The Whaling Museum and Education Center in Cold Spring Harbor has announced the return of its Sea Glass Festival, which features an array of new activities and enriched experiences for the 2025 season. Set to take place on Sunday, July 20, 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., this popular family-friendly event will celebrate the history, artistry, and allure of sea glass, now with an expanded presence on historic Main Street in Cold Spring Harbor.
The event is the only one of its kind in the region and is the museum’s largest community event which welcomes 1,000 attendees. It is supported in part with funds awarded through a grant from Suffolk County Economic Development and Planning.
The day will feature all new presentations from Mary McCarthy, former Education Chair and Vice President of the North American Sea Glass Association and George WM Fisher, author of multiple books on Long Island’s bottles and medicines companies.
The Museum’s second annual Sea Glass Fiction Contest winners will be announced and winners will be presented with their awards by Nomi Dayan, Executive Director at The Whaling Museum and reporter Daniel Dunaief of TBR News Media. All three presentations will take place at Preservation Long Island, a 5-minute walk from the museum.
The Sea Glass Festival will also offer an exciting array of over 20 sea glass vendors, sea glass crafts provided by OneRiver Woodbury and a fascinating look at glass blowing by Ro’s Glass Works.
The Cold Spring Harbor Firehouse Museum will offer free entry to Sea Glass participants and Sweetie Pies on Main created a special Sea Glass drink for purchase. There will also be a town wide Sea Glass Scavenger Hunt along Cold Spring Harbor’s business district. Tumbled by the Sea will have their very own “Buoy the Bus” in front of the museum. The bus remains stationary while participants enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience through self-guided tours and interactive activities.
Other great activities include live music by Rory Kelly, author talk by Roxie Zwicker, food trucks and more. Also, visitors are encouraged to bring their antique bottles to be appraised by Long Island Antique Bottle Association (LIABA).
General admission is $20 for adults and children ages 3 and up. For more information, call 631-369-3418 or visit cshwhalingmuseum.org/seaglass.
This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Summer Times supplement on June 19, 2025.
