A longtime maritime tradition will return to Greenport next week as the East End Seaport Museum & Marine Foundation revives the Blessing of the Fleet, a ceremonial gathering honoring the area’s fishing, boating and maritime heritage.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, June 13, at 3 p.m. at Claudio’s Pier, home of Crabby Jerry’s. During the ceremony, vessels will parade past the dock while local clergy offer prayers for a safe and prosperous season on the water.
The tradition has deep roots in Greenport’s history and was once a regular fixture of the village’s waterfront culture. The ceremony is intended to bring together fishing families, boaters, mariners and community members in a shared celebration of the East End’s maritime legacy.
The procession is expected to include a variety of vessels, from commercial fishing boats and merchant ships to sailboats, motor yachts, racing boats, classic vessels and small skiffs. Spectators are invited to gather along the pier behind participating clergy members to witness the blessing.
The East End Seaport Museum said the event also serves as a tribute to generations of local mariners whose work helped shape the North Fork’s waterfront communities. The museum preserves and interprets the region’s maritime history through exhibits, educational programs and stewardship of landmarks including Bug Lighthouse, the Village Blacksmith Shop and Greenport’s historic Long Island Rail Road station.
For more information, contact the East End Seaport Museum & Marine Foundation at 631-477-2100.