Bedlam Street Bash heads to Whaling Museum Dec. 1
The Whaling Museum and Education Center is announcing a first-time end of year fundraising event celebrating the rowdy history of Cold Spring Harbor’s Main Street through food, drink, and other activities in the lively event, Bedlam Street Bash.
Calling back to the 1850s when Main Street (Route 25a) was nicknamed “Bedlam Street,” this event will take place on Thursday, December 1, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Museum at 301 Main Street and is for adults age 21+. Inspired by the rambunctious spirit of the village during its whaling heyday, guests will travel through the museum to enjoy delicious bites from local restaurants, rum tastings, historic then & now presentations, craft-making, and live music.
“A whaleship arriving home to our coastal village could generate a commotion, and was cause for a community celebration,” says Nomi Dayan, Executive Director of the museum. “The blast of a cannon would first alert locals, who would watch Main Street fill with whalers who had not been home for 2-4 years. Local merchants would prepare to serve men who dreamed of a good meal. Cold Spring Harbor was, for a time, a rowdy place! We invite locals today to fall into this story and enjoy the evening with us in support of our museum.”
The museum is collaborating with Cold Spring Harbor Village eateries to offer guests delicious tastings throughout the evening. Participating eateries include Sandbar, Harbor Mist, Sweetie Pies on Main, Cold Spring Harbor Plaza Deli and Grasso’s Restaurant. In addition, guests will enjoy live music, activities, a folk-art craft, raffles, and special “Then & Now” presentations.
Special guest and Town Historian, Robert Hughes, will transport visitors back to the waterside village in the 1800’s with his “Then & Now” presentations of Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor. He will focus on the history of the locations for the five eateries that are offering tasting for this event; Sandbar, Harbor Mist, Sweetie Pies on Main, Cold Spring Harbor Plaza Deli and Grasso’s Restaurant.
Special guest Dr. Jennifer Anderson will present a session about the history of rum during her informational and fascinating chat, “Get Your Grog On.” Tastings of different island-style rums, the “true sailor’s drink,” will also be served courtesy of Bottles and Cases in Huntington.
Participants can gather details about historic Main Street in a special scavenger hunt, which culminates in cracking a code to receive a prize from our treasure chest.
Guests will get creative when trying their hands at the signature craft of whalers, scrimshaw, also known as one of America’s first folk art crafts. Guests will sketch and carve their designs into scrimshaw-style keepsake boxes.
Throughout the night, guests will hear live sea shanties, high-spirited and bawdy work-songs of sailors performed by Scuttlebutt Stu. Guests can join in these repetitious renditions.
The Whaling Museum & Education Center is selling advance tickets to the event at cshwhalingmuseum.org/bedlamstreetbash. Advance tickets are $40 per person, $20 for museum members. A limited number of advance tickets will be offered. At the door tickets will be $50 per person, $25 for museum members. Tickets are offered first come, first served. All evening activities are included in admission.
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About The Whaling Museum & Education Center
The Whaling Museum & Education Center is the only museum in the world open year-round which explores the whaling history of the Long Island region. The Museum engages the community in exploring the diversity of our whaling heritage and its impacts to enrich and inform our lives. The museum is located at 301 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724. Visit cshwhalingmuseum.org and follow The Whaling Museum on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @cshwhalingmuseum
