Vivid Society NY

from M.Regan

Photo via The Whaling Museum and Education Center

The Sea Glass Festival at The Whaling Museum and Education Center in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, is an annual family-friendly event celebrating the history, artistry, and allure of sea glass—ocean-tumbled, frosted glass fragments found on beaches. Held on July 20, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., it’s the only event of its kind in the region and the museum’s largest community gathering, attracting over 1,000 attendees. The festival features:

• Presentations and Talks: Experts like Mary McCarthy (former Education Chair of the North American Sea Glass Association) and George Wm Fisher (author on Long Island’s bottles and medicine companies) deliver talks on sea glass identification and history, held at the museum and nearby Preservation Long Island.
• Sea Glass Fiction Contest: A creative writing competition for Long Island youth (grades 3-12), with winners announced at the festival by Executive Director Nomi Dayan and TBR News Media. Stories are inspired by a chosen sea glass shard.
• Workshops and Crafts: Activities include sea glass and wire-wrapping workshops (ages 12+, $25, pre-registration recommended), shadow box crafts, and a glass-themed scavenger hunt along Main Street.
• Vendors and Exhibits: Over 20 sea glass vendors, including Surfside Sea Glass and Sea Schleps, sell handmade jewelry and art. The “Tumbled by the Sea” mobile exhibit showcases beach-found treasures.
• Glass Flameworking Demonstrations: Hourly demos by Ro’s Glass World.
• Bottle Appraisals: The Long Island Bottle Association offers appraisals for antique and vintage glass bottles.
• Sea Glass of the Year Contest: Visitors can enter their sea glass finds for expert identification and judging.
• Community Engagement: Free entry to the Cold Spring Harbor Firehouse Museum, a sea glass-themed drink at Sweetie Pies on Main, and food from a truck like All-American Wontons.

General admission is $15 in advance ($20 at the door), $10 for members, and free for ages 0-2. The festival, supported by Suffolk County grants, began in 2022 and has grown significantly, drawing enthusiasts from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and beyond. It highlights the museum’s glass artifacts and fosters a connection to Long Island’s maritime history.

For more information and tickets: https://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/seaglass.html

Tags: #SeaGlassFestival #WhalingMuseum #EducationCenter #LongIsland #FamilyFriendly #NewYork #Summer2025 #SeaGlass #FamilyFun #MuseumEvents #LongIslandEvents #CulturalFestival #KidFriendly #SummerActivities #WhalingHistory #ExploreNewYork #ColdSpringHarbor