13-03-2025
Organizers cancel Sailfest
New London — The annual Sailfest event that brought hundreds of thousands of visitors downtown for the last 45 years has been cancelled due to city budget issues, festival organizer Barbara Neff said Wednesday.
But Mayor Michael Passero contends Neff made the decision before other options were fully explored. Early Tuesday night, Passero said the popular fireworks display would continue as he had spoken with Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Chairman Rodney Butler, who assured him the tribe would continue to fund the show.
Neff, executive director of the Downtown New London Association, said she was told Tuesday by city officials no money would be available to cover the estimated $200,000 needed to pay for police, firefighter and public works overtime during the festival.
Neff said she was stunned by the news as contracts for vendors and entertainment — including the popular fireworks display — had already been agreed to in many cases.
'Now I need to get on the phone and tell these people and companies it's not happening,' Neff said. 'We don't have the money to cover the lost funding.'
But Passero said Wednesday the city didn't cancel Sailfest, Neff did after learning the city was not in a position this year to help subsidize the event. He said the city, facing a possible $2.5 million shortfall in state funding, is combing through every department budget to 'scratch out places to save.'
'If we're in a position where we have to cut positions, how can we justify using money for a street festival?' Passero said, who noted he was not at the meeting between Neff, city Chief Administrative Officer Steve Fields and Finance Director David McBride, during which festival costs were discussed. 'But we did not cancel the festival; this is a decision made by (Neff).'
A formal statement issued by Passero's administration Wednesday afternoon states the Tuesday meeting between Neff and city staff focused on how increased public safety needs would be funded.
'Instead of engaging in weighing options, the organizer decided to cancel the festival admitting it was time,' the statement read.
Security concerns
Passero said he's also been worried for years about security at the event. In 2006, an elderly driver struck a crowd of attendees, injuring about two dozen people. He said the tragedy in New Orleans on New Year's Day, when 14 people were killed when a driver plowed through a celebrating crowd, has made him even more nervous.
'I think we'd have to put tens of thousands more into security before I'd feel good,' he said.
In 2023, the summertime festival, which ran for decades Friday through Sunday, was shortened to exclude Friday due to police and other manpower issues.
Neff said the festival serves as a much-needed source of revenue for downtown shops and restaurants after a winter shopping slump.
'They can make as much in two days as they did in January, February and March,' she said. 'And it's not just the businesses in the immediate area. There're places like the Hygenic Art and beverage distributors like F & F who will be affected.'
Sal D'Angelo, owner of the Blue Duck & Bar on Bank Street, called Sailfest his 'biggest days of the year.'
'Last year on that Saturday we had 1,020 people come in, compared to 300 the next week,' he said. 'I spend a lot of time with my chef working out how to handle the volume and making sure we're offering the best service.'
D'Angelo said it's not just his staff affected by the cancellation.
'There's DJs and bands booked ahead of time,' he said. 'We're going to try and come up with something ourselves that weekend that brings people in.'
In her statement announcing the cancellation, Neff said the city will host three other fireworks displays this year sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino.
