Don’t miss out! Cow Harbor Weekend schedule, from the race to the rest

The Great Cow Harbor 10K Run returns this weekend, with 5,000 participants taking to the nationally recognized and acclaimed Northport Village course on Saturday, September 21. From the very first “on your mark” on Saturday morning to 5pm on Sunday evening, the Village will be buzzing with cheers, chills, entertainment and community fun for all. 

Here’s a rundown of dates and times for the weekend’s events:

Saturday, September 21: Cow Harbor 10K, Lighted Boat Display, Concert in the Park
8:30am: The first group of runners in the Cow Harbor 10K’s staggered start are released  directly in front of the Brosnan building on Laurel Avenue in Northport Village. 

The Great Cow Harbor 10K Run has been designated as the 2024 USA Track & Field National 10K Championship. Runner’s World has named the Great Cow Harbor 10K Run as one of the top 100 races in the US, and New England Runner regularly places it in its Top 100 Races, referring to it as a “winner” with a “big race atmosphere in a small town on the Island.”

The 2K Fun Run/Walk begins at 8:48am and provides something for everyone, from beginner runners to experienced athletes. Over 1,000 runners are expected to run in the 2K, while 5,000 people are expected to run the 10K – with 10,000 spectators cheering them on. Those numbers more than double the Village population.

All course roads will be closed to traffic from approximately 8:10 to 10:30am. The race route includes Laurel Avenue, Scudder Avenue, Bayview Avenue, James Street, Ocean Avenue, Eaton’s Neck Road, Waterside Road and Main Street. The award ceremonies will begin at 10:45am, on the gazebo in Northport Village Park. The top 10 male and female awards will be distributed at that time.

6pm: The decorated boat display on Village dock is a great stop prior to music in the park. 

8pm: The Cow Harbor concert, featuring the NCJO Big Band in Village Park; bring chairs and blankets and enjoy the show. Founded in 2008, the NCJO Big Band performs jazz, blues, and swing standards with a twist of current sounds.

Sunday, September 22, 12-5pm: Cow Harbor Day   
The theme for this year’s Cow Harbor Day is “Iconic Northport.” 

12pm: The annual Cow Harbor Day Parade heads down Main Street from Laurel Avenue. This year, the procession will pause briefly in front of the Northport Historical Society to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Northport Historical Society Museum’s ribbon cutting ceremony. On Cow Harbor Day in 1974, Mayor Jack Campbell presented the “key” to the museum building to Northport Historical Society President Henrietta Van Siclen, who then cut the red ribbon in celebration of a new beginning. The society was given the building permanently in 1976 with a donation by the Cavagnaro family.

The Cow Harbor Day Parade, organized to help stimulate business for a struggling Main Street, was a new tradition at the time, with the first parade occurring a few years before, in 1973. 

The parade route is approximately three quarters of a mile, beginning in front of the Brosnan building and ending at the Main Street harborfront. 

1pm to 5pm: Cow Harbor Day activities include boats on the dock, vendors in Northport Village Park, with food options in the parking lot, and Newton Rides Amusements hosting a fair in the Cow Harbor parking lot. Lower Main Street will be closed to traffic with sidewalk sales and specials at many of the Village’s shops and restaurants. 

2pm: A crazy boat race will take place at Northport Village dock. 

The official website for Cow Harbor Day Weekend can be found here. 

All weekend: “pARTy ‘til the Cows Come Home“ is one of The Firefly Artist’s favorite shows, an annual ode to Northport Village as it celebrates Great Cow Harbor Day Weekend. The “moo-ving“ exhibition can be viewed during gallery hours at 90 Main Street.