Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society Completes 13th MusicFest

HUNTINGTON, NY — The 13th annual Huntington Lighthouse MusicFest was held on Saturday, and it boasted the largest crowd in its history.

An estimated 1,700 boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and rafts surrounded the Huntington Lighthouse to listen to the sounds of talented musicians and enjoy a summer afternoon, according to the Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society.

Roughly $43,000 was donated toward the continued restoration of the 110-year-old, historic lighthouse.

“Once again, this festival couldn’t happen without our hard-working volunteers, and the support of the entire boating community,” said Pam Setchell, president of the Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society (HLPS). “It is incredible to see how the festival has grown into an event the community looks forward to all summer. We are also grateful to all the safety assets organized by Fred Uvena, Town of Huntington Maritime Services, consisting of Suffolk Marine Bureau, United States Coast Guard (USCG), Lloyd Harbor Bay constables, numerous fire departments and auxiliary services who worked to keep all the boaters and participants safe.”

Boaters came from as far away as New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island to experience the music festival that was held on top of a lighthouse, in the middle of the water. Dozens of volunteers worked for weeks leading up to the festival, shuttling supplies.

Scobbo Contractors and the sound crew mobilized barges and floating docks with the equipment needed to put on the festival and add some much-needed space for the event. After the last band played and the boats drifted home, the crew and volunteers worked until Tuesday morning to offload gear, generators, light towers, porta potties, and clean up. This operation can only be done during high tide, adding to the logistical challenge, according to the preservation society.

The MusicFest continues to be an important fundraiser for the lighthouse, allowing critical preservation and restoration work to continue, as well as educational efforts including tours.

This year’s donations will go towards completing Phase 1, including finishing upper structure masonry work and additional stone surrounding the lighthouse for protection. Some Phase 2 projects are slated to begin soon, including new windows and restoration of all the metal parts including the metal cupula roof, the preservation society stated.

The Huntington Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1912 and stands guard at the entrance to
Huntington and Lloyd Harbors. It rises 42 feet above the water, marking dangerous rocks and helping to navigate boat traffic.

"It is unique in both design and construction and the first concrete lighthouse structure on the east coast," the preservation society wrote. "The Venetian Renaissance (Beaux Art) style of the lighthouse gives it the appearance of a small castle."

The lighthouse was added to the National Register for Historic Buildings in 1989 and was placed on Notice of Availability by the National Parks Service on July 2, 2010. The HLPS was granted ownership of the Lighthouse in 2012.

Formerly known as Save Huntington’s Lighthouse, The Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc. is a volunteer non-profit, tax-exempt, 501(c) (3) organization that was incorporated in New York state in 1985.

The Society’s mission is to restore, preserve and provide public access to the Huntington Harbor Lighthouse (formerly Lloyd Harbor Lighthouse); to achieve the safe keeping of the building,
artifacts, and records; to enhance public awareness and education on lighthouse history; to make the lighthouse a premier tourist attraction on Long Island; and to serve as a prototype of a restored offshore lighthouse. Since its inception, the preservation society has been the caretaker of the lighthouse.

This year’s MusicFest lead sponsors included Daniel Gale, Sherwin-Williams, West Shore Marina, Cunningham Heating and Cooling, and Compass, among others.

Donations can still be made here or via Venmo @huntingtonlight.