Community Corner

HarborFest Just Days Away

Weekend full of activities planned for 23rd annual event.

The Port Washington Chamber of Commerce will be presenting the 23rd annual HarborFest Dock Day and Craft Festival on June 2.

Admission is free and all the events will officially begin at 10 a.m. at the Town Dock, Baxter Pond and lower Main Street.  

A juried Craft Show will feature 90 quality craftspeople. The booths will be located along lower Main Street, near the Town Dock. Another attraction along Main Street is “Art In The Park.” It features local artists showcasing their work in Sunset Park, along the Manhasset Bay waterfront. There will also be free art workshops for adults and children during the day.  

The 80’ schooner SoundWaters will return to Manhasset Bay for HarborFest. On Saturday the SoundWaters will depart the Town Dock for a Sunset Sail from 6 to 8 p.m. During HarborFest Dock Day, on Sunday, SoundWaters sails will be at 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Reservations for all sails may be made online at harborfestcruises.eventbrite.com. The cost for the Sunset Sail is $35 per person, all ages. The cost for the Sunday Dock Day sails is $25 for adults and $15 for children under 12. Please note that children under 5 should not participate in the cruises.

Founded in 1989, SoundWaters is a leading environmental educational organization, based in Stamford, Conn. Its mission is to educate children and adults about the wonders and beauty of Long Island Sound and its watershed. The schooner travels throughout the western Sound, bringing educational programs to schools throughout the region, including the Port Washington school district.  

Port Washington’s beautiful Water Taxi, the Charles II, will also be available to take people on cruises throughout HarborFest. Another opportunity to enjoy the Bay includes kayaking offered by Atlantic Outfitters.   New at HarborFest this year is the Port Washington Fire Department’s Fire Boat. It will be moored at the Town Dock for the festival and will offer tours and demonstrations that are sure to be an exciting addition.  

Many lucky festival goers may catch a free ride on the picturesque North Fork Trolley, which will make a continuous loop from the train station on Main Street (where there is free parking) to the dock area.  

Registration for the HarborFest Children’s Model Boat Regatta begins at 9:30 a.m. at Baxter Pond. Third graders from all elementary schools were taught by Chamber volunteers how to make catamaran-style boats from recycled materials. The Regatta will take place at Baxter Pond from 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  

Kids have fun all day at the HarborFest Family Fun Park. There will be inflatables, numerous crafts, carnival games and hands-on fun with a touch tank and other science and sports activities. 

The Fun Park will also have free family entertainment throughout the day on the Family Fun Stage. The unique HarborFest Treasure Hunt will be back with fabulous prizes from local merchants and special gifts for all. Children can go to participating businesses from May 20 to June 1 and say the “secret message” to get a voucher for a chance to find the lucky key to the Treasure Chest. They can bring their vouchers to the Treasure Hunt booth on the dock anytime from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during Dock Day.  

There will be dozens of local merchants and organizations offering fine shopping and browsing, demonstrations, activities, give-aways, services and information. As always, a main attraction will be HarborFest’s Fabulous Food Court. Port’s finest restaurants and organizations will present their specialties right on the waterfront. Come hungry – you can feast all day at HarborFest!  

HarborFest will have free live entertainment in front of the “Pride of Cow Bay” Tugboat Museum at the entrance to the Dock. HarborFest’s popular nautical singers, “Stout,” will return to perform their rousing melodies throughout the day.  The talented cast of the Red Stocking Revue will perform several fabulous encore selections from Port’s favorite variety show. There will also be a kung fu demonstration and Irish Step Dancers to delight all ages.    

This year’s Enviro-Exp will have fascinating new hands-on demonstrations, special displays about Manhasset Bay and up-to-date information and products. There will also be a display of this year’s timely environmental education project for elementary school students about the Long Island Aquifer.  

Port Hole Pete will be at the helm of the “Pride of Cow Bay” Nautical Museum, where a new exhibit, “On the Waterfront: Twelve Great Reasons to Love Port” will be installed. Don’t miss this fascinating exhibit which will be on view for a year, beginning at HarborFest. You will see many familiar sights and gain a new perspective on the Port Washington peninsula.  

Admission to HarborFest is free. There is free parking, free trolley rides and free shuttle buses at the LIRR station and Manorhaven Park. For additional information about HarborFest, call the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce at (516) 883-6566 or email office@pwcoc.org.  


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