Countdown to Harborfest Party Kicks Off the Season with Music, Costumes, Trivia, and Summer Energy

OSWEGO – High-energy fundraiser blends live music, Harborfest and music trivia, themed cocktails, and festival reveals to launch Harborfest’s 37th season

Oswego, NY – For Immediate Release —

Harborfest will launch its 37th season with the Countdown to Harborfest Party, a one-night celebration designed to flip the switch from winter to summer and set the tone for another legendary year of music, fun, and fireworks. Taking place Friday, March 27 from 6 to 10pm at The Foundry, the event invites the community to come dressed in their favorite music era, turn up the volume, test their Harborfest knowledge, and help fuel the momentum leading into festival season.

This high-energy fundraiser blends live music, costumes, trivia games, cocktails, and playful competition into a single room packed with decades of hits and Harborfest spirit. More than a sit-back fundraiser, the night is built to move, laugh, sing, play, and celebrate, while directly supporting the festival that has become one of Oswego’s most cherished summer traditions.

For more than three decades, Harborfest has marked the moment when Oswego comes alive on the waterfront. The Countdown to Harborfest Party signals that shift early, bringing the sound, style, and excitement of summer into the heart of winter, and giving the community its first taste of what the upcoming season holds.

“Winter has had its turn,” said Chuck Handley, President of the Harborfest Board, “This night is about officially calling in summer! Countdown to Harborfest is where the energy starts, where people will get to reconnect with the music, memories, and stories that define Harborfest, and where we begin building momentum for another incredible season on the waterfront.”

The evening will feature live music by Cam Caruso, setting the soundtrack for a room filled with every era of music that ever made people dance, laugh, or lose their voice. Guests are encouraged to arrive dressed as their favorite genre or decade, transforming the space into a living timeline of musical history. A themed costume contest will award prizes to the most creatively expressed partygoers.

Throughout the night, guests can enjoy:

• Live music and sing-a-long energy

• Harborfest music trivia

• Specialty themed cocktails and festival favorites

• Photo booth experiences

• Raffles and giveaways throughout the evening

• Silent auction items and festival-inspired prizes

• Early reveals and sneak peeks of this year’s Harborfest highlights

Event Details

Date: Friday, March 27

Time: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Location: The Foundry, Oswego

Theme: Come dressed in your favorite musical genre or era

Purpose: Fundraiser supporting Harborfest and the kickoff of its 37th season

Ticket includes a generous spread of party-style small bites plus a cash bar serving specialty themed cocktails and festival favorites.

This is a ticketed fundraiser supporting Oswego Harborfest, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Every ticket helps power the music, experiences, and fireworks that define summer on the waterfront.

Advance tickets available at OswegoHarborfest.com/party

About Harborfest

Founded in 1988, Oswego Harborfest is one of Central New York’s premier summer festivals, celebrating music, culture, and community on the shores of Lake Ontario. Each year, Harborfest draws thousands of residents and visitors for a multi-day celebration that honors Oswego’s heritage while creating new traditions through music, fireworks, and waterfront experiences.

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