Hamptons Theater Honors John Steinbeck With Four Day Festival

“We wanted to do something a little different to honor the National Steinbeck Festival here in Sag Harbor,” says Tracy Mitchell, Executive Director of Bay Street Theatre.

The Sag Harbor Theatre will honor John Steinbeck’s contributions to the East End during the Second Annual Steinbeck Festival. The four day affair begins Thursday, May 1, and will run in conjunction with the annual celebration held by the National Steinbeck Center based in Salinas, California.

Activities will include three days of films, a VIP waterfront cocktail party featuring a short boat excursion to view the author’s home from the water, and the Second Annual “Travels with Charley” Dog Walk.

The highlight of the weekend is the 75th Anniversary celebration of “The Grapes of Wrath.” The cocktail reception on Saturday, May 3, from 5 to 7 p.m., will be hosted by Jill Rappaport and is sponsored in part by Wölffer Estate Vineyard. Join Wölffer’s Roman Roth who will be pouring his namesake vintage, “The Grapes of Roth.” Following the benefit, the film starring Henry Fonda and John Carradine will screen at Bay Street.

The final event of the festival is the Second Annual “Travels with Charley” Dog Walk in partnership with the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation on Sunday, May 4 at 11 a.m. Rappaport will also host this event as well. Proceeds will benefit Bay Street Theatre and 10 percent of the Dog Walk will go to the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation.

An all-inclusive VIP Pass for the weekend is $150. The entry fee for the Dog Walk is $35. A film-only pass is available for $30 and individual films are $10 each.

For more information visit www.baystreet.org.