The Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce presents a fun-filled weekend of HarborFest. The post-Labor Day tradition, which attracts tourists and locals alike to the Sag Harbor waterfront, will return the weekend of September 10 to 11, running each day from 9 AM to 5 PM.
“We are very excited that this year’s festival is expanding to Steinbeck Park,” said Ellen Dioguardi, the president of the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce. “We’ve moved some of the children’s activities to the spacious, waterfront park including pony rides and a petting zoo with Tony the Pony and his Barnyard Buddies, along with some other fun games and participation from the John Jermain Memorial Library and the South Fork Natural History Museum. We will also hold the Saturday night concert in Steinbeck Park, with East End favorites Gene Casey and The Lone Sharks at 5 PM and the HooDoo Loungers at 7 PM. Of course, we’ll have the whaleboat races at Windmill Beach and all the same great traditions that have always defined the festival.”
As the marquee event of the weekend, the whaleboat races will take place on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The championship races for the men and women divisions will be held starting at 3:30 PM on Sunday.
“Ever since the early days of the festival in the 1960s, whaleboat racing has been a big favorite and the cornerstone of HarborFest,” said Dioguardi. “We’ve got a few new teams signed up and expect all the regular competitors will come back to defend their past wins. Everyone sounds like they’re excited to get on the water off Windmill Beach.”
Sag Harbor’s rich history will be on full display across the village with groups like the Sag Harbor Historical Museum, the John Jermain Memorial Library, the Sag Harbor Whaling Museum and the Eastville Community Historical Society hosting events and happenings.
The work of John Steinbeck, who was one of the early committee members and supporters of the original Whaler’s Festival, will be celebrated over the weekend by Canio’s Books with Steinbeck expert Susan Shillinglaw speaking about his novel “Travels with Charley” at The Church on Saturday evening and dramatic readings from selections of his work at Canio’s Cultural Café on Sunday afternoon.
The Chamber’s annual HarborFest Arts & Crafts Fair will be held in Marine Park on Bay Street on Saturday and Sunday. The event will be held from 9 AM to 5 PM both days, with more than 50 talented artists and crafters displaying their work for sale.
Also returning this year is the famous HarborFest Clam Chowder Contest, with Manna at Lobster Inn sponsoring a $500 award for the winning chowder. The event, which is a fundraiser for the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce, will be held on Sunday, September 11, beginning at noon.
“HarborFest has been one of my favorite weekends in Sag Harbor since I moved here Labor Day weekend 40 years ago,” Dioguardi said. “It’s always been a privilege to work on some aspect of it over the years but this year as one of the main people responsible for the whole thing I have to say … it does take a village. There’s a lot of work to do, and I’m very lucky to have a few committee members who give it their all on behalf of the Chamber and it’s wonderful to see the entire village get involved. I think everyone really enjoys celebrating our community together – this event means a lot to so many of us.”
For more information and schedule of events, visit sagharborchamber.com.