Hundreds come out for Springfield’s ‘Dining On Saxer’ event

SPRINGFIELD » Hundreds of local residents lined Saxer Avenue Wednesday evening to eat dinner, enjoy entertainment by Tom Curtis Jr. and socialize with friends, family and neighbors. The second Dining on Saxer event of Summer 2017 went without a hitch.

To prepare for the event, the township blocked traffic from the business district of Saxer Avenue with barricades. Tablecloth-draped tables and chairs were placed in the street and behind Wawa, and tiny lights were strung. Flowers in vases, makeshift hostess stations and mini bars with ice and set-ups for BYOB, were all in place for the 5-10 p.m. event. No reservations were taken, but there was ample seating for all attendees.

The businesses along Saxer Avenue held the inaugural Dining on Saxer event in July 2016. Building on its success, the first Dining on Saxer of this summer was held in June and over 200 meals were served, despite unsettled weather. Luckily, at this week’s event, the sun was shining. The final 2017 Dining on Saxer event is slated for Wednesday, Aug. 16.

“We had to miss the Dining on Saxer event in June, so I was really happy to be here tonight,” explained Janette Saminsky of Springfield “It was a very relaxing evening. We had good food and it was nice to be able to talk to our neighbors. I am really looking forward to the next one. We are genuinely so happy that we came!”

For updates and more information about the third “Dining on Saxer” event this summer, stop by any of the Saxer Avenue businesses, email SaxerAvenueevents@ gmail.com or “like” Thunderbird II Pizza Springfield or Springfield Pasta Company on Facebook.

PEG DEGRASSA — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Sadie Shea, right, of Tony’s Pizza, took the order of Dani Cianfrini of Glenolden and Genna Hennessy of Springfield during Springfield’s Dining on Saxer event Wednesday night. The restaurants along Saxer Avenue set up tables and chairs and wait staff...

PEG DEGRASSA — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Springfield residents, left to right, Ryan Latorre, 9, Francis Berry, 10, Jake Lennon, 9, Ryan Meliti, 10 and Nate Lennon, 5, hung out on the bank’s wall after dinner on Saxer Avenue.

PEG DEGRASSA — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Victoria and John Mazzuca of Springfield enjoyed some cheesesteaks at Tony’s Pizza during the Dining on Saxer night on Wednesday.

PEG DEGRASSA — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Food trucks were lined up on Saxer Avenue Wednesday night, along with other vendors, for the Dining On Saxer event. The street was closed off to traffic so residents could roam around and eat at the local Saxer Avenue restaurants or from food trucks. the

PEG DEGRASSA — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Springfield resident Makenzie Monreal enjoyed the crust from her mother Katie Monreal’s pizza during Wednesday’s Dining on Saxer event.