Joe Grippaldi has two areas of expertise: one is sewing smiles on his puppets, the other is putting those same kinds of smiles on children's faces.

He, along with dozens of other craftspeople, showed off their talents at Port Washington's 20th annual HarborFest Dock Day and Craft Festival on Sunday. Grippaldi's marionettes were a huge hit. They could be seen walking, galloping and scuttling alongside kids of all ages from Shore Road to the Town Dock.

"It's very good for children," Grippaldi said. "It's not a toy that they just put on a corner and don't use. They've got to work it to get the full enjoyment."

A resident of Lynbrook, Grippaldi has been making marionettes for more than 12 years.

"I come from the old country, and in Italy, marionettes are big," he explained. "I thought this was a good thing to major in."

Grippaldi is no stranger to HarborFest. He has set up shop at the event for the past 10 years, and his creations have yet to lose their popularity. The marionettes come in all colors, shapes and sizes, from wooden-made kings and pirates to cotton-stuffed flamingos and monkeys.

"The most popular ones are the dog and cat yarn dolls," Grippaldi said. "The yarn animals, those are best ones. They're very soft and it's safe so the kids won't get hurt. We make all sorts of stuff, from animals to people. Sometimes it sells and sometimes it doesn't. If it doesn't sell, then we stop making it."

But Grippaldi has no shop or store to sell the marionettes from. He simply makes them as a hobby on the weekends. During the week, he works with the Nassau County environmental division which aids in protecting communities from environmental pollution and hazardous or unsanitary conditions.

For Grippaldi, his enjoyment comes from more than just making puppets on strings. It's about sharing his leisure pursuit with other people and watching them enjoy what he's made.

"You have to love it to do this," Grippaldi said. "There are days that you make money and then there are days that you don't make money, but that should not be your main concern. You've got to enjoy it."