is still open and the light off the Atlantic in the afternoon is the reason people move out there. If you have never made the trip past the summer months, this is the afternoon to do it.
What to expect
A city-permitted outdoor festival on the Beach 116th Street island, the wide median strip where the boardwalk, the commercial strip and the A-train terminal all meet. It is open from noon to 6pm entirely in the open air, with the beach and boardwalk immediately adjacent. The surrounding blocks hold the Rockaways' densest run of food and surf shops.
Good to know
- Take the A train to Rockaway Park–Beach 116th Street, or the Q53 bus; the ferry lands further east at Beach 108th.
- The boardwalk and beach are steps away — build in a walk either side of the festival.
- It is entirely outdoors and exposed to the ocean wind, which is stronger than inland in October.
- The trip from Manhattan takes well over an hour, so treat it as the afternoon's main outing.
- The permitted hours are noon to 6pm, ending before dark.
Going? Keep it.
More festivals that weekend
Common questions
Where is it?
At the Beach 116th Street island on the Rockaway Beach boardwalk in Queens.
What are the hours?
Noon to 6pm on October 4, 2026.