Contact: Nancy Kane

917.379.8000
nancyjkane@gmail.com

The Agawam Ferry Company
Sets Ribbon-Cutting Dedication during Septemberfest 2014

Honoring the life of Pyrrhus Concer, The Agawam Ferry Celebrates with Birthday Celebration and
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony September 27
th
, 2014

Southampton, NY (September 15, 2014) The Agawam Ferry Company set sail this summer to honor
history by re-launching a ferry operation started in the mid nineteenth century and Saturday,
September 27
th
, Mayor Mark Epley and the Committee members will host a 200th birthday
celebration honoring Pyrrhus Concer and formal dedication of the Ferry named in his honor. The event
will take place at 11:30 am at Agawam Park, Southampton, New York.

"Though born a slave, he possessed virtues without which kings are but slaves" reads the headstone on
Pyrrhus Concers grave. Born in Southampton, NY in 1814, Concer was a freed slave who become an
important figure in US History, and left a memorable legacy in the community. He conceived of and
ran the Agawam Ferry, transporting passengers from the village to the beach in the mid-1800s. To
commemorate his life and honor his achievements, the Agawam Ferry Company takes passengers out
for round-trip excursions on beautiful Lake Agawam.

We wanted to do something that would serve the community as well as honor a great man, said
Nicholas Palumbo, who, along with several others, is heading up the project. The Agawam Ferry
Project promotes history, community and preservation cornerstones of what Southampton stands for.
In the year that would have been his 200th birthday, The Agawam Ferry -- a safe, environmentally
friendly, electric boat christened the Pyrrhus Concer has been operating as a sightseeing vessel on the
lake from Agawam Park this summer. The trip consists of a 20-minute excursion on beautiful Lake
Agawam. The Ferry is an Electracraft 18LS, which seats 6 passengers and is fully electric -- no noise,
no pollution and will be operated by licensed captains who are members of Sea Scouts Ship 908.
Please note: Preview rides for members of the press begin at 10:00 am on Saturday, September
27
th
.

About The Agawam Ferry Company
The Agawam Ferry Company is a not for profit group founded by Southampton area residents to celebrate the legacy of
Pyrrhus Concer, promote the health of Lake Agawam, and support the small businesses of Southampton
Village. www.agawamferry.org


Pyrrhus Concer by Lynn Mara

About Creative Director Lynn Mara
LYNN MARA is a prolific painter who preserves American culture with modern flair. Known for her bold portraits of Indian
chiefs, energetic equestrian scenes, and sun-bleached landscapes, Mara offers a personalized take on the wide spectrum of
American iconography. Influenced and inspired by such Modern masters as Leroy Neiman and Andy Warhol, the artist creates
original, limited-edition series of her subjects in powerful color combinations that are then hand-touched with pastel, paint,
marker or pencil. Through brilliant color and spectacular light, Mara spins a series of vibrant moments from life into a spiritual
continuum that continue to lay their legacy upon her canvases. Born and raised in Southampton, Long Island, Mara draws
inspiration from the boundless beauty of her environments natural surroundings. From golden orchards to deconstructed Stars
and Stripes, the artist culls strands from our Nations fabric with panache and purpose. Many of Maras paintings depict a
strong connectivity between the material world and the spiritual world. In nearly all of her figurative works, the artist renders
her subjects with indistinct faces that are in profile, downcast, or obstructed. Mara refers to this manner as an allusion to the
Brilliant Disguise, a notion that ministers these compositions toward a sacred arena. Similarly, the artist populates her
landscapes with fertile vineyards and harvest scenes as homage to the cycle of life, which she considers a divine union.
www.lynnmara.com