The Hamptons had plenty of sparkle this Fourth of July. The stars, however, were scarce. With nearly 1,000 guests attending Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Manhattan wedding celebration on July 3, the Hamptons seemed noticeably less crowded with celebrities over the holiday weekend than in previous years.
“People come every July Fourth to spot celebrities at the restaurant and walking by on Main Street,” said Zach Erdem, owner of 75 Main, a restaurant and lounge in Southampton, known for its A-list clientele and celebrity watching. “This year, there weren’t many in town.”
Most of the A-listers who flock to the Hamptons each Fourth of July do so to attend Michael Rubin’s annual White Party, Erdem said. This year, Rubin hosted the star-studded party on July 1 at his $50 million estate in Bridgehampton, so as not to conflict with Swift and Kelce’s two-day wedding celebration on July 2 and 3. “We didn’t want to have people have to choose,” Rubin told People. Several guests with ties to the couple, including San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk and his wife, Kristin Juszczyk, as well as the singer-songwriter Tate McRae, attended both the white party and the wedding festivities.
“Michael’s White Party is the biggest celebrity draw in the Hamptons,” Todd Shapiro, a publicist said. “They typically fly in specifically for the event, then leave afterward, since most spend their summers in St. Tropez or elsewhere in Europe with their families.”
Erdem, a longtime fan of Swift, hosted a Swifties wedding-themed event at 75 Main on Friday evening to coincide with Swift and Kelce’s wedding celebration at Madison Square Garden. “She is one of my favorite artists,” he said. “I love her music and how it unifies people. When I found out she was getting married, I wanted to do something to celebrate her.”
The restaurant was packed with Swift fans, who erupted in cheers and gathered around when Erdem brought out a white-frosted chocolate cake decorated with a photo of the just-married couple and topped with sparklers.
“I’m really happy for them,” said Hannah Weinberg, 21, from Long Island. “After all of her love songs, she deserves something final.”
Even without the abundance of celebrity sightings, the Hamptons hardly felt empty. “July Fourth weekend is the busiest consumer weekend in the Hamptons,” Shapiro said.
In Southampton on Saturday evening, Main Street hummed with a more traditional holiday energy. A banner advertising the town’s Fourth of July Parade that morning stretched overhead, families enjoyed ice cream, and diners lingered over meals at the outdoor tables of Sant Ambroeus, a Milanese-style restaurant.
Sophia Maeda, the restaurant’s manager, said some celebrities who were guests of the Swift-Kelce wedding came to the restaurant for breakfast and brunch on Saturday, but Ms. Maeda declined to identify them. “They were still in the mood of celebrating,” Ms. Maeda, 38, said.
Across the street, Alondra Yepez, 28, relaxed with two friends before catching a train back to Manhattan. Ms. Yepez arrived in the Hamptons Saturday morning after spending the night standing outside Madison Square Garden until 5 a.m., hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous newlyweds or their guests. She spotted Stephen Colbert and his wife, Evie McGee Colbert, near the arena, but the Hamptons proved much quieter. “I have a good eye to spot celebrities, even if they have a disguise,” she said, adding that she hadn’t seen any celebrities that day.
While restaurant managers recalled a flurry of celebrity activity earlier in the week (mostly due to Rubin’s White Party on Wednesday), residents and tourists strolling on Main Street on Saturday hadn’t spotted anyone particularly notable.
Despite the scarce celebrity sightings and a thunderstorm that rolled through Saturday night, the weekend wasn’t a total wash. The South Fork buzzed with holiday activity, including a performance by Snoop Dogg and the D.J.-musician Carlita at The Surf Lodge in Montauk that afternoon.
Robert K. Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, hosted his annual, exclusive 4th of July party at his $43 million home in Bridgehampton as planned. Earlier, that afternoon, security and workers spotted outside his home declined to confirm what type of event was being set up or who would be in attendance.
Rock guitarist Neal Schon and his wife, Michaele Schon, offered a glimpse inside the festivities, sharing a video on their joint Instagram account on Sunday of the patriotic red, white and blue décor and a fireworks display. In the post’s caption, the couple thanked Kraft and his wife, Dana, for a “magical night and celebration.”
Last year’s attendees included Jon Bon Jovi, Jerry Seinfeld and Sir Elton John, who performed a private concert.
At Tutto Il Giorno, an Italian restaurant in Southampton and a popular spot for celebrities, the general manager, Devin Hekkema, said that a handful of current and former N.F.L. players, N.B.A. players, along with several rappers stopped in earlier that week. By Saturday, however, he said there were no celebrities in sight.
The scene at 75 Main, where celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Jay-Z have also dined, was similarly quiet.
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