The Whaling Museum in Cold Spring Harbor ramps up to the busiest time of the year, preparing for thousands to travel across Long Island for its Sea Glass Festival this month.
Although only in its fourth year, the Sea Glass Festival has quickly made a name for itself. The fair includes activities ranging from arts and crafts to a scavenger hunt and artist lectures.
The festival has quickly become one of the museum’s most popular events, garnering thousands of visitors.
Museum Executive Director Nomi Dayan said the festival began in 2022 to showcase more of the museum’s collection. Dayan said she was prepared for 30 visitors the first year, but was blown away by 600. Last year, that number doubled to 1,200.
The festival includes activities at the center, but also allows visitors to explore Cond Spring Harbor with a Main Street scavenger hunt. Local businesses have gotten involved as well, and a special “Sea Glass” beverage will be available at Sweetie Pies on Main Street.
Last year marked the first annual Sea Glass Fiction Writing Contest, which challenged third- through twelfth-grade students to write a fictional story using sea glass as a prompt. This year, the contest returns with the same prompt, asking students to share what stories they think the object may reveal.
Although it draws the biggest crowd, the festival isn’t the only thing on the docket this summer. With the 50th anniversary of “Jaws” this summer, the museum has special shark-themed events, complete with a museum-wide scavenger hunt, Dayan said.
Dayan said there is programming for children, including a shark tooth necklace-making craft class, and for adults, including a lecture on the history of shark attacks.
The museum also has an annual celebration for the fictional wizard Harry Potter, whose birthday is at the end of July. Dayan said the wizarding series ties in with the museum’s current exhibit, which explores mythical creatures.
The showcase, “Monsters and Mermaids: Legends of the Sea,” opened in October and is still on display. It showcases the region’s ties to oceanic folklore and how marine creatures have been viewed over time.
She said one piece in particular stands out to Dayan. Greenport-based artist Cindy Roe was commissioned to create a full-size kraken sculpture made entirely from plastic debris collected from Long Island beaches.
Dayan said the piece poses an interesting question: “Who is the monster today?”
She said that while sea creatures have been feared for years, humanity has posed an interesting obstacle for them with the introduction of litter and trash into their habitat.
“It’s just an interesting flipped story,” she said.
Between the festival, exhibit and themed programming, the museum has a lot on its agenda. But they didn’t stop there.
“We fit a lot into our small space,” Dayan said.
In August, the center is starting a new build-your-own-boat activity and race, which will be open to both children and adults. Dayan said the program will “enhance hands-on learning.”
Education is a top priority at the center, Dayan said. She said year-round lectures are given both at the center and online via Zoom. She said the online option is a “terrific resource” that aims to make the lectures more accessible.
“The lifelong learning that we have online is accessible and great for the family,” she said.
