100 vendors set up shop for Harbor days’ weekend
Jul 20, 2024
Around 100 vendors set up at Shipyard Park on the morning of Saturday, July 20. Photos by Brendan Cassidy
Rebecca Correia performs.
Many types of art are available for purchase.
A staple of Harbor Days, strawberry shortcakes, are served.
Harbor Days will continue on Sunday, July 21.
Attendees look on as Correia performs.
T-shirts available for purchase.
From left to right: Catherine Renzi, Chase Renzi, 14, and Chelsea Eby sell lemonade at Harbor Days on Sunday, July 21. Photo by Sawyer Smook-Pollitt
Mattapoisett resident Adam Barber, 6, looks at a selection of wood crafts. Photo by Sawyer Smook-Pollitt
Mattapoisett fire fighter Troy Durr shows James Ewing, 5, and Lily Ewing 6 how a fire engine works. Photo by Sawyer Smook-Pollitt
Amelia Vinal, 6, has some ice cream. Photo by Sawyer Smook-Pollitt
Winnie Vinal, 6, gets chocolate soft serve with rainbow sprinkles at Harbor Days. Photo by Sawyer Smook-Pollitt
MATTAPOISETT — In the early morning hours of Saturday, July 20, approximately 100 vendors turned a usually spacious, green Shipyard park into a maze of colorful art, jewelry and snacks for the Mattapoisett Lions Club’s annual Harbor Days festival.
According to Helene Rose, scholarship chair of the Mattapoisett Lions Club, Harbor Days started as a small bike race over 50 years ago.
Now, it is the premier event on the Mattapoisett schedule each summer.
After a number of events during the week such as Taste of the Town and paint nights for kids and adults, Harbor Days weekend officially got underway on Saturday as the community gathered to shop and mingle.
“It’s awesome,” said Mattapoisett Lions Club President Lynne Foley. “The weather is with us. The crowd is with us.”
Singer and Rochester native Rebecca Correia entertained the crowd with tunes as they took breaks from checking out the endless forms of art available for purchase.
One vendor, Karen Donahue, specializes in creating a Mattapoisett staple: Seahorses.
“Mattapoisett is all about seahorses so it’s kinda like the place to be,” said Donahue, who has been coming to Harbor Days for the last five years.
Along with colorful seahorses, Donahue also designs horses and unicorns.
“Everyone here is very nice,” said Donahue of Harbor Days. “The people, the atmosphere, the music — Everything is awesome.”
Refreshment options were vast for guests as temperatures climbed over 80 degrees. Lemonade, ice cream, and best of all, lobster, was available for purchase.
Foley said her favorite part about the event is that it takes a whole community effort.
“Everybody comes together and it's a very nice time to see old friends and to make new ones from everywhere,” she said.
Another vendor, Pam Garrett, has been participating in Harbor Days for about a decade.
Garrett, based in Norwalk, Connecticut, specializes in handmade denim jackets.
“I’ve been coming here for like 10 years, she said. “It’s a terrific show.”
The planning process for the event started back in January, according to Rose.
Rose said that returning vendors have the first right to a spot to set up and a wait list is created every year.
“It's a great team of workers and a great team of volunteers,” said Rose. “I'm blessed to belong to this organization.”
