Southampton Will Have Three Days Of Septemberfest

As pumpkin-spiced everything fills the shelves and leaves begin to fall, Southampton Village will once again celebrate the season with its third annual Septemberfest.

Unlike in past years, the festival has been expanded to three days, starting with a kickoff party on Friday night in Agawam Park. Festivities will continue on Saturday, with music, food and historical-themed events starting as early as 10 a.m., and will extend into Sunday, with an art show and jazz music.

Started in 2011, the festival is designed to lure people to the village during fall and to extend the success of the summer season. Events will take place all over the village—at Agawam Park and on Jobs Lane and Windmill Lane, as well as on Main Street. Venues are meant to be within walking distance of each other, to encourage visitors to patronize local businesses while participating in the festival.

“The event is a public and private partnership between the businesses, non-profits and the government,” said the marketing director for the festival, James Egan. “The goal is to get pedestrian traffic and to keep it moving while enjoying everything that there is to offer here.”

With Sunday being added to the festival, organizers—which include Southampton Village, Rogers Memorial Library, the Southampton Chamber of Commerce, the Southampton Cultural Center, the Southampton Historical Museum and the Southampton Rotary—have opted to add an art show to the repertoire. The show, which will take place at Agawam Park, will feature the works of artists from the East End. Charles Certain, a jazz musician, will entertain.

A highlight, which attracted more than 400 people last year, will be the “Best of the Hamptons” chowder contest, scheduled for Saturday at noon, also at Agawam Park. During the contest, approximately 15 local restaurants will battle it out for top prize, and everyone will be a judge. After sampling each offering, chowder eaters will cast a vote for their favorite. Winners will be announced at 3 p.m.

The weekend, which initially developed as an offshoot of the Southampton Historical Museum’s Harvest Day, also will include historical activities for the entire family at the museum on Meeting House Lane. On Saturday at 11 a.m., the museum will host a Civil War reenactment, time period demonstrations and artisans, as well as drumming by members of the Shinnecock Indian Nation.

At the corner of Windmill Lane and Nugent Street, known as the Windmill Lane Green, antique steam and gasoline engines used for farm tractors and threshing machines will be put on display by the Long Island Antique Power Association of Jamesport.

At the Southampton Center on Jobs Lane, art lovers can see famous works of the late cartoonist Charles “Chas” Addams, the creator of “The Addams Family,” and a former resident of both Westhampton Beach and Sagaponack. The exhibit, which will run through November 3, is for the whole family.

All in all, Mr. Egan says, the event will be family-friendly, a fun way to generate business in Southampton Village. “There will be something for everyone,” he said. Included will be hay rides, pumpkin carving, street music and children’s crafts.

“Septemberfest has grown into an incredible three-day event with something for everyone,” Southampton Village Mayor Mark Epley said this week. “I am looking forward to sharing our village.”

More information, including a full schedule, can be found at SouthamptonSeptemberfest.com.

“It has a direct impact on bringing people to the village,” Mr. Egan said. “Septemberfest weekend out here looks a lot like a July 4 weekend. Even early in the morning, you can see the groups of people out here for the festival. It is going to be good.”