Labor Day Weekend in the Hamptons: The Essential Hour-by-Hour Guide
The kids are about to go back to school, teachers’ vacations are almost over and the autumnal equinox is fast approaching—but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a ton of fun to be had on the East End during Labor Day Weekend. Let’s make every hour count!
Thursday, August 28
Noon – Arrive in the Hamptons! Or at least start keeping a list of which travel mate makes the best jokes about the traffic.
12:01 p.m. Give the kids your phone to distract them from the traffic (just don’t let them buy more credits in Farmville).
1 p.m. Head to Main Street, Southampton and enjoy lunch at 75 Main. Tweet us pics of any celebrities you see.
2 p.m. Go to the Water Mill Museum on Old Mill Road and marvel at the annual Quilt Show and Sale. Buy something you like and support the museum’s 1644 Grist Mill restoration.
3 p.m. It’s the final weekend of this year’s Hampton Designer Showhouse in Bridgehampton—go see how home decór was meant to be done.
4 p.m. Ride a Hampton Free Ride car.
5 p.m. Find your final beach read of the season at Sag Harbor’s Canio’s Books, Books & Books Westhampton Beach, or BookHampton in Southampton, East Hampton or Mattituck.
5:30 p.m. Late-afternoon coffee break at Hampton Coffee Company. Go iced.
6 p.m. Head to Wölffer Estate Vineyard’s Twilight Thursday for some wine, cheese and charcuterie.
7 p.m. You still at Wölffer? Become one with the earth and vines with Yoga in the Vines.
8 p.m. Revisit the “Me Decade” with cultural icon Fran Lebowitz at Guild Hall.
9:30 p.m. Sweet treat time at Mattituck’s Magic Fountain with some homemade ice cream. Hellenic Baklava or Red Velvet, anyone?
10 p.m. Hot Lava rocks Amagansett’s Stephen Talkhouse.
11:59 p.m. Get to sleep—you’ve got a long weekend ahead of you!
Friday, August 29
7 a.m. Start the day with a stand-up paddleboard outing on the Peconic.
9:30 a.m. More outdoor fun. Follow that paddle with a free yoga session in Agawam Park.
11 a.m. Take the kids to Sag Harbor for Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre’s performance of The Story of King Midas.
Noon Time for a light lunch at Mary’s Marvelous in East Hampton.
1 p.m. Soak in some sun at Coopers Beach.
2 p.m. Turn over.
3 p.m. The 68th Annual Shinnecock Powwow begins! Time to get off the beach.
4 p.m. Enjoy live music and complimentary cheese fondue at Sannino Bella Vita Vineyard.
5 p.m. The Hampton Library wraps up their Fridays at Five program with a talk with author Gail Sheehy. The author will also hold a Q&A.
6 p.m. Remember the old days, when you had to buy actual records to listen to music? Head to Amagansett’s Innersleeve Records for a fond reminder and live performance by Brad Cole.
7 p.m. Get to Riverhead’s Suffolk Theater and get situated with some drinks and food in preparation for Booker T, soul legend.
8 p.m. Dr. Dan Koontz, Dan’s Papers’ popular Hamptons Police Blotterist, opens for Booker T.
8:30 p.m. Just when you thought it was safe to go back to an outdoor movie, Southampton Arts Center screens Jaws.
9 p.m. Not in a sharky mood but still want an outside flick? It’s off to Silas Marder Gallery in Bridgehampton for Sidney Lumet’s Serpico.
10 p.m. It’s ladies’ night at 230 Down in Southampton. Gather the gals.
11 p.m. Grab a friend and slowly drive over Ponquogue Bridge and gaze up at the stars (passenger only). When you get to the beach side, swap drivers and drive back.
11:59 p.m. Toast the day with a glass of Sag Harbor Rum on ice.
Saturday, August 30
8 a.m. Head to Main Beach in East Hampton for a workout with Minardi Training.
9 a.m. Wash up and go to Babette’s in East Hampton for brunch. We’d recommend the Huevos Deluxe—beer-basted eggs, nachos, cheddar, salsa, avocados and sour cream.
10 a.m. Release your inner Abstract Expressionist and make a drip painting at Jackson Pollock’s house and studio in Springs.
11 a.m. Upload photos of you creating that new masterpiece at DansPapers.com.
Noon The chickens at the Sag Harbor Farmers Market are laying later these days, so fresh eggs might still be available now! Start scramblin’
1 p.m. Head to the Montauk Village Green for the Lions Club annual craft fair.
2 p.m. Want more art? Bring the whole family to the 6th Annual Westhampton Festival of the Arts in Westhampton Beach.
3 p.m. Take a walking tour through the wondrous architectural and whaling history of Sag Harbor.
4 p.m. Halloween’s far off, but Greenport’s Haunted Lighthouse Sunset Cruise is here.
5 p.m. Grab a BBC at Cyril’s—who knows how much longer you’ll have the chance?
6 p.m. The End is here! Take a sunset sail aboard the Mon Tiki in Montauk.
7:30 p.m. Fiddle about at the ViolinFest at Shelter Island’s Perlman Music Program.
8 p.m. Don’t miss the final weekend of Bay Street Theater’s world-premiere production of the musical comedy, My Life Is a Musical.
9 p.m. Take your honey dancing at Sienna Ultralounge in East Hampton.
10 p.m. If you don’t get to Southampton Social Club by now and you’re waiting on line for a while, don’t say we didn’t warn you.
11 p.m. You haven’t experienced Hamptons music if you haven’t been to a Nancy Atlas concert at the Stephen Talkhouse.
11:59 p.m. Try to think of the one person who has yet to be tagged in the ice bucket challenge.
Sunday, August 31
7 a.m. Hit snooze.
8 a.m. Why are you still snoozing? Grand Prix Sunday at the Hampton Classic is starting.
10 a.m. Sunday means brunch at the Hampton Maid in Hampton Bays. And pancakes.
11 a.m. Goat milk isn’t just for cheese anymore. Visit Catapano Dairy Farm and they’ll prove it
Noon Grab a pint of Summer Ale at Greenport Harbor Brewing Company. Toast summer.
1 p.m. Stroll Bridgehampton’s Nova’s Ark Project for a rare look at their gorgeous sculpture park, usually not open to the public.
2 p.m. Nothing says summer like a lobster roll in Montauk at Gosman’s Dock.
3 p.m. Fore! Tee off at Children’s Museum of the East End’s mini golf course.
4 p.m. Grab a seat at Little Creek Oyster Farm & Market in Greenport. Grab 6 oysters. Grab a shucking knife. U-shuck? U bet!
5 p.m. Hop the North Ferry to Shelter Island.
6 p.m. Cocktails and Coecles Harbor views at Ram’s Head Inn.
7 p.m. Watch the sun start to set over the water at Long Wharf in Sag Harbor.
8 p.m. Laugh it up at Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center with Comedy Central’s Demetri Martin.
9 p.m. Have a drink at Montauk’s Surf Lodge.
10 p.m. Have a beach bonfire in Montauk!
11:17 p.m. Put out beach bonfire correctly.
11:59 p.m. Say goodbye to August.
Monday, September 1
8 a.m. Tweet #HappyLaborDay @danspapers
9 a.m. Area 51 is thousands of miles away. A hike at Camp Hero is much closer
10:30 a.m. Take your kayak out at Orient State Park
11:45 a.m. Go for a stroll down Jobs Lane in Southampton Village. Wistfully gaze upon the Dash sign and whisper “Kourtney” three times
Noon Debate which is better, a Tate’s Chococlate Chip or Chipless Wonder cookie
1 p.m. Debate whether or not they should allow alcohol at Indian Wells Beach
2 p.m. Have a cookie and a beer. Hey, it’s a holdiay, you can indulge however you like
3 p.m. Finish reading Dan’s Papers.
4 p.m. Check out a new East End tradition, the Garden Party Lamb Roast at The Living Room in East Hampton.
5 p.m. Sit back with friends and family and recall all the wonders of another East End summer gone by.