STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Tompkinsville Park exploded with creativity Saturday afternoon as colorful dragons ruled and kids delighted at the annual St. George Day Festival.
The all-volunteer, grass-roots annual project is billed as "Earth Day and Arts Celebrating Community...and Dragons."
"It's very family friendly and shows all the diverse aspects of the community," said West Brighton resident Janice Monger, executive director of the Alice Austen House, who attended the festival with her daughter Freya, 3.
"It shows there's strength in a small community," she added.
Tompkinsville resident Tony DeGeorge -- enjoying the day with his daughter, Calla, 9 years old -- agreed.
"I love the creativity of this event," he said. "And the tremendous amount of diversity."
As for young Calla:"I love the dragon parade!" she enthused. "And I also love the wizard!"
The long list of participants at Saturday's festival included:
IN THE DIY CRAFT ZONE: Snug Harbor Art Lab Activities For All, Make Mail Art Mandalas with Day de Dada, and Universal Temple of the Arts Creation Station.
ART AROUND THE PARK: D.I.Y. Galleries; Live Painting, Chalk Wall; Wandering Minstrels; Face Painting; Deep Tanks Photo Booth; Hoola Hoops; Elaine Mendez, Jerome Walker, Anne Marie Grillasca, Jeanine Wright, Meg Graham, Chandini Pinella, Patti Kelly, SB Kosinski, John Exit, Alicia Garcia De Leon, Lorenzo Hail, Douglas LaTourette, Palma Mingozzi, Liz Marotti, Pamela Hernandez, and Samantha Popp.
SPOKEN WORD STAGE GARDEN: SICC Second Sunday Spoken Word Poetry and Prose, Staten Island OutLOUD's Tales from Shakespeare, NYSAI Art & Literary Magazine, and local authors and publishers.
IN THE EARTH DAY ZONE: NYC Compost Project, Greenmarket, GrowNYC, New York Public Library--St. George and Stapleton branches, NYC Compost Project, Gotham Whale, Urban Park Rangers, GrowNYC's Zero Waste Programs, New York State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, Transportation Alternatives, SICSA, City Harvest, Moravian Community Garden, Staten Island Museum, Freshkills Park, Girl Scouts of Greater New York, Bike New York, Tottenville High School, and Free Bike Repair with Steve Messina, Dan Beyer and Jim Dunne.