Unlike most of its counterparts to the east, the Village of Westhampton Beach is not on the thoroughfare sliced through the South Fork. You don’t find yourself there just be virtue of heading to a village or hamlet in another direction. It requires its visitors to make the decision to head south of the highway to get there. Perhaps that’s part of its allure.
But as 2022 starts the slow slide into 2023, there is so much more that draws visitors to this part of the South Fork, especially after the completion of a revitalization project that quite literally changed the look of Main Street — for the better. The street was relaid with clever curb cuts and sidewalks that help pedestrians feel safer, traffic circles that keep things moving when they need to, eye-popping landscaping and native plantings that underline the beachy feel, and all that is under the glow of energy-efficient bulbs for streetlights.
The community also enjoys an anchor arts organization in the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center that, in addition to offering top-notch arts and cultural events, takes community building seriously. Any number of nonprofits and community groups have made use of the venue throughout the year. This year, the organization’s Holiday Stroll will be among the first seasonal events of the season.
There is a sense of community among the business owners too. Marlene Brill, president of the board of the Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce, noted in a recent story about the revitalization of the village that there’s a vibrancy to Westhampton Beach year round, which she attributes to the fact that there is so much to do.
This holiday season promises to be even more festive as the cloud of COVID-19 is finally lifting and in-person events are peppering the calendars of the chamber, library and the WHBPAC and the shops are filled with wares just waiting to be paired with the right person.
Staff Writer on Nov 17, 2022