Sag Harbor's HarborFrost returns with new culinary stroll, laser light show 

If you need help melting the winter blues away, you might want to check out Sag Harbor’s HarborFrost — an annual event combining fire and ice to heat up interest in outdoor activities and Main Street businesses during the village’s off season for summer tourism.

And new this year to this “celebration of winter” will be a laser light show and a culinary stroll to different restaurants and bars. Included will be Il Capuccino, American Hotel, LuLu Kitchen & Bar and LT Burger. Also planned are favorites from past years like ice carving demonstrations and ice sculptures, a sailing regatta, a hike in Mashashimuet Park, fire dancers, a fire juggler, a “frosty plunge” at Windmill Beach, a hot chocolate station, green screen photo booth, glitter tattoos, face painting and live music.

All events are free except for the culinary stroll to sample foods, which is $50 per person, and tickets are $30 for a Hoo Doo Lounger Soul Spectacular performance at Bay Street Theater. Frosty plunge participants will also be asked to donate to the Sag Harbor Volunteer Ambulance Corps. 

“This is our 10th year — we started it because everybody always said there was nothing to do in [Sag Harbor] in the winter,” says Lisa Field, president of the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce. “We want to show our shops and restaurants are great although it’s the very off season.” She adds, “Every year [speed ice sculptor] Richard Daly carves a large ice sculpture that’s a surprise and there’ll be fire dances — no one really does an event like this.”

"A lot of businesses along Main Street are expected to have ice carvings at their entrances to help solidify the ice theme,” Field says. “I’m the owner of the 5 and 10 [variety store] so I’m having a carving of a 5 and 10 [the numerals]. Other businesses may have their logo or something else,” she adds. “It’ll definitely be Instagram-worthy.”

Cold water has been thrown on one traditional HarborFrost favorite, however, but an exciting new attraction has been added in its place.

“Long Wharf, where we normally have the fireworks, is being reconstructed so we’re not able to have fireworks,” Field says. “Instead, we’re having a laser light show.” She notes that some other activities normally held at Long Wharf will be held instead at John Steinbeck Waterfront Park.

"There’ll be a lot of exciting things for people to see and do to have a good time,” Field says. “We want people to come for the afternoon and plan to spend the whole day — there’ll also be indoor children’s activities — there’s a lot going on.”