Septemberfest Invades Southampton Village

Southampton Village will host its sixth annual Septemberfest this weekend, treating guests to music, arts, dancing and food.

The festival kicks off with a cocktail party and musical performances by New Life Crisis at Agawam Park on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the party are $30 in advance and $40 at the door. The event includes complimentary beer and wine until 8 p.m., and a cash bar until 9 p.m. All proceeds go to the Southampton Rotary Club’s scholarship and endowment fund.

The party will continue on Saturday at 11 a.m. with concerts in Agawam Park featuring Next Level Band, The Lone Sharks and Charles Certain & Certain Moves, continuing through 6 p.m.

Throughout the day on Saturday, patrons can enjoy a chowder contest, bubble shows, rides on the Wells Fargo stage coach and Lake Agawam ferry, and two pumpkin carving contests, one with an animal theme and the other with an “Addams Family” theme. The Maniac Pumpkin Carvers will make their return this year to show off their skills in decorating pumpkins.

Most festivities will take place between Agawam Park and the Southampton Arts Center, with the exception of the Harvest Day Fair at the Southampton Historical Museum and the theatrical production of “Break Out!” at the Southampton Cultural Center. There will also be stages placed throughout the village with music from Project Vibe, Black Leaf, Eastbound Freight and more.

“The whole idea is to bring people into the village,” Village Administrator Stephen Funsch said on Friday. “We try to gear it to everybody, with stuff for kids and adults.”

Mr. Funsch said there will also be a book fair held by the Friends of Rogers Memorial Library, a farmers market, and competitive games.

Activities will continue on Sunday between the hours of 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. and include music and crafts for kids, salsa dance performances by Dance Fusion, and an art show by the Southampton Artists Association.

Julie Fitzgerald, the operations director for the Southampton Arts Center, said she is excited for this weekend’s festival. “It’s a collaboration with all of the cultural arts and nonprofits, to bring awareness to the arts district in Southampton,” she said. “This is the best time to come.”

A full schedule of events can be found at www.southamptonseptemberfest.com. For additional information about the weekend-long event, call 631-283-9128, or email info@southamptonseptemberfest.com.