Hello Partners,
Our summer season closed with our annual new member wine & cheese reception at the Chamber office. Was an excellent opportunity for our new members to meet our board of directors and exchange pleasantries. We invited fall to arrive with cooler weather and sunny days! September brought back our 8th Annual Dragon Boat Race Festival with 23 competing racing teams. 250 medals were given out and the day was well received by many! The Village’s Harvest Festival once again presented itself on a warm brilliant day September 22nd. The annual chowder crawl was missed this year, but the pet costume parade was a well-attended favorite!
The Chamber completed the 2 grants we received from PSEG with the replacement of a very old tired bench in front of the Chamber with a new steel shiny black bench along with the new perennial landscaping done in the front of the Chamber by ‘Wild in Port Jeff’. Additionally the Chamber was able to coordinate the painting of the Chamber building and shed with the reimbursement from PJ Government. We are proud of our historic building and grounds!
For the month of October we celebrated our self-guided fall Artwalk, with 21 participating businesses and featuring 15 local artists! This event promotes are walkable Village and helps support our artistic community. The Port Jefferson Night Herons help with the organization of this event. With that in mind we created a new welcoming outdoor mural with the partnership of the PJ Business Improvement District and PJ Village. Located on the south wall at 326 Main Street, this mural represents four iconic images that represent our Villages history: an image of a Setalcott Native Indigenous American Indian, a wooded schooner (our Village’s history is ship building}, our deep water harbor, and an Osprey known for their large nests in our local area. The Muralists were Linda Mendell-Alfin and Rick Daly. Please stop by and admire!
We welcome the expansion of 2 of our Chamber Partners businesses, Hair, Lash & Brow and The Healing Center @ Port Jeff Salt Cave as well as 3 new businesses, Salon Zarra in Traders Cove, The Bar Method Port Jeff Village-Main Street/Harbor Square Mall and Lifestage, Inc. at The Performing Arts Studio on E.Main St.
The holiday season approaches with the 26th Annual Charles Dickens Festival, December 3rd & 4th and the Festival of Trees for the month of December at the PJ Village Center. 30 theme decorated trees will be joined by a new experience, the ‘Yuletide Tree Works’ also presented on the second floor of the Village Center. Our Santa Parade is November 27th and the route changes a bit by finishing at the PJV Center where Santa will entertain photo ops for children of all ages! New this year is a special tree lighting ceremony sponsored by the PJ BID November 30th rain date December 1st at the corner of Main Street and the Broadways. The Village is decorated with a display of wreathes, garlands, snowflakes, lights and our businesses are ready for holiday shoppers!
Happy Thanksgiving and have gratitude for what you do have!
Be well and safe,
Thank you,
Mary Joy Pipe, President – Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce
Owner of The East End Shirt Company * Proud Member of our Chamber since 1979
