Southampton: A Village for All Seasons

Those who think Southampton Village is only for the summer season, think again.

The first weekend in October saw record crowds of people in the village and Agawam Park, enjoying Southampton Fest — live music, artisanal markets and vintage booths, even live sheep shearing. Our local institutions like the police department, volunteer ambulance and fire department all came out to make us proud, while shops in the village held sidewalk sales and  museums opened their doors to willing patrons. We put a focus on our World War I Memorial, a jewel of our village, in dire need of restoration, and I am happy to announce that Southampton Fest has made a donation to the restoration in the amount of $5,000. Just the icing on the cake of a memorable weekend in Southampton Village.

Looking ahead to the holidays, our Christmas Committee is hard at work planning another amazing Parade of Lights followed by the fabulous tree lighting and fireworks in Agawam Park. They are also responsible for Christmas decorations along with our Department of Public Works, so you can bet on the village looking festive for the holidays — perfect for a stroll through the streets with shops offering something for everyone on your Christmas list. The Parade and Tree Lighting takes place on November 30 — the Saturday after Thanksgiving — so make sure you bring the whole family.

I’m also excited to report that we are restoring the roof on the Southampton Arts Center, ensuring art aficionados a safe and dry space to enjoy the varied programming they offer. On Nov. 1, they bring back their famous Silent Disco, which is a favorite for so many of our residents and visitors.

Don’t miss the Southampton History Museum’s new exhibit, “The Great War & Southampton, a World War I Exhibit,” tying into our fundraising efforts for the WWI Memorial. They also have fun ghost hunting tours through the fall at the historic (and some say haunted!) Rogers Mansion. The Southampton Cultural Center holds its annual FUNdraiser on Nov. 9, with food and wine, live entertainment, a silent auction and much more. And the beloved Rogers Memorial Library building turns 25 this year and will be making some exciting upgrades and renovations to their stellar property. Chuck Scarborough and I will be inaugurating this new chapter for the library on Nov. 9 and everyone is invited to join in the fun.

In environmental news, we continue to install bioswales and rain gardens and have enacted legislation to help prevent stormwater runoff. Johnson Controls continues to install solar panels in the village to not only reduce electricity costs, but also to make the village more sustainable. The solar infrastructure at the ambulance barn on Windmill Lane will enable that building and police headquarters to have a net-zero footprint. Additional solar panels will be installed in a portion of the Jobs Lane parking lot.

And importantly, on Election Day, Proposition 3 is on the ballot to authorize the village, in conjunction with the town, to temporarily use Doscher Park for the placement of algae harvesters that will filter and clean the waters of Lake Agawam. In exchange, a larger parcel will be preserved as parkland on the opposite side of the lake. I am hoping every town and village resident will see the importance of this and vote for clean water.

And finally, Veterans Day on Nov. 11 is a great event, when we honor all those who have served our country. There will be a parade to, and ceremonies in, Agawam Park beginning at 10:30 a.m.

See you in the village.

William “Bill” Manger, Jr. is the Southampton Village mayor.