One of East Hampton’s longest-running summer traditions returns Saturday, June 14, as the Ladies’ Village Improvement Society hosts its 130th annual LVIS Fair—a major community fundraiser featuring family activities, local vendors, food trucks and live entertainment.
“We have Playland that offers 15 different games for the children with free pony rides, glitter tattoos and face-painting,” said Lauren Betesh, co-chair of this fundraiser for the Ladies’ Village Improvement Society (LVIS).
Other attractions include a bubble performer and tree puppet roaming the grounds, a book reading by Susan Verde, author of a children’s introduction to yoga, and the return of the carousel, sponsored by Ralph Lauren.
"It's a great day for everyone," said Betesh.
The fair runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at LVIS headquarters, located in the Gardiner Brown House at 95 Main St. in East Hampton. Since there is no rain date, Betesh said their “one prayer” is that the weather doesn’t stop the fun.
“This year, we put a lot of emphasis on the food and food trucks,” Betesh told South Shore Press, naming vendors serving everything from lobster rolls to donuts. With the emphasis on local food vendors, The Sweet Spot, known for frozen yogurt, candy and more, will have its own tent as well.
Live music will include Josh Brussell, an East Hampton singer-songwriter on acoustic guitar, along with the Ukeladies and the Bonac Shantymen.
Commissioned to create a painting of the fair, East Hampton resident Shari Goddard Shambaugh will be selling 100 limited-edition posters of the work.
“It’s quite lovely, and it captures a day at the fair,” Betesh said. The posters will be available at the LVIS fair booth, along with a local history book and a cookbook by food critic Florence Fabricant.
With everything from vintage clothes to furniture, jewelry and toys—even a rare tomato—vendors are a big part of the day’s activities.
For those who enjoy surprises, Betesh said, “There’s also a fun booth called the mystery booth, where all these packages are wrapped and you have no idea what you’re purchasing. You get to open it and see what is inside.”
Another way to contribute to the LVIS’ work is through the Silent Auction, which runs until the day of the fair.
“There are over 300 prizes for the Silent Auction, and the bidding is live on the website. The amount is constantly being updated throughout the day,” Betesh said. The goal is $250,000, and LVIS has already raised $130,000, she added.
Longtime volunteer Bonnie Pizzorno noted that LVIS launched the fundraiser in 1896 to help beautify the village, which included watering carriage-torn streets.
“Those are the kinds of things that propelled those women back in that time to get together and save the streets, save the trees and save our beautiful town… that’s how it all started,” she said.
The fundraiser also supports scholarships for academically skilled students from East Hampton High School. Although the location—originally Clinton Hall—and even the date have changed over the years (from Fridays to Saturdays), Pizzorno said LVIS has remained true to its mission. The fair has become a summer tradition for many, drawing approximately 1,000 visitors when the weather is clear.
For more information, visit the LVIS website at https://lvis.org.