PortFest celebrates communal unity despite weather

May 19 marks the passing of this year’s PortFest celebration, the seventh annual celebration of its kind in Port Washington.  Each year, PortFest brings together families from all unique aspects of the community to celebrate the creative and artistic aspects of the town. 

“I’ve been coming to PortFest since I was in middle school.  For me, it’s a good opportunity to go somewhere with my siblings, see my friends, bring my dog, and appreciate the local businesses and Spring nature of Port Washington,” said senior Hannah Gaidis. 

The goal of PortFest is to raise money to continue to fund the creative arts in Port Washington through the education system.  The organization typically fundraises by featuring local businesses and entrepreneurs to sell products and dedicate some of their earnings to the HEARTS foundation. 

“Even with the weather, it was fun to be around the entire community,” said senior Emily Cullen.  “Especially with this being my last year of high school, it was a bit emotional for me to go to PortFest for the last time.  It kinda marks the end of an era.”

In addition to promoting small local businesses, PortFest also features events and activities to engage with the families and small children of Port Washington.  Certain booths and games, as well as interactive theater productions, all encourage families to join together in the community and dedicate time to enriching the presence of the arts.  This year, the organization paired with local restaurants, like Yummy Gyro, Mole Mole, and Ralph’s Italian Ices.  Additionally, they featured local dance studios, like Berest Dance Center, which ran family events for all participants. 

“I went with my younger siblings, and they had a good time running around and doing the tie dye booth activities and playing instruments,” said senior Natalie Papazian.  “It’s really nice to have a place to go with younger family members, especially when it’s free and it’s right here in town.”

Due to inclement weather conditions, this year’s PortFest event was moved indoors.  However, this neither hindered the activities nor the attendance of the eager Port Washington residents who participated in the town festivities. 

“We are really happy with the turnout this year, even in light of the rainy conditions,” said Daly principal and co-founder of the HEARTS foundation Mrs. Sheri Suzzan.  “It’s nice to see the entire community come together to celebrate such a noble cause, and ultimately, to have fun together as a group.”