I hope that you had an enjoyable Christopher Columbus Day. As I watched the parade, the marchers showed their American patriotism and their Italian pride. To all of our Italian friends and neighbors, we celebrate Christopher Columbus and his discovery of America.

Well, the countdown begins! As of Tuesday, there are five days and a wake up until our “Wonderful Woodhaven Street Festival 2009” - it’s on your calendar (I hope!). The biggest and best street fair in Queens is our Wonderful Woodhaven Street Festival on Sunday, October 18, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Woodhaven’s Jamaica Avenue from 80th Street to Woodhaven Boulevard.

Bring the family for a safe, fun-filled family day. We will have ponies, rides, and games, antique cars, and a variety of vendors with unique products and our great Woodhaven stores with bargains galore. The entertainment for the festival will be Sean Kersaw and the New Jazz Ramblers, featuring country-western music with line cancers and instruction and dancing in the streets, Doo-Wop music by Woodhaven’s own the great Four Pops. Also from Woodhaven, Heartbreak Station with 50’s and 60’s songs and Dot Baker (formerly Portable Whitman) playing mellow songs. Then, playing foot-tapping dance and Elvis music, our festival veterans The Nassau Project.

This year again there will be a special feature: The Malaysian Lion Dancers of Chinese New Year celebration fame. These thrilling Musicians and dancers, who were so great in past years, will also be part of our entertainment program. We hope that our Chinese neighbors will show up and enjoy this program. Also, shop our stores and dine in our many restaurants. Please have some good thoughts for sun for Sunday, October 18.

Fly our American flag above all others. May God bless our leaders, may God bless our armed forces and coalition forces, and may God bless our America.