On July 25, New York State Senator Steve Rhoads partnered with the Farmingdale Village Board of Trustees to host the 2nd Annual Sunset Music-Fest, a community concert and donation drive benefiting performing arts institutions across Long Island. Held on the Farmingdale Village Green and spearheaded by Senator Rhoads’ intern Robert Silverstein, the evening brought together families, neighbors, actors, singers, and musicians to celebrate the impact of local performing and educational arts programs while collecting more than 80 donated items for regional performing arts organizations. 

The event showcased an impressive range of performers, featuring talent from elementary school students to college artists and beyond. The evening included performances from classic Farmingdale band The Electric Dudes, the Flute 4 quartet, The Silver Chord Choir, and three acclaimed theater organizations: Hardscrabble Theater, Merrick Theater & Center for The Arts, and RAFCO Entertainment and Management.

The night concluded with a special community choir featuring 30 singers and musicians from across Long Island, ranging from fourth grade students and beyond, performing “Proud to Be an American” in celebration of America 250 under the direction of Robert Silverstein.

Musical selections throughout the evening highlighted the incredible diversity of Long Island’s performing arts community. The Electric Dudes energized the crowd with classic rock performances, while Flute 4 presented a patriotic program titled “Americana,” featuring timeless selections such as “Stars and Stripes Forever.” Young performers from Hardscrabble Theater delivered an engaging vocal performance, and Merrick Theater’s youth performers showcased selections from popular musicals including “Matilda” and “High School Musical,” closing their segment with “We’re All in This Together.”

The Silver Chord Choir, under the direction of Carl Ferrara, captivated the audience with moving arrangements, including “Beautiful City” from Godspell. RAFCO Entertainment and Management performers, ranging from high school juniors to college graduates, brought a variety of exciting performances from Mean Girls, Footloose, and Into the Woods. The concert also featured young pianist, singer, and songwriter Rosie Chrisostomo performing original music.

RAFCO’s performances were directed by Dominick Raffaele, Merrick Theater’s program was led by Erica Madigan, and Hardscrabble Theater’s performances were directed by Alexandra Thomas. Together, these organizations have long served as pillars of Long Island’s performing arts community, providing entertainment, education, and opportunities for countless aspiring artists. Their continued collaboration helps foster creativity and growth among young performers.

In addition to the performances, attendees enjoyed giveaways and spotlights highlighting upcoming productions at RAFCO, Merrick Theater, acting classes at Hardscrabble, and voice lessons through EWM Vocal Studio. Guests also enjoyed light bites from the Embassy Diner, professional-grade sound provided by Joseph Snyder, and photography by Robert Herbst.

Senator Rhoads extended special thanks to Farmingdale Village Mayor Ralph Ekstrand and the Village Board of Trustees for their support in making the event possible and providing a beautiful venue for the community to come together and celebrate the arts.

“The strength of our communities comes from the people who step up, share their talents, and look for meaningful ways to give back,” said Senator Steve Rhoads. “The Sunset Music-Fest represents the very best of Long Island—neighbors coming together, local organizations supporting one another, and performers of all ages sharing their incredible talents with the community. The performing arts play such an important role in enriching our lives, inspiring creativity, building confidence, and providing young people with opportunities to grow and discover their passions. I am incredibly proud of Robert Silverstein for turning an idea into an event that brought our community together while also inspiring people to give back through the collection of more than 80 donated items that will be put to good use supporting performing arts programs across the region. My sincere thanks go to every performer, director, volunteer, and organization who helped make this evening a success. Events like this remind us that when we come together with a shared purpose, we can make a lasting impact. We look forward to continuing this tradition and welcoming the community back for another unforgettable Sunset Music-Fest next year.” 

The event concluded with the successful collection of more than 80 donated items, including dance shoes, costumes of all sizes, accessories, sheet music, music stands, and microphones. These donations will be distributed to performing arts programs across the region to help support future generations of performers.

Plans are already underway to bring Sunset Music-Fest back for a third year, continuing the tradition of celebrating Long Island’s performing arts community through music, theater, and service.