On Sunday, May 15, HEARTS of PW celebrated its tenth anniversary with the return of PortFest.  PortFest is a Port Washington tradition that brings the community together through arts and music.  This year’s event was held at Seeber Field (next to Schreiber High School) from 12 to 4 p.m.  According to its website, PortFest’s mission is to “celebrate, strengthen and promote the unique culture, arts, and community of Port Washington.”  HEARTS — which stands for Helping Enrich the Arts — holds PortFest with the goal of fundraising for creative arts grants and programs that benefit students in the Port Washington School District.  Held annually, PortFest features the talents of local artists and performers, while providing a platform for organizations, families, and members of the community to demonstrate their commitment to Port Washington through their support of the arts.  

“After two years of the pandemic, it’s very exciting to look forward to PortFest.  With the weather getting nicer and the lifted mask mandate, it’s a great opportunity for the community to come together and support the arts,” said sophomore Grace Carolan.

This year at PortFest, there were an abundance of arts and crafts activities, including Light Up Paper Lanterns, Tattoo Extravaganza, and Tie Dye Fun.  Other activities featured were Button Up, in which participants designed buttons, and Picture This, an activity which involved watercoloring and bedazzling wooden picture frames.

“I’ve always loved going to PortFest for years because of the fun events that take place,” said freshman Katherine Doherty.

The event was sponsored by many local businesses that feature the arts, such as Bach 2 Rock, Dance Arts Centre, Berest Dance Center, Gold Coast Arts Center, Mathnasium, Landmark on Main Street, the Port Summer Show, and the Port Washington Public Library.  Other PortFest supporters included Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices & Ice Cream, The Wellground, Ice Cream Mel, The BART Group, Shibley Day Camp, and North Shore Day Camp.

“I like PortFest because I love sharing the arts in a fun outdoor space,” said senior Amy Baxter, who sang several times during PortFest.

Musical performances throughout the day ranged from school orchestras, bands, and choruses to musicians from Bach to Rock and Sam and Chloe, a vocal duo comprised of juniors Sam Sherman and Chloe Robinson.

“This is my third time playing PortFest, and I couldn’t be happier to have this opportunity once more. The first two times I played with a band, whereas this time I’ll be performing with my music partner, vocalist Chloe Robinson. I can’t wait for more of our community to hear what we have in store,” said Sherman. 

In addition, dancers from Dance Arts Centre and Berest Dance Centre took the stage; likewise, several theatrical organizations performed, including Curtains Up (an elementary school theatre program), Weber Drama Club, Schreiber Theatre Company, Port Summer Show, and the Community Synagogue Theater Company.

“I am so glad that PortFest is back!  It has always been one of my favorite days of the year, a wonderful event for the entire family, and a great way to showcase the arts in Port Washington,” said Ms. Allison Friedman, a music teacher at Weber Middle School and an advisor for Weber Drama Club and Curtains Up.

There were also a variety of food truck options available, including Ice Cream Mel, Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices, Rosie’s Grilled Cheese Truck, and Yankee Doodle Dandy’s.