The “Land & Sea” gala, the kickoff event to the upcoming Maritime Festival, has found a new locale and will not need to seek permission to use either the 5th Street Park or Mitchell Park for the festivities.
The announcement came after a week of controversy, with some members of the public speaking out against use of village assets for the event.
Sarah Phillips, owner of First and South, member of the Greenport Business Improvement District, and representing the Seaport Museum, stood at the podium and told the board there was no need for the resolution voting on use of the 5th Street Park. She said since last week, three private individuals had offered up space for the event.
The decision was made to host the “Land & Sea” gala at Steve Clarke’s Greenport Yacht & Shipbuilding Co., located on Carpenter Street, she said.
Phillips said she wanted to clear up any “misguided notion” that the event wasn’t supported by the village or the BID; she said there was some concern that it might not take place, but assured the event is planned and ready to unfold.
In the year ahead, Phillips urged the board to look into Mitchell Park use and “see how we can use it in a way that’s fair to all. It is a public space and should be used by all.”
Greenport Yacht & Shipbuilding will allow the event to remain on the waterfront; Clarke, she said, has had “a lot to do with Bug Light’s beginning” and has worked on fundraisers for the former First Night festivities. “There’s a lot of cohesive history there,” she said.
Greenport Mayor George Hubbard said after the meeting he was pleased the issue came to a positive resolution for all.
Before the announcement, resident Bill Swiskey, who opposed hosting the event on village-owned land in a residential area, once again spoke out against the proposal. “I don’t want them putting up a tent at the 5th Street Park; they can put it up in Mitchell Park.” He added the new Mitchell Park policy would not allow for the tent to be anywhere but near the marina office, and that space should suffice. “You can’t go to 5th Street just because the view is nice. Sometimes people just have to take ‘no’ for an answer.”
At last week’s village board work session, Sarah Phillips, owner of First and South, member of the Greenport Business Improvement District, and representing the Seaport Museum, said last year, the event was held at Claudio’s, with the Altour Travel Company allowing use of a large tent on the Claudio’s property.
This year, Altour is not involved with the event, and Claudio’s declined to volunteer the tent and the space, Phillips said, leaving fundraiser organizers scrambling for another locale.
The Land & Sea event, slated to take place on Friday, September 25 — the Maritime Festival runs September 25 to 27 — is the kickoff to the festivities, and a fundraiser.
In the past, the event was held in the space behind the Museum, near the Greenport railroad dock.
Last year’s event featured three spirit sponsors, 25 restaurants, six wineries, and the release of Greenport Harbor Brewery’s new kolsch “Bug Light”, Phillps said. In addition, Little Creek Oysters coordinated with Southold Project in Aquaculture Training, or SPAT, and local artists were featured.
Of last year’s event, Phillips said, “The vision was simple: Give people an event to attend, to plan for in the years to come, and to create for. Bring together the EESMMF, the village, the restaurants, merchants, waterfront, the wineries, serve some great food and beverage, dance a little — a real kickoff to the whole weekend. Our plan was to make this ‘friend’raiser a real fundraiser.”
But this year, the event initially had no space. The first thought, Phillips said, would be to use Mitchell Park, but policy dictates that the only spot for the tent would be by the marina office, which she said was not an appropriate size for the tent, with the ground not level.
Instead, Phillips asked the village board for the possible use of the 5th Street Park, with the tent going up from 5 to 9:30 p.m., and approximately 500 in attendance.
Those who donate and contribute to the event are “in love” with the village, and want to give guests a taste of all they can “come back and enjoy,” she said.
Mitchell Park, near the carousel, would be the first choice, with the 5th Street Park the secondary site, she said.
Greenport Village Mayor George Hubbard asked how big the tent would be; Phillips said it would be 40′ x 80′ feet.
“I want us to try and figure out a way to help,” said Greenport Village Trustee Doug Roberts last week. “It’s a great event for the village and it kicks off the Maritime Festival.”
Roberts also suggested Tuttle Park, at the MTA parking lot near the side of the East End Seaport Museum.
Phillips also said guests could be shuttled to the 5th Street beach from the museum.
She added that the ideal location would be close enough that those participating could walk from their shops to the tent. Also, “We’d like to keep it by the waterfront, since it’s the ‘Land & Sea’ event,” she said.
Hubbard said he was also in favor of trying to help and said the 5th Street Beach could work, especially in terms of parking.
Resident Bill Swiskey spoke out against the idea, stating that he would like to know exactly how much the museum pays in rent to the village and stating that a restaurant in that space, a “village asset”, could generate “12,000 a month in rent” for Greenport.
“You’re going to give 5th Street Park away — the last residential neighborhood they haven’t invaded?” he asked. “I don’t owe these merchants anything. That money goes to support Bug Light. I can’t see Bug Light from where I live.” If the idea proceeds, he said, “I’m going to raise hell.”
Ian Wile, a Greenport business owner and new member of the East End Seaport Museum board, said one of his goals was to change perception so the museum is seen as a “maritime institution, an actual museum that doesn’t just throw parties.”
He detailed the long list of free programs and lectures available for the public and a newly refurbished aquarium where children can learn about local waters and life beneath the bay.
Oral histories, he said, tell the “stories of people who live in this village, teaching us about our history, before it disappears.”
He added, “All of this is funded” by the Maritime Festival. “Not all of it goes to Bug Light. It’s nice to have a museum here that can become important.”
All the organization’s funding comes from the Maritime Festival, he said. “Whether we love or hate it, maybe there’s a cooperative way we can participate.” He added that over the last few years, the focus has been on the area’s rich maritime legacy, such as ice boating, and “less about sausage and peppers.”
Volunteers spend hours on free programs, including a remote control sailing club, that benefits local children, he said.
