PortFest returns for its eighth year of celebrating the Port Washington community’s wealth of creativity, this year at Weber Middle School’s Seeber Field Sunday, May 19.
Artists, musicians, dancers, poets and painters of all ages are invited to attend HEARTS Port Washington’s main fund-raising event. Proceeds will go toward funding future arts education programs for the district’s public schools.
Student talents will be showcased throughout the day with performances from Schreiber Theater Company, which will sing show tunes from its recent production of “Chicago;” Bach 2 Rock; dancers from Berest Dance Center; and a variety of student ensembles from the elementary schools up to the high school.
Not only will there be student talent on display, but local bands will be featured on the main stage. The Dave Diamond Band, Stupid 7 and NRG are scheduled on Sunday’s lineup.
Several artists will exhibit and sell their artwork at PortFest, as well as offer demonstrations in pottery, photography, watercolor painting and acrylic painting.
Young artists will have the opportunity to show their creativity through arts and crafts like making your own paper lantern or terrarium, T-shirt and hat tie-dyeing and canvas spray art.
For adults, there will be a silent auction and for middle schoolers, a scavenger hunt is planned.
In between all the fun, there will be plenty of food to enjoy with local flavors such as Mel’s Ice Cream Truck, Mole Mole, Delicacies, Yummy Gyro, Ralph’s and a Grilled Cheese Truck.
HEARTS founder Damon Gersh told Blank Slate Media in a past interview that he came up with the idea for PortFest when sitting on a dock in Montauk and thinking about how he could best promote the arts in his hometown of Port Washington.
“I was just sitting there, and then it hit me,” he said. “We should have a music festival in town.”
The eighth annual PortFest will be held from noon to 5 p.m. rain or shine. Parking and admission will be free to the public, while some select crafts will require purchasing a ticket. If it rains, the festival will be held indoors.
