Whale Ho! HarborFest is Back this Weekend!

The Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce is getting ready for another fun-filled weekend of HarborFest. The post-Labor Day tradition, which attracts tourists and locals alike to the Sag Harbor waterfront, will return the weekend of September 10-11, running each day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We are very excited that this year’s festival is expanding to Steinbeck Park,” said Ellen Dioguardi, the president of the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce. “We’ve moved some of the children’s activities to the spacious, waterfront park including pony rides and a petting zoo with Tony the Pony and his Barnyard Buddies, along with some other fun games and participation from the John Jermain Memorial Library and the South Fork Natural History Museum. We will also hold the Saturday night concert in Steinbeck Park, with East End favorites Gene Casey and The Lone Sharks at 5 p.m. and the HooDoo Loungers at 7 p.m. Of course, we’ll have the whaleboat races at Windmill Beach and all the same great traditions that have always defined the festival.”

As the marquee event of the weekend, the whaleboat races will take place on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The championship races for the men and women divisions will be held starting at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.

“Ever since the early days of the festival in the 1960s, whaleboat racing has been a big favorite and the cornerstone of HarborFest,” said Ms. Dioguardi. “We’ve got a few new teams signed up and expect all the regular competitors will come back to defend their past wins. Everyone sounds like they’re excited to get on the water off Windmill Beach.”

Sag Harbor’s rich history will be on full display across the village with groups like the Sag Harbor Historical Museum, the John Jermain Memorial Library, the Sag Harbor Whaling Museum and the Eastville Community Historical Society hosting events and happenings.

The work of John Steinbeck, who was one of the early committee members and supporters of the original Whaler’s Festival, will be celebrated over the weekend by Canio’s Books with Steinbeck expert Susan Shillinglaw speaking about his novel “Travels with Charley” at The Church on Saturday evening and dramatic readings from selections of his work at Canio’s Cultural Café on Sunday afternoon.

The Chamber’s annual HarborFest Arts & Crafts Fair will be held in Marine Park on Bay Street on Saturday and Sunday. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, with more than 50 talented artists and crafters displaying their work for sale.

Also returning this year is the famous HarborFest Clam Chowder Contest, with Manna at Lobster Inn sponsoring a $500 award for the winning chowder. The event, which is a fundraiser for the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce, will be held on Sunday, September 11, beginning at noon.

“HarborFest has been one of my favorite weekends in Sag Harbor since I moved here Labor Day weekend 40 years ago,” Ms. Dioguardi said. “It’s always been a privilege to work on some aspect of it over the years but this year as one of the main people responsible for the whole thing I have to say … it does take a village. There’s a lot of work to do, and I’m very lucky to have a few committee members who give it their all on behalf of the Chamber and it’s wonderful to see the entire village get involved. I think everyone really enjoys celebrating our community together – this event means a lot to so many of us.”

2022 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

8:00 pm  Live Music with The Complete Unknowns, a celebration of the artistry of Bob Dylan, Bay Street Theater.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

9:00 am – 1:00 pm  Sag Harbor Farmers’ Market – Bay Street

9:00 am – 5:00 pm  Arts and Crafts Fair – Marine Park

10:00 am – 4:00 pm  Tony the Pony and the Barnyard Buddies Pony Rides and Petting Zoo – Steinbeck Park

10:00 am – 4:00 pm  Children’s Amusements, Games and Activities – Long Wharf and Steinbeck Park

10:00 am – 4:00 pm  Classic Boat Display – Long Wharf

10:00 am – 5:00 pm  A Taste of Sag Harbor – Long Wharf

10:00 am – 1:00 pm  Mashashimuet Park Through the Years exhibit – Sag Harbor Historical Museum, 174 Main Street

10:00 am – 4:00 pm  Her Story: A Celebration of Notable Sag Harbor Women, 1800-1970 exhibit – Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum, 200 Main Street

10:00 am  Live Music with the Sag Harbor Community Band – Long Wharf

11:00 am  Children’s Tug-of-war – Windmill Beach

11:00 am – 3:00 pm  Exhibition on View: Resilience by Superposition Gallery – Eastville Historical Society Heritage House, 139 Hampton Street

11:00 am – 4:00 pm  Historical Harbor Tours for up to 10 people on a 45-minute boat tour leaving Long Wharf on the hour. $100 per person, to benefit Fighting Chance. Visit their booth on Long Wharf for info, or call 631-725-4646.

Noon  Whalers Cup Races Elimination Round #1 – Long Wharf and Windmill Beach

12:30 pm  Live Music with Anita Guarino – Long Wharf

1:00 pm  Kids’ Corn Shucking Contest – register at the Epic Martial Arts booth on Long Wharf

1:30 pm Firefighters’ Cup Whaleboat Races, Sag Harbor FD Championship – Windmill Beach

1:30 pm New Book Launch: Trash Talk, book signing by Dr. Patricia Turner with reception to follow – Eastville Historical Society Heritage House, 139 Hampton Street

2:00 pm Live Music in the Harbor with Bruce Beyer & Friends – Sag Harbor Historical Museum, 174 Main Street

2:30 pm  Children’s Potato Sack Race – Windmill Beach

2:45 pm  Children’s Hula Hoop Fun – Windmill Beach

3:00 pm  Whalers Cup Races Elimination Round #2 – Long Wharf and Windmill Beach

3:30 pm  Live Music with Lynn Blue Band – Long Wharf

3:45 pm  Keith Leaf Fire Juggler Show – Steinbeck Park

4:00 pm  American Beauty Cruises & Charters special one-hour HarborFest boat ride – Long Wharf. $20 adults, $15 children, under 5 are free. Check-in starts at 3:30 pm

5:00 pm  Canio’s Books presents John Steinbeck expert Susan Shillinglaw, speaking about Travels with Charley, the subject of her forthcoming book – The Church, 48 Madison Street. $10 to register, visit canios.wordpress.com.

5:00 pm  Live Music with Gene Casey and The Lonesharks – Steinbeck Park

6:00 pm  American Beauty Cruises & Charters Sunset Cruise, two-hour cruise departs from Long Wharf. $45 adults, $30 children, under 5 are free. Check-in at 5:30 pm

7:00 pm  Live Music with HooDoo Loungers – Steinbeck Park

8:00 pm  Live Music with The Complete Unknowns, a celebration of the artistry of Bob Dylan – Bay Street Theater.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

8:00 am – Noon  Pancake breakfast – Sag Harbor Fire Department, Brick Kiln Road

9:00 am  Tour the Old Whalers’ Church, built in 1844, with a service to follow – 44 Union Street

9:00 am – 5:00 pm Arts and Crafts Fair, Marine Park

10:00 am – 4:00 pm  Tony the Pony and the Barnyard Buddies Pony Rides and Petting Zoo, Steinbeck Park

10:00 am – 4:00 pm  Children’s Amusements, Games, Activities, Long Wharf and Steinbeck Park

10:00 am – 4:00 pm  Classic Boat Display, Long Wharf

10:00 am – 5:00 pm  A Taste of Sag Harbor, Long Wharf

10:00 am – 1:00 pm  Mashashimuet Park Through the Years exhibit – Sag Harbor Historical Museum, 174 Main Street

10:00 am – 4:00 pm  Her Story: A Celebration of Notable Sag Harbor Women, 1800-1970 exhibit – Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum, 200 Main Street

11:00 am  Live Music with Alfredo Merat – Long Wharf

11:00 am  Children’s Tug-of-War – Windmill Beach

11:00 am – 3:00 pm  Exhibition on View: Resilience by Superposition Gallery – Eastville Historical Society Heritage House, 139 Hampton Street

11:00 am – 4:00 pm  Historical Harbor Tours for up to 10 people on a 45-minute boat tour leaving Long Wharf on the hour. $100 per person, to benefit Fighting Chance. Visit their booth on Long Wharf for info, or call 631-725-4646.

11:45 am  Junior Whaleboat Elimination and Semifinal Rounds – Long Wharf and Windmill Beach

Noon – 4:00 pm  Celebrating Ma’s House as a recipient of one of Preservation Long Island’s bi-annual Preservation Awards for Organizational Excellence. Art will be on display on the lawn and the Custom House will be open for self-guided tours, Custom House, 192 Main Street

Noon  Clam Chowder Contest, Sponsored by Manna at the Lobster Inn to benefit the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce – Long Wharf, Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce Booth

Noon  Whaleboat Races Semifinal – Windmill Beach and Long Wharf

12:30 pm  American Beauty Special One-Hour HarborFest Boat Ride – Long Wharf. $20 adults, $15 children, under 5 are free. Check-in starts at noon.

1:00 pm  Live Music with Jim Turner – Long Wharf

1:00 pm  Children’s Corn Shucking Contest – Windmill Beach

1:30 pm  Whaleboat Racing, Fire Department Final

2:00 pm  The Sag Harbor Cup Regatta at Breakwater Yacht Club, captains meeting prior to race.

2:00 pm  American Beauty Cruises & Charters special one-hour HarborFest boat ride, Long Wharf. $20 adults, $15 children, under 5 are free. Check-in starts at 3:30 pm

2:00 – 4:00 pm  Dramatic readings from selections of John Steinbeck’s work by Harris Yulin, Paul McIsaac, and others. Fundraiser for Canio’s Cultural Cafe, music and reception with silent auction. Suggested donation $10 – Canio’s Cultural Café, 290 Main Street

2:30 pm  Junior Whaleboat Championship – Long Wharf and Windmill Beach

2:30 pm  Live Music with Edna’s Kin – Long Wharf

3:00 pm  Children’s Hula Hoop Contest – Long Wharf

3:45 pm  Whaleboat Men’s and Women‘s Championships – Windmill Beach and Long Wharf

4:0 pm  Live Music with The Popsicles – Long Wharf

4:00 pm  American Beauty Cruises & Charters special one-hour HarborFest boat ride – Long Wharf. $20 adults, $15 children, under 5 are free. Check-in starts at 3:30 pm

6:00 pm  American Beauty Cruises & Charters Sunset Cruise, two-hour cruise departs from Long Wharf. $45 adults, $30 children, under 5 are free. Check-in at 5:30 pm