If you’re a music fan, the Great South Bay Music Festival was the place to be this past weekend. With a huge array of musical genres represneted, the festival truly had something to please everyone this year with the dozens of bands and musicians that performed during the weekend. A weekend for people of all ages, the festival had a great turnout with music lovers pouring in from all over the Island to enjoy some great tunes. The festival featured not only musicians, but a large array of vendors as well, featuring everything from food, to handmade goods, to pirates searching for hidden treasure (more on that later!).


Arriving early in the day, LongIsland.com set up our vendor tent right next to the main stage. We had the opportunity to meet a ton of people, and give away prizes with our new Spin to Win Prize Wheel! We also had the honor of hiding the treasure for the group of pirates parading children along during their show on Sunday afternoon. It’s safe to say that this was the highlight of our weekend - the kids certainly had a blast on their treasure hunt with the scurvy dogs! As heavy rains moved in on Sunday night we unfortunately were forced to pack up a bit early, but we didn’t let the early wrap up damper our fun this weekend. Thankfully, once it cleared, the rain held off a while and all those who came out to see the Led Zeppelin Experience, who were able to make it through shortened set!


This year’s festival was definitely the most diverse. Offering an eclectic group of acts, there were four stages set up including a Kidzone Stage for the younger crowd. This stage featured family friendly acts such as  Ye Pyrate Brotherhood and Magic Show! Children as well as adults were also able to paint murals along the gates to festival. The other stages featured everything from School of Rock Alumni performances, to up & coming local bands, and of course, the big names were on the Main Stage. The Clamshell Bandshell stage played great local acts such as the School of Rock while the Jambalaya Stage showcased Long Island’s up and coming talent. There were also many artisans in attendance, including face painters and jewelry makers, making this a great weekend for the kids as well.

Food and drink were another a highlight of this year’s festival.The Blue Point Brewing Company set up their massive tent for people to get some shade while tasting local beer. Wine was also available for tasting and buying. Food ranged anywhere from Philly Cheese Steaks to delicious knotted pretzels in the food court located in the center of the vendor village. There was even a old school soda pop stand! With the lovely views of Shorefront Park and the diverse mix of music played, a great time was had by all in attendence, and now that the weekend is done with, we can’t wait til next year!