Port Outdoors Kicks Off Thursday In Port Washington

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — Portions of Main Street will be blocked to vehicle traffic on Thursday as Port Outdoors returns, kicking off the first of a series of shopping, dining, and live music.

The Port Outdoors kicks off on Upper Main Street and Port Commons, with Main Street closed to traffic from Port Washington Boulevard to Mackey Avenue from 4 to 10 p.m.

The 12-series of events will feature live music, as well as demonstrations from local dance and martial arts studios, which will be featured on the main stage. Individual restaurants will also be hosting musicians on their premises to enhance the al fresco dining experience, according to a news release.

The series, which started last year, has been extended to 12 nights from the late spring into the early fall to “double the opportunity for the community to enjoy outdoor dining, see friends in an open-air environment, and to spotlight local small businesses,” organizers said.

The walkable event will run on Thursdays from May through October, on every other Thursday in alternating zones, including upper Main Street. The complete schedule featuring Upper Main Street also includes June 3, July 1 and 29, Aug. 26, and Sept. 23.

The alternating zone schedule, which begins on May 20 with the second event of the series, will see the central and lower portions of Main Street closed from Central Drive to Shore Road. Those event dates include June 17, July 15, Aug. 12, Sept. 9, and Oct. 7.

Port Outdoors has been organized by the Port Washington Business Improvement District, the Chamber of Commerce, Landmark on Main Street, Residents Forward, and the Port Washington Police District. It was made possible with sponsorship support from Precision Work Inc., organizers said.

Bobbie Pollay, executive director of the chamber, said the popular series was extended to 12 events with the support of the Town of North Hempstead’s Lift Up Local initiative.

Organizers hope Thursday nights will become “the night out in Port,” said Holly Byrne, executive director of the Port Washington BID.

“We expect to rekindle the spark from last year and see it become a tradition to shop and dine locally,” she added.