Sailfest aims to wow crowds with music, food and fireworks
Jul. 2—NEW LONDON — Sailfest, the region's biggest summertime festival, will come cruising back to the city's downtown and waterfront areas this Saturday, with a two-day festival stuffed with live music, vendors, fireworks and plenty of food.
Barbara Neff, owner of Neff Productions and executive director of the Downtown New London Association, the group that runs the event, said this year's celebration will feature a bevy of new features along with fan favorites.
The festival, celebrating its 44th iteration, is expected to draw thousands of visitors to sections of Bank and State streets, where vendor booths will be hawking everything from fried dough and kettle corn to clothing and jewelry.
"We'll have a wood-carving exhibition on Bank Street, a craft beer tent at Parade Plaza with a limited edition Sailfest beer and fireworks on Saturday night," Neff said. "The Ferris wheel will be back this year and we'll also have a water taxi service running."
The schooner Amistad, a replica of the early 19th-century slave ship, will be docked on the waterfront not far from where a Connecticut National Guard bridge brigade will set up a floating dock.
Bands will play at Parade and City Pier stages all weekend, and VIP dining and fireworks-cruise packages are available for those looking to add a little elegance to their visit.
A year after their final performance at the Garde Arts Center, members of the New London Talent Show will take to Parade Plaza for an encore show at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. The production debuted in 2011 in response to the murder of city resident Matthew Chew in 2010 and, over the course of its run, relied on a young cast of players drawn from across the region.
Neff said Sailfest provides a local entertainment opportunity for residents who may be unable to afford a more expensive summer excursion.
"There are kids who come down to Sailfest who've never been to Disney World." she said. "This gives them a chance to ride rides and see fireworks right here."
Neff said the festival was trimmed from a three-day event to a two-day version this year after police, citing manpower issues, requested she cut a day.
Police officers will be present throughout the weekend conducting "light" bag screenings at venue entrances, according to a notice from Chief Brian Wright.
He said the department is "working closely with local, state and federal partners to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone."
Large containers and coolers are prohibited at the event, as are weapons, bikes, skateboards, pets, fireworks and laser pointers. No backpacks or knapsacks will be allowed at the pier venue.
Wright encouraged visitors to take advantage of ride-sharing options, mainly to reduce post-firework traffic congestion. He noted any issues with impaired or intoxicated guests will be handled in a "prompt and safe manner."
And where will Neff be during the festivities?
"We have new interns helping out every year and I always bring them to a place where we can see the crowds come in and ask them what they see," she said. "There's a mom with her kids, or a boyfriend holding his girlfriend's hand, smiling. We stand there and we watch all that, me and the team that put this together. That's why we do this, to help people make memories."
