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Maritime Festival draws big crowds

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO
Hundreds line Main St., Greenport on the first day of the 21st
annual Maritime Festival.

Fair winds and sunny skies greeted the thousands who attended the first day of the 21st annual Greenport Maritime Festival on Saturday.

Crowds lined the streets for the traditional parade, which featured world renowned bagpipe bands including the New York City police, plus dancers, antique cars and local groups.   Afterwards, in Mitchell Park, there was a moving tribute to the 9/11 victims with Erika Tuthill Cabral singing ‘Amazing Grace’ accompanied by a mass gathering of pipers.

Sean Connery impersonator Dennis Keogh created a stir as he marched through the streets and was so convincing that hundreds of people jockeyed to grab a photo of him as he strode past.

Local restaurants manned booths along the streets where visitors enjoyed a variety of culinary delights, from pulled pork sandwiches to fire-roasted local corn. Mitchell Park was filled with large displays of boats  and a pirate troupe performed a thrilling skit complete with cannon fire and a sword fight.

The festival continued on Saturday night with fireworks over the harbor. It concludes  Sunday with dory races, a chowder contest and many other activities.