The End of Summer in Montauk Doesn’t Mean an End to the Fun
Though we’re heading into the final two weekends of the summer season, the sun isn’t quite ready to set on Montauk. The Montauk Chamber of Commerce is deeply involved with the hamlet yearround, boasting a wide range of activities to capitalize on the beachy, carefree atmosphere and contributing to the vibrant East End spirit even after Labor Day.
This Monday, August 31, take in the final installment of the weekly Concert on the Green, hosted by the Chamber on Commerce. Held from 6–8 p.m., the series has been around for 25 years and has become a much-anticipated part of the summer calendar. This week’s performance features the band Hopefully Forgiven. Bring a beach chair and picnic! Montauk has become a live music mecca, and the free Monday concerts are just one in a string of performances held in the hamlet throughout the week. Gosman’s Dock also hosts live music on Sunday evenings, with the final performance on Sunday, August 30 featuring the HooDoo Loungers.
After Labor Day, stick around for the 3rd Annual Seafood Festival, held at Darenberg’s Montauk Marine Basin from September 12–13. The festival features seafood, and local beer and wine from a variety of area restaurants. Events include clam and oyster shucking contests, raffles, life music and kids’ activities. The Seafood Festival is supported by the Chamber and hosted by the Montauk Friends of Erin and the Kiwanis of East Hampton. Admission and parking are free.
With over 33 vendors, the weekly Farmers Market continues strong throughout the fall. The market is held on the village green every Thursday through September 3; on Fridays through October 2; and then once more on October 10–11, which is the fall festival weekend. The Friday move is due to the closing of East Hampton’s Farmers Market after Labor Day. The market is held from 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Everyone looks forward to the annual fall festival, held on October 10 and 11. This two-day event showcases the very best that local farms have to offer, coupled with fun family activities open all day. It’s Montauk’s 34th year hosting the event! In addition to the farmers market, the festival features the Cash Catch Raffle—a portion of the proceeds support the Annual Frank A. Capozzola Scholarship Award and the Holiday Families in Need Fund—local beer and wine, Oktoberfest foods, a free carousel and, of course, music.
Every year, the highlight of the festival is the annual Clam Chowder Contest, held this year on October 10 from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. It’s rightfully known as the best on Long Island! Montauk finishes up its busiest season with a boom.
According to Laraine Creegan, executive director of the Montauk Chamber, Montauk’s popularity extends from April to October. “Before, they’d never stay past Labor Day! And last year we hosted and Easter Egg Hunt, and we will definitely keep that going,” she says of the Chamber’s efforts to provide even more entertainment for the community.
This family-friendly hamlet is exactly what the Chamber describes it as—an oceanfront playground. Through the years, locals and tourists alike have been coming back to Montauk earlier in the season and leaving later in the fall, clearly a sign that people can’t get enough of its contagious, easy-going vibe. Summer may be fading, but we’re not quite ready to say goodbye yet, and Montauk isn’t either.