Sag Harbor's 2013 HarborFest Schedule
Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce’s Sag HarborFest runs all weekend with events to please foodies, history buffs, the nautically inclined, kids, adults and whole families.
This year’s HarborFest comes during the 50th anniversary year of the event’s spiritual predecessor, the Old Whalers’ Festival, which began as a way to attract visitors to the seaside village, with John Steinbeck serving as the honorary chairman. Highlights of the 2013 Sag HarborFest include whaleboat races, a farmers market, a clam shucking contest, an arts & crafts fair, sidewalk sales and “A Taste of Sag Harbor.”
FRIDAY
6 p.m. – HarborFest Fiesta
Sag Harbor Whaling Museum
This kick-off party featured Montaco Truck tacos, Montauk Brewing Company beer, Channing Daughters wine, ice cream from Sylvester & Co. and music by DJ Mister Lama. Bring beach chairs, blankets and dancing shoes. All proceeds from the Fiesta go to the Capital Campaign Fund to restore the home of the museum, the Benjamin Huntting House. Tickets are $50/adults and $12.50/kids in advance by calling 631-725-0770. At the door, admission is $75/adults, $20/kids 16 and younger.
6 p.m. – Solar Boat Novella
Long Wharf
Novella, a solar-powered boat, will dock at the Long Wharf for public viewing.
SATURDAY
9 a.m. – Farmers Market
Bay Street
Sag Harbor Farmers Market brings you a collection of farmers and purveyors with items from the farm fields and local bays. Among the items for sale will be fresh organic vegetables, locally made cheeses, oysters, clams, mushrooms and fresh bread and pastries. To 4 pm.
9 a.m. – Arts & Crafts Fair
Marine Park
Among the items by local artists will be fine art paintings, water colors and photographs, pottery, needlework and jewelry. To 4 pm.
10 a.m. – Sidewalk Sale
Main Street
Clothing, books, collectibles, and even a burger or a slice of pizza to enjoy as you stroll along Main Street shopping in the open air. To 4 pm.
10 a.m. – Taste of Sag Harbor
Long Wharf
Restaurants and food purveyors expected to participate include Page at 63 Main, The Golden Pear, Bay Burger, Muse in the Harbor, North Fork Food Works, Sweet ‘Tauk Lemonade, Multi Aquaculture Systems, G&L Gyro, Dough Gluten-Free Baking, Gula Gula, Silver Spoon and Hormans Pickles, among others. To 4 pm.
11 a.m. – Children’s Story Time
Long Wharf
Stories and songs of the sea will be presented by ohn Jermain Memorial Library.
11 a.m. – American Beauty Tour
Long Wharf
Capt. Don Heckman takes visitors aboard his tour ship, “American Beauty” for a cruise through local waters. Along the way Capt. Heckman will speak about the natural and historical evolution of Sag Harbor and its surrounding communities, from the time in the 1600s when merchants shipped their goods from Northwest landing to the time in the 1700s when Sag Harbor became a bustling port, to today when the harbor has evolved into one of the most popular destinations along the eastern seaboard.
11 a.m. – Corn Shucking Contest
Long Wharf
The kids are invited down to Long Wharf to see who can peel an ear of corn the fastest. Register at the Windmill.
11 a.m. – Live Music: John Corr
Long Wharf
A master of traditional seafaring music who welcomes a good old sing-along. To 2 pm.
11:30 a.m. – Old Burying Ground Tour
Old Burying Ground
Hosted by the Sag Harbor Historical Society, this tour through the village’s oldest cemetery takes visitors past the graves and tells the stories of some of Sag Harbor’s earliest residents, including whaling captains and Revolutionary War heroes.
Noon – Whaleboat Races Round 1
Windmill Beach
Teams of four are pitted against each other, including two rowers, a tiller-man and a harpoonist.
Noon – Open House
Breakwater Yacht Club
An open house and kids’ bake sale to benefit junior sailing programs at Breakwater Yacht Club community sailing center.
Noon – Indigenous American Music
Long Wharf
Musician Walter Purizaca offers a selection of music from a variety of Native American-inspired sources.
1 p.m. – Live Music: Sag Harbor Community Band
Long Wharf
Playing popular and unusual marches and other band music.
1 p.m. – American Beauty Tour
Long Wharf
Capt. Don Heckman takes visitors aboard his tour ship, “American Beauty” for a cruise through local waters. Along the way Capt. Heckman will speak about the natural and historical evolution of Sag Harbor and its surrounding communities, from the time in the 1600s when merchants shipped their goods from Northwest landing to the time in the 1700s when Sag Harbor became a bustling port, to today when the harbor has evolved into one of the most popular destinations along the eastern seaboard.
1 p.m. – Keith Leaf Entertainment
Main Street & Long Wharf
Stilts, juggling and so much more till 3 p.m. followed by dynamic fire juggling and a comedy show on Long Wharf.
2 p.m. – Firefighters Cup Whaleboat Races
Windmill Beach
The fifth annual HarborFest Firefighter Cup races features teams from local fire departments.
2 p.m. – Children’s Story Time
Long Wharf
Stories and songs of the sea will be presented by ohn Jermain Memorial Library.
3 p.m. – Whaleboat Races Round 2
Windmill Beach
Teams of four are pitted against each other, including two rowers, a tiller-man and a harpoonist.
3 p.m. – American Beauty Tour
Long Wharf
Capt. Don Heckman takes visitors aboard his tour ship, “American Beauty” for a cruise through local waters. Along the way Capt. Heckman will speak about the natural and historical evolution of Sag Harbor and its surrounding communities, from the time in the 1600s when merchants shipped their goods from Northwest landing to the time in the 1700s when Sag Harbor became a bustling port, to today when the harbor has evolved into one of the most popular destinations along the eastern seaboard.
5 p.m. – Historic Walking Tour of Eastvillle
Eastville Community Heritage House
The Eastville Community Historical Society will welcome guests along on a walking tour through the Eastville area including St. David’s church, at one time a stop on the fabled Underground Railroad, and its 19th century graveyard, the recently restored Eastville Community Heritage House (a Sears Roebuck kit house from the 1920s), and several historic homes in the area. A tasting of African American and Native American foods is also offered.
6 p.m. – Barbecue: Breakwater Yacht Club Celebrates 25th
Breakwater Yacht Club
Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Sag Harbor’s community sailing center at its clubhouse overlooking the harbor. Food will be prepared by the chefs from Water Mill’s Dish restaurant, and there will be an open bar for wine, beer and soft drinks. Dancing will be to the Blue Collar Band.
The party is open to the public. Tickets are $60 per person in advance through breakwateryc.org, or $70 at the door unless sold out, $50 under 21 years old.
SUNDAY
8 a.m. – Pancake Breakfast
Main Firehouse
Everyone is invited back to the Main Firehouse on Sunday morning for a breakfast of flapjacks.
9 a.m. – Arts & Crafts Fair
Marine Park
Among the items by local artists will be fine art paintings, water colors and photographs, pottery, needlework and jewelry. To 4 p.m.
9 a.m. – Pilates on the Beach
Windmill Beach
Catch the early morning sun and do a little Pilates.
10 a.m. – Sidewalk Sale
Main Street
Clothing, books, collectibles, and even a burger or a slice of pizza to enjoy as you stroll along Main Street shopping in the open air. To 4 pm.
10 a.m. – Taste of Sag Harbor
Long Wharf
Restaurants and food purveyors expected to participate include Page at 63 Main, The Golden Pear, Bay Burger, Muse in the Harbor, North Fork Food Works, Sweet ‘Tauk Lemonade, Multi Aquaculture Systems, G&L Gyro, Dough Gluten-Free Baking, Gula Gula, Silver Spoon and Hormans Pickles, among others. To 4 p.m.
10 a.m. – Classic Boat Display
Long Wharf
For enthusiasts of fine vessels, several classic boats—from skiffs to sailboats—will be on display along Long Wharf courtesy of the East End Classic Boat Society. The society offers a special demonstration in rope splicing this year, sure to be useful for all mariners. The Society has also built a new community boathouse in Amagansett, and membership applications will be available this weekend. To 4 pm.
10 a.m. – Children’s Amusements
Long Wharf
Games and activities for the kids including a rock wall and bouncy house. To 4 p.m.
10 a.m. – Solar Boat Novella
Long Wharf
Novella, a solar-powered boat, will dock at the Long Wharf for public viewing.
10:30 a.m. – Walking Tour: Women’s Lives
This tour will visit houses (mostly) of women who have been born or lived in Sag Harbor. Some famous, some not so, but all interesting. Among them are Sag Harbor’s great benefactress Mrs. Russell Sage, Lady Caroline Blackwood, Anna Elizabeth Westfall, who ran a finishing school for girls from her home on Howard St.; Mary Breck Sleight, the author of Flag on the Mill-Ship in the Bay; Martha Smith Brown, a whaling captain’s wife who sailed with her husband and wrote an extensive diary and author Betty Friedan.
11:30 a.m. Tug-O-War
Windmill Beach
Kids are invited to crowd down onto the beach for a good old-fashioned contest.
Noon – Whaleboat Races Semifinals
Windmill Beach
Come down, cheer on your favorite team and see who will make it into the finals.
Noon – Live Music: Jim Turner
Windmill Beach
Traditional and classic blues and folk music. To 2 p.m.
Noon – Clam Chowder Contest
All the local restaurants have been invited to participate so buy a mug for the opportunity to taste all the different chowders.
Noon – Indigenous American Music
Long Wharf
Musician Walter Purizaca offers a selection of music from a variety of Native American-inspired sources.
1 p.m. – Long Wharf
Waldo the Clown
Bring the kids down for some clowning around. To 3 p.m.
1:30 p.m. – Oakland Cemetery Tour
Oakland Cemetery
After Sag Harbor’s Old Burying Ground was filled to capacity, the community opened Oakland Cemetery in the early 19th century. While it is still very much in use today, it holds some old and interesting surprises. There are buried there Captain David Hand — the model for James Fenimore Cooper’s Natty Bumpo — and his five (yes, five) wives; there is the stunning Broken Mast Monument, which honors many of the young local captains who died in the pursuit of whales; and the cemetery is also the final resting place of the famed dancer George Balanchine, who likened the cemetery to those in the French countryside.
2:30 p.m. – Y-15 Women At the Helm Regatta
Breakwater Yacht Club
The regatta is open to sailors of all genders, but the helmsperson must be female. Women of all ages and experience levels are encouraged to participate. The mission of the regatta is to empower young, old and middle-aged women of all sizes and experience levels, who might not otherwise feel compelled to brave the high seas, and to foster communication skills between the sexes. The entry fee will be $10 per boat, and Breakwater YC will provide boats for an additional $25. Breakwater Yacht Club membership is not required, though it is strongly encouraged. The JY15 is a two person dinghy that is widely used for junior sailing programs as well as for racing. Racing will happen in waters off Havens Beach. There will be an awards ceremony and post race refreshments at Breakwater Yacht Club after the racing (approximately 5:30 p.m.). For more information contact Sara Nightingale at [email protected] or 631-793-2256.
3 p.m. – Whaleboat Races Championship
Windmill Beach
See who gets to take home the Whalers Cup.
3:30 p.m. – Clam Chucking Contest
Long Wharf
The festival comes to a fevered conclusion with what has grown to be one of its most popular events: the contest to determine Shucker of the Year, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. Last year almost twenty shuckers took bivalve in hand. Register at the Food Pantry Table.
4 p.m. – Lobster Roll Eating Contest
Long Wharf
Hosted by Bay Burger, this contest honors the participant who can eat the most lobster rolls in a given time. Last year’s winner, Emory Fiveash, consumed four-and-one half lobster rolls in five minutes.