Earle Street Beach in Harwich Port
HARWICH PORT – The Harwich Port Merchants’ Association will cease operations for at least a year, but the Harwich Port Musical Strolls will continue this summer.
“We have decided to continue that because it is so very important to the visitors and businesses of Harwich Port,” said Cyndi Williams, Director of Membership Services for the Harwich Chamber of Commerce.
The association board voted in January to have the group go on hiatus this year due to a lack of volunteers.
There has been nearly a dozen volunteers for the musical stroll in the past, but as the event has grown the number of volunteers has declined.
Last year, the Chamber added new Wednesday night events on alternate weeks between musical strolls, but the success of the strolls still depends on the people who help organize it.
Last year, the event was put on by four volunteers from the association.
The strolls enter its 16th season this summer and was meant to help transform Harwich port into a family-friendly destination.
Merchants previously complained to the town that visitors pass by but never stop and stroll through the village.
Williams believes that this is an event that cannot be missed.
“It racks up into the whole new brand of Harwich, the warm side of the Cape,” said Williams. “It’s friendly, it’s happy to see people that you see every year, back for their vacations or their second homes and seeing everyone together.”
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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This is something my family and I look forward to. I recommend it to clients, friends and visitors. It has become a valued tradition and extended family come and friends come from other places and enjoy this as a fun part of their stay.
As seasonal residents, we look forward to the stroll as an integral part of our summer activities. We bring family and friends whenever they are visiting. The music and musicians are wonderful. And yes, we do shop while there! Please continue the strolls.
The strolls will be on with the same great local talent as before. The Harwich Chamber last year managed half of the strolls in a transition, this year we will manage all of them. They are part of the community spirit we have all grown to love and are sure now to be continued for quite some time.
The strolls will be on this summer, there will be 8 strolls this year coordinated by the Harwich Chamber of Commerce, we were part of the strolls last year and helped for several years before that. The businesses are committed to maintaining the strolls it will just be under new leadership for a variety of reasons. We are excited to be offering them once again and want to thank all of those who have helped with the event over the years.
I am so relieved they’ll go on! The music strolls are one of our favorite things about Harwich Port. Our guests who rent our cottage love them too – it makes Harwich Port that much more appealing as a destination. I think both shops and restaurants benefit, I know some plan dinner in the port prior to the stroll. Shops may want to offer a bit of food or drink those nights. And signage is so important for some of the places a bit further back from the main road – cute chalk board signs are always welcoming. We’ve been coming for years and didn’t even know the Port restaurant had seating outside in the back until recently. And pretty planters make a big difference too. Spend a little money, and it will go a long way. Hopefully someone will see it worth investing in some of the buildings too. The Bonatt’s building would look so much better with natural cedar shingles. And often plants are dead in the Pots, just not pretty. It’s important that any future projects are done in a traditional New England Style, I think. Harwich Port has such potential. It’s truly a beautiful area – so rare on the Cape to have shops, and restaurants so close to the beach.
I realize my prior post seems negative and do want to say how adorable the town is – great shopping and restaurants! One thought for shops is to have some sidewalk items for sale or 10% off during music stroll. Market an evening in the Port- shop, head to dinner, listen to music. It’s truly a great night out! Even if people don’t buy that night, I think it reminds people how much the Port has to offer. Walking the Port is very different than driving through. When walking you realize how much more there is than meets the eye driving through.