'Unprecedented': Greenport Maritime Festival Rescheduled To New Dates

GREENPORT, NY — After inclement weather led to the cancellation of the Greenport Maritime Festival recently, new hope is on the horizon: The East End Seaport Museum announced Thursday that a new weekend, October 21 and 22, has been chosen for the rescheduled festival.

Tracey Orlando, executive director of the EESM, the not-for-profit organization which hosts the event, was thrilled to announce the news.

"As you can imagine, canceling our Maritime Festival was a very difficult and emotional decision," she said. "Unable to sleep after the gala" — the gala was held as planned — "I knew that something had to be done to help my local merchants, neighbors and friends who would be directly effected by this unfortunate but right decision to cancel."

To that end, she said, with the full support of the EESM's board of directors, the group reapplied for permits to hold a rescheduled Maritime Festival.

"Although this is no small task, it is absolutely what I have to do for my neighbors," Orlando said. "This is unprecedented. In the 34-year history of our festival, only Covid led to a cancellation."

But, Orlando said, help is needed. "We need all our friends and neighbors to come help our village merchants," she said. "Celebrate us while helping our small businesses get a final push before our long winter."

She added: " Our very small non-for-profit is putting this village before ourselves and wants as many people to come as possible, to support our local business that count on Maritime. The winter in the village is hard enough."