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Oswego Today
By the People, for the People
Countdown to Harborfest Party Kicks Off the Season with Music, Costumes, Trivia, and Summer Energy
High-energy fundraiser blends live music, Harborfest and music trivia, themed cocktails, and festival reveals to launch Harborfest's 37th season
Published on Feb. 23, 2026
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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 on 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.
Why it matters
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.
The details
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. 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, and 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, silent auction items and festival-inspired prizes, as well as early reveals and sneak peeks of this year's Harborfest highlights.
- The Countdown to Harborfest Party will take place on Friday, March 27, 2026 from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
The players
Chuck Handley
President of the Harborfest Board.
Cam Caruso
The live music performer for the Countdown to Harborfest Party.
Oswego Harborfest
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that hosts one of Central New York's premier summer festivals, celebrating music, culture, and community on the shores of Lake Ontario.
What they’re saying
“'Winter has had its turn, 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.'”
— Chuck Handley, President of the Harborfest Board (oswegocountytoday.com)
What’s next
The Countdown to Harborfest Party on March 27, 2026 will officially kick off the 37th season of the Harborfest festival.
The takeaway
The Countdown to Harborfest Party is an annual high-energy fundraiser that celebrates the upcoming Harborfest season, bringing the community together through live music, costumes, trivia, and summer-themed festivities to officially welcome the warmer months and the return of one of Oswego's most cherished summer traditions.
