The 36th Annual Greenport Maritime Festival returns October 16 to 18, bringing a weekend of boats, races, live music, local food and drink, family activities, arts, maritime history, and community celebration to Greenport Village’s streets and waterfront.
After 35 years of stewardship by the East End Seaport Museum, the beloved festival enters its next chapter with the Greenport Business Owners Alliance leading the 2026 event in collaboration with the Hold Fast Fund, East End Seaport Museum, and a growing network of local businesses, nonprofit organizations, artists, fishermen, makers, and volunteers, and working with The Village of Greenport, Southold PD, and the Greenport Fire Department to bring the Maritime Festival to life. Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital is the festival’s title sponsor.
Hold Fast Fund is the fiscal sponsor for the Maritime Festival. Born from Little Creek Oysters during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hold Fast Fund began as a grassroots effort to support the people and small businesses keeping the North Fork community moving forward. Today, its mission focuses on strengthening local entrepreneurship through microgrants, mentorship, and incubation, while building resources that can respond directly to community needs and provide emergency support when it matters most.
“Greenport is at its best when we bring people together. Taking on the Maritime Festival was never about reinventing a 35-year tradition; it was about honoring what came before us while building a structure that allows it to grow and thrive for years to come. What has been most exciting is watching our businesses, residents, nonprofits, artists, fishermen, farmers, and maritime community all find their place in it. Everyone brings something different to the table, and when you weave those pieces together, you get something that feels authentically Greenport. That’s what I want this festival to celebrate, not just our waterfront, but the people who make this village what it is,” said Sarah Phillips of the Greenport Business Owners Alliance.
At the heart of the weekend are the events that have made the Maritime Festival a Greenport tradition for more than three decades. The Maritime Parade, presented by Peconic Water Sports, will once again fill Front and Main Streets with mermaids, pirates, boats, costumes, performers, community organizations, and plenty of maritime imagination. Todd Hart is leading the parade alongside veteran parade leader Joe Corso, while VEME Studios is hosting special pre-festival workshops where participants can create sea-inspired crowns, jellyfish umbrellas, capes, and other wearable pieces for the parade. The Merry Merfolk will also continue to march in the Parade.
On the water, the weekend will celebrate Greenport’s deep connection to the sea with the Maritime Regatta presented by Wooden Boatworks, Work Boat Races presented by Douglas Marine, Cardboard Boat Races presented by Murray Design & Build, and the Snapper Derby presented by Burger Construction.
Led by Adam Douglas and Tim Heaney, the Work Boat Race will begin at the Greenport Breakwater, with inboard and outboard competitors racing for prizes before participating in a parade of boats through the harbor.
Longtime participant and volunteer Michael Conklin returns to lead the Cardboard Boat Races, where teams of all ages will put handmade cardboard vessels — and their engineering skills — to the ultimate waterfront test. Cardboard boat racers should sign up at GreenportMaritimeFestival.com.
The festival will honor Dave Abatelli as its 2026 Grand Marshal, recognizing more than 35 years of dedicated service to Greenport and the North Fork. A longtime advocate for the Village, Dave spent 12 years in Greenport’s Community Development Office, followed by 17 years as Village Administrator. His decades of community service also include work with CAST and the North Fork Housing Alliance, as well as many years serving on the Greenport BID Board. A retired Naval Reservist and graduate of Long Island University Southampton, Dave remains deeply rooted in the community he has served for decades. Together with his wife, Lydia, he operates Lydia’s Antiques and Stained Glass in Greenport.
Families will have even more ways to experience Greenport throughout Maritime Weekend. The North Fork Arts Center is helping create a new weekend-long Family Treasure Hunt, sending children and families on an adventure through the Village while connecting them with Greenport landmarks, history, and community partners. The Floyd Memorial Library will bring maritime storytelling and mermaid-inspired programming to the weekend, with additional children’s activities, creative workshops, and interactive experiences taking place throughout Greenport.
The Maritime Festival extends far beyond the water, with local businesses and cultural organizations bringing food, music, art, and friendly competition to locations throughout the Village. The Maritime Oyster Shucking Competition, presented by Little Creek Oysters, will celebrate the East End’s oyster culture.
The weekend will also feature the Blue Duck Bakery Pie Eating Contest presented by 1943 / Brix & Rye, a Hot Sauce Competition, live music stages presented by Trieber Farms throughout the Village curated by local musician Julia King, and the Railroad Museum of Long Island’s Concert at the Caboose, featuring The Mudflats performing American folk and roots music.
The North Fork Art Collective will also celebrate Greenport’s maritime heritage through a September exhibition inspired by the sea, waterfront and history of the Village.
The East End Seaport Museum presents the return of the Maritime Regatta and other longstanding waterfront traditions. The weekend officially begins Friday with the Land & Sea Gala presented by The Oyster Estate, in Mitchell Park overlooking the marina, celebrating Greenport’s maritime community, food, beverage, hospitality, and working waterfront.
On Saturday evening, the waterfront celebration continues at the East End Seaport Museum with the Regatta, Reggae & Rum Party, presented by Wooden Boatworks, bringing music and Maritime spirit to the harbor after a full day of festival events. This ticketed event brings live music, dancing under the stars, fresh oysters, great food, and flowing dark and stormies, with support from M&T Bank & Mermaid Water Solutions.
The 36th Annual Greenport Maritime Festival is made possible through the businesses and organizations investing their resources, time, and energy into one of Greenport’s most enduring community traditions.
Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital leads the 2026 festival as Title Sponsor, continuing its support of this hometown celebration. With its newly designated Stroke Center, ongoing investment in community health and the return of The Dream Green, ELIH’s partnership reflects a longstanding commitment to Greenport, the North Fork, and the communities it has served for generations.
First & South Bar & Restaurant joins as a Major Sponsor, helping make possible the festival’s new digital home and supporting GBOA’s collaboration with the North Fork’s own Visual Natives to create GreenportMaritimeFestival.com as a year-round resource for festival programming, participation, partners, and community connection.
2026 sponsors and event partners also include The Oyster Estate, Wooden Boatworks, Kapell Real Estate Inc., Cross Sound Ferry Services, Inc., Greenport Jerky Company, Murray Design & Build, Peconic Water Sports, Douglas Marine, Greenport BID, Greenport Harbor Brewery, 1943 Pizza Bar + Brix & Rye, Aldo’s Coffee, Treiber Farms, Burger Construction, Port Waterfront Bar & Grill, Salt & Sea, Sea Tow, and Peconic Landing, with additional sponsors continuing to join the festival.
Maritime Weekend is also supported by organizations and businesses throughout Greenport and the North Fork, including the East End Seaport Museum, North Fork Arts Center, Floyd Memorial Library, Friends of Mitchell Park, Stirling Historical Society, Greenport Farmers Market, Railroad Museum of Long Island, VEME Studios, North Fork Art Collective, Little Creek Oysters, and Blue Duck Bakery, along with the many businesses, artists, fishermen, makers, and volunteers contributing to individual events and experiences.
Find the schedule, tickets, parade registration, vendor information, sponsorship opportunities, volunteer registration, and updates at GreenportMaritimeFestival.com.