Westport hosts annual Slice of Saugatuck festival Audrey Curtis '25

After being postponed by one week due to rain, Westport's 12th annual Slice of Saugatuck Festival took place on Sep. 14 under blue skies. From 2-5 p.m., festival-goers strolled around the Saugatuck district, tasting food from participating restaurants, while listening to local bands. Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce hosted the event.

For $15 an adult, $5 a child under 12 and free for children under five, attendees tried bites of food from over 20 restaurants, getting a taste (or a slice) of Saugatuck at each stand.

Our first step was Kawa Ni: A Japanese restaurant located on Bridge Square. The summer squash dish served as a refreshing way to combat the afternoon's heat.

The Whelk, a restaurant and seafood bar, was serving roasted oysters. As seen on the right, vendors check off the restaurant on each person's ticket to ensure that everyone only gets one serving.

Over seven local bands performed at various Saugatuck locations, such as in front of Momu, an ice cream shop that opened in April 2024.

"Romanacci has been participating in Slice of Saugatuck for five years," Romanacci owner Graziano Ricci (right) said. Romanacci recently opened another location by Westport's Old Mill Beach, called Old Mill Grocery & Deli by Romanacci.

Ricci's Romanacci offered the choice between a slice of Pizza as seen above or a plate of Bowtie Marinara Pasta as shown on the left. I chose a slice of their beloved pizza.

Situated by Luciano Park, Mark Mathias (left) and Paul Betts (right) set up a booth to represent Saugatuck Congregational Church. "We set up a button-making station and are handing out bubbles," Paul Betts said. The church also handed out rainbow bookmarks to those passing by.

Opening in October 2024: The Bridge at Saugatuck

In addition to checking out local favorite restaurants, The Bridge at Saugatuck, as seen above, is scheduled to open this October. Outside its doors, customers tasted their fresh burgers, and could get a glipse of the upcoming eatery.

See you next year Saugatuck!