Photo Gallery: Paddle Battle, Sweet Corn Festival, hoops tournament and Lobsterfest
Summer on the East End was in full swing Saturday, featuring events that included paddle board races on the Peconic River in Riverhead, a sweet corn festival at Harbes Family Farm, a Lobsterfest at Veteran’s Beach in Mattituck and a basketball tournament in Greenport.
Dozens of water sports enthusiasts participated in the Paddle Battle, an annual fundraiser hosted by the New York Marine Rescue Center and the Long Island Aquarium.
“This event specifically helps with our seat turtle program, which is one of the largest in the tristate area,” said Maxine Montello, executive director of the New York Marine Rescue Center
Ms. Montello thanked the aquarium for its support.
“Without them, we would not be able to stay in the building that we’re in,” she said. “We’re able to capture the audience that is here and be a part of this neighborhood.”
Ms. Montello added that getting their name out there allows them to be able to save these animals. The more people that know about them, the more people are going to call in these turtles.
Sweet corn got even sweeter on Saturday as locals gathered at Harbes Family Farm on Sound Avenue in Mattituck for a full day of festivities that included a corn-eating contest.
This year’s first-place winner was Nassau County resident Mike Fedorovsky.
“I don’t have any corn-eating experience, but I do have hot dog-eating experience,” Mr. Fedorovsky said. “I finished second in a hot dog-eating contest in Richmond County last year. I didn’t think I’d win this one.”
He and his wife, Paula, said their family drove out east to have fun with their kids. They left with a small, stuffed corn plushie and bragging rights.
“This is just a fun day — to be able to be on the water in this beautiful weather, come behind the scenes and see the animals that are in house, and just celebrate sea turtles here in New York State,” Ms. Fedorovsky said.
Farther East, the sixth annual Greenport basketball tournament was held at Third Street Memorial Park.
“Every year has gotten bigger and bigger, which is great to see,” said Village of Greenport Mayor Kevin Stuessi. “They have a wonderful way of bringing people in from outside of Greenport and bringing them all to our little village.”
Event co-founder Candace Hall said the annual fundraiser brings in between $2,000 and $3,000. The proceeds help pay for food for about 300 people, the event and music supplied by the DJ.
“Everybody’s here,” she said. “We’re all working together, so each piece of the event is all volunteer work, and I think you can feel that energy.
Closing out the evening was the 35th annual Southold and Greenport Rotary Lobsterfest at Veterans Beach in Mattituck. Over the years, the event has grown from about 150 attendees to the more than 1,200 that attended Saturday.
“When we originally created it, we said, ‘What event can we do where we’re not always asking the business people in our community to support us?” said rotarian Richard Israel. “We have a lot of tourists and summer people, and they need an event to go to. They’re always looking for entertainment. It’s slowly caught on, people come back year after year, it’s become a local traditions, and they’re supporting a good cause.”
Last year’s Lobsterfest raised $60,000. This year, with roughly 200 more guests in attendance, Mr. Israel expects another $15,000 will be raised.
“Everything the Rotary does, the money goes back into the community, and they’re having a fun time,” he said.
Photos courtesy of Nick Mongiovi
