28th Annual HarborFestOn June 3, Port Washington hosted its 28th annual Harborfest that included its usual festivities. These included a handmade craft fair, an environmental section, musical entertainment, a children’s fun park, and a nautical museum exhibit. The event was held between the Town Dock and Manhasset Bay and usually receives around 12,000 attendees. The Craft Fair, which is held every year, invites about 90 to 100 different independent vendors to showcase their merchandise. Crafts often include hand carved wood items, jewelry, flower arrangements, ceramics, and a wide range of unique handmade gift items. “Personally, my favorite part of Harborfest is the crafts,” said senior Sarah Gottesman. Aside from the different vendors, Harborfest invites local residents and outside artists to perform on their stage in the middle of the Town Dock. Performances from the Dance Arts Theatre, Olga Berest Dance Company, and Voice Academy were also showcased and impressed much of the crowd. This year, the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce introduced new activities to the festival including sailing on small boats for children and an antique auto show for car lovers. Bobbie Polay, executive director of the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce, held high expectations for the event. “People can spend the whole day out on the waterfront,” said Mr. Polay. They can participate in the cruises and eat from morning until nighttime. Additionally, all locals had an opportunity to showcase their own vendor booth at the festival. There were a couple steps to becoming a featured vendor, which first starts with submitting an application with photos of a handmade product. The Craft Fair Committee then reviews the applications and photos and accepts vendors on a first come first serve system. In addition, this year’s Harborfest included PAL baseball and basketball contests, free tours of Manhasset Bay Yacht Club, and a food court. These all helped to create a fun and engaging festival for all of Port Washington to enjoy. “This year’s Harborfest was awesome,” said freshman Clay Gropper. “I can’t wait for next year!”
Kayla Hill, Staff Assistant
June 6, 2018