Huntington Summer Arts Festival celebrates its 60th anniversary

The Town of Huntington marked a major milestone last week — the 60th anniversary of the Huntington Summer Arts Festival, a free, two-month celebration of Long Island artists that has become a cultural cornerstone in the region. 

What began as a few summer shows in Heckscher Park in Huntington village has grown into a festival featuring 40 acts each year.

At the heart of this longstanding tradition is a mission to make the arts accessible and local, according to the festival's organizers.

“We really went hyperlocal to Long Island to keep the roots,” Kieran Johnson, of Huntington Station, executive director of the Huntington Arts Council, told Newsday. “This is kind of almost like a Long Island festival.”

Since the council's beginnings in 1963, the group has planned the festival each year.

But the festival’s roots can be traced back to 1946, when a group of World War II veterans, professional musicians and music educators formed the Huntington Community Band. The group regularly rehearsed and performed weekly summer concerts by the steps of Heckscher Museum in the park. 

By the late 1950s, the town’s Parks and Recreation Department had stepped in to sponsor the band, providing a wooden bandshell in the park. When the Huntington Arts Council was founded in 1963, it took over programming and promotion.

The following year, the council officially organized the band’s summer concerts into a festival timed around the Fourth of July, and the Huntington Summer Arts Festival was born.

In its first year, the festival also featured performances from choral groups, a jazz concert and a theater reading of “John Brown’s Body.” This year's festival kicked off Wednesday night with a performance by the Huntington Community Band, which rents space in high schools to rehearse. 

Involved from the start

Community Band director Vickie Henson, 62, of Huntington Station, sees the festival not just as a performance opportunity but as a pillar of local culture.

“I’m actually very proud that the Community Band has been involved in the Arts Festival from the beginning,” she said in an interview. “I don’t know where else you can see top acts for free in such a beautiful place like Heckscher Park.”

In 1979, the town built a permanent structure in the park to better house the festival’s performers. The outdoor venue was later named Chapin Rainbow Stage, in honor of the late Long Island singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, best known for his hit “Cat’s in the Cradle,” his work to feed the hungry and for his passionate advocacy for the arts.

Today, the festival offers something for a cross section of audiences — from orchestras and opera to jazz, country and rock band performances. 

“If you’re looking for something, there’s something within that schedule for you,” Johnson said. “ ... Everyone loves a free concert.”

Henson said those coming to Huntington for the festival help contribute to the economy — for example, when they grab a bite to eat on Main Street. Johnson said the festival generates $1 million in revenue annually for the town. 

Next year, the Huntington Community Band will celebrate its 80th season, and Henson said the group is currently seeking a Long Island-based composer to create an original piece commemorating the occasion.

“There’s a real connection to the community and to this group, which I’m very grateful for,” she said.

A point of pride: accessibility

The Gilbert and Sullivan Light Opera Company has been a festival fixture since the 1980s, drawing thousands of people.

Gayden Wren, of Steinway, Queens, the  company's business manager, recalled that one of his “great moments of theater” occurred during its performance of “Iolanthe” in Heckscher Park years ago. He thought audience members were lighting their wands before their cue during the opening act of the opera, until he realized fireflies shared the stage with the performers.

“It was like the show extended from the stage out into the park around us,” Wren said.

Although Long Islanders have access to performances in New York City, those expenses can add up, Wren explained. A typical ticket price for the company is around $30.

“The fact that people can see a show like 'H.M.S. Pinafore’ for free in a beautiful setting next to a lake in a park has value in its own right,” he said.

That accessibility is a point of pride for Johnson, who emphasized the importance of keeping live entertainment free.

Behind the scenes, he credits sponsors like Canon USA, headquartered in Melville, for making the festival’s mission possible. County and state support also play a critical role in maintaining the festival, he said, by recognizing the value of investing in local entertainment and cultural programming.

As the Summer Arts Festival enters its seventh decade, Johnson said the focus remains on community, accessibility and celebrating Long Island artists.

“That’s what we want to show — that we’re keeping this local sense, this Long Island culture and Long Island entertainment,” he said. “It’s a great time. We always have great experiences every single summer.”