This Saturday, September 15th is the third annual Staten Island fig festival.  It starts at 7 P.M. but I always get there early to hang with the fig lovers.  Who is going and what are you bringing?  Details can be found at silive.com  Last year forum members Vito, his brother Angelo and his nephew were there as well as Georgie and a former Belleclare employee who has a serious B.C. collection.  If the weather is good it is a great time.  Come out and bring some figs! 

Hi Ed.
We will be there, this time we will be early!
See you there.
Vito and Angelo

Hello Ed, My plans are to be there. I will not have any ripe figs to bring, but have a few plants. Kinda would like some idea what someone was looking for, maybe could make some trades. My understanding is, you have everything. I just don't want to haul plants up there, only to bring them back home. My memory is terrible, but for some reason, I think Angelo posted a fig that was on my list. I'm positive you'll have something good. If anyone is looking for something, please PM me to see if I have. If someone has a trade setup, but is not going, let me know and I'll haul it there.

luke

I am way........ over on the upper northwest, I wish I could go. Take butt loads of pictures! Have fun folks

Luke, I am always looking to make trades.  PM or e-mail me or even post what you are looking for and have to trade.  You never know.  Forum member Detomaso will be there and he has a pretty nice collection.

I attended last year, still not sure about this evening [Sept 15]...
Who is actually attending?
I'm sure Ed and Pete will be there...

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/Staten-Island-Fig-Fest-5969144

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/2nd-annual-fig-festival-in-Staten-Island-NY-5484511

Vito, Ed, Angelo, and other fig lovers...

I will be there in spirit.  Wish I could get there to enjoy the camaraderie, and fun.  Family obligations prevent me from attending.  Wishing you a great time, and good trades.

Staten Island Angelo...love your dark fig!

Regards,

Frank

PLEASE ....TAKE AND POST SOME PHOTOS.

My wife and I decided today we are going to go.

I am new member, going to be there, hope there going to be fig trees to buy.
Looking for VDB.

I wanted to go so bad this year, but no one to go with and I'm exausted anyway. Had a horticultural meeting today and a different club meets tomorrow. I've got to get plants ready for show and for swapping!   

I wanted to go but I had to be somewhere at 8! why don't they do it in the daytime, a whole afternoon? you can even see better in daylight! any photos?

Did anyone go?  How was it?

Hello All, Had a great time, met members and talked figs. There was good and bad. I'll start with the bad, sorry. This event is really at the wrong time of year since the season is ending for most. It's geared more for neighbourhood get together to share recipes. I talked for a couple hours with locals without seeing the members, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed that. But, my main reason to go was to meet our members and share stories. When it got dark and the locals went home, I was worn out and ready to go home. The problem was, when I finally looked around the only ones left were the members, and had never really got to BS. We did stay around till about 10pm, having a very short conversation. These guys in NY are great great guys and hope next year there we can meet with just members, earlier in the season and in the day. You gents pick a day, and I will be there. The area was right at the ocean, very beautiful. Me coming from the sticks, I was thinking Manhatten, Wrong, again. Staten Island is great place, if you have never been, take the time and enjoy. Hey Ed, that adriatic fig was perfect.


luke

Maybe Brooklyn or Astoria Queens would be more accessible for most and would also save the expensive toll. could meet at the Botanic Garden during the free hours... Luke did you see any fig cuttings or plants for trade / sale? any photos?

Luke and I were able swap for plants we both were looking for. It was a pleasure to meet you Luke and thanks for the tree. Also had the honor to meet with Vito ,his brother Angelo and nephew Joe. We all had a good time talking and tasting figs . Ed brought his Rockaway Green fig,which wowed everyone who tried it.  Forum member 71 GTO and his wife were also there. It was nice to meet them. There were many locals who brought their figs and their stories also.  A fun night overall.             Angelo NY Zone 7A

I'm very sorry I missed this again this year, sounds like you all had a great time. Anytime I am able to meet a fig friend I have a great to too. Ricci, Luke and I got together a little while ago and it was a good day! 

Stefano, Ed had many nice trees for sale. I was there with about ten trees. My plan was to trade or give to members. Ed and I were there very early and BS a bit and Ed had a nice tray of figs.I tasted a few figs and the next thing was a blur. We were surounded by people asking questions. Angelo took the time to find me, so we could trade plants. Thanks Angelo, I wish we could of talked more. Like I said earlier, it got dark. Marcus(71 gto) and his wife walk up and said hello. I met Marcus at Bass's, so knew the face. I think we got to talk for a good half hour, They are a great couple and very kind. I was very tired and ready to go home, but then I spotted other faces that I 've seen at Bass's. Vito and Angelo, I wish we would could of talked a lot more then we did. These two guys really know figs, and since where they live I believe have healthy strong trees. I spoke with Joe for awhile and he told me there are many trees growing in Staten Island. I ended up selling most of my trees for the cost of material, so really gave them to strangers. You could of had a few if you were there. I hope next year the members can get together earlier. It was a good night.

luke

Bummer. Missed all the fun & figs to taste.

I wonder if we could organize a  MeetUp group. Maybe end of October / November would be a good time. Luke, what trees were you selling / giving away? Was it possible to access the beach at that location?

Stefano, We were at the beach, it is beautiful there. There was a road made out of pavers 40' wide that followed the beach which was for people to walk, jog or ride a bike. Then sand and ocean. This time of year it was very quite there, but my guess in the summer, it would be packed with many people. I think Nov. would be good for trading cuttings, but would be much easier to mail them. I believe it was Vito and Angelo, suggested a little earlier in the season so all could bring figs to eat. Most trees are winding down, because it's late in the season. All I know is, you guys furgure a time and place and I'll do my best to be there. I will add one more thing. It was funny to see the faces when I was talking. I live in southern part of NJ, and my accent is completely different. You get a puzzled look of, where did this guy come from.


luke

I really wanted to go swimming, i went to Ft Tilden on the Rockaways... should have gone to SI instead. Had to be in Manhattan at 8 30... was too tight with time. 

what cuttings did you trade? maybe we could organized 2 meetings twice a year, to taste and trade?

Hi all,
What a great time we had at the Fig Fest. Ed had the biggest crowd around him tasting figs that he brought. Some people started to reach in his basket to help themself until Ed took control again. I had the pleasure of meeting Angelo(Detomaso) and Luke, very classy and generous guys. It was good to see Marcus and his lovely wife. As always, Ed is a pleasure to be with. I really enjoyed the last hour talking with the forum members. It was a great time!

Vito

Hard to deal with those foreigners Luke lol

I had a great time and ate a lot of different figs.  Old friends Vito, Angelo (both Angelo's), Joe were there as well as new friends lukeott and Marcus.  I had some Rockaway green's, smith, negronne, aboukounis black, malta black, jh adriatic and about 5 other different varieties that I hoped to share with these fine members but was bombarded by people who surrounded me and someone actually removed a large fig from one of my trees (Fico zanna).  It is a very nice spot.  Me and luke watched the cruise ships leaving manhattan and moving right in front of us.  Next year I hope it will be on a Saturday and much earlier. 

Ed,
 Have you had a chance to compare Rockaway Green to JH Adriatic & Smith? Curious how different or similar they are
 Thanks,
  Peter