Holidays

Photos by Dana Richter of Huntington Matters

By Rita J. Egan

The cold weather on Saturday, March 9, couldn’t keep St. James residents from the hamlet’s 40th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Former Suffolk County Deputy Executive Peter Scully, nicknamed the water czar for his work in improving the county’s water quality, headed up the parade as grand marshal. Scully, who lives in neighboring Stony Brook, grew up in St. James. Former County Executive Steve Bellone was on hand to cheer on Scully, holding a sign that read, “Suffolk is lucky to have Scully.”

Hundreds of attendees lined up along Lake Avenue to cheer on the elected officials, volunteer firefighters, Scouts and representatives from local organizations and businesses who marched along the street from Woodlawn Avenue to the Long Island Rail Road train station.

Photos by Greg Catalano

 

Photo by Media Origin

Want to be part of the action at this year’s festivals?  Do you have unique merchandise, crafts, yard sale items or food and beverages to sell? Here are a list of vendors wanted for upcoming community events on the North Shore. The list will be updated weekly.

Smithtown Historical Society, 239 E. Main St., Smithtown seeks vendors for its Easter Festival on March 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Rain date is March 31) $75 for a 10’ by 10’ spot up to March 22, $100 after March 22. Call 631-265-6768 or email [email protected] for an application or more info.

Benner’s Farm, 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, East Setauket is now accepting vendors for its popular Easter Egg Hunts on March 29, March 30 and March 31. $50 for one day, $90 two days, $125 three days for a 10’ X 10’ spot. To apply, call 631-689-8172 or email [email protected].

Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce has a few more vendor spaces left for its 15th annual Health and Wellness Fair at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on April 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reservations of $300 non-chamber members, $250 chamber members, $100 non-local not-for-profit includes a 6’ table, white table cloth and two chairs. Call 631-473-1414 for more information.

Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road Setauket is now accepting vendors for the 10th annual Three Village Farmers & Artisans Market which will be held from May 3 to Oct. 25 (May to August from 3 to 7 p.m., September to October from 3 to 6 p.m. Fee is $650 for full season (25 weeks), $450 half season (12 weeks), $50 pop up per week, food trucks $50 per week. For an application, visit www.tvhs.org or click here. 631-751-3730

Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead seeks vendors for its annual Fleece & Fiber Festival on May 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Rain date is May 19). $155 early bird rate for 10 X 10’ outdoor space, $175 after March 1. Artisans sharing handmade and authentic works for sale may apply at www.hallockville.org by April 1. 631-298-5292.

Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket seeks vendors for its annual Community Wide Yard Sale on May 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Each 10 x 10 space is up for grabs at $50, $35 members. Reserve your spot now at www.tvhs.org/yardsale. 631-751-3730

The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor seeks vendors for its annual Sea Glass Festival on July 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vendors offering handmade or one-of-a-kind items honoring historic glass are welcome to apply. Get all the details and access the vendor application at cshwhalingmuseum.org/seaglass.

Send your Vendors Wanted listings to [email protected]

Irish Apple Cake

By Heidi Sutton

Share a sweet way to complete your St. Patrick’s Day meal in style with Irish Apple Cake, a classic dessert to top off a filling celebration. This version is easy enough to prepare with a handful of everyday ingredients for the cake, a crumbly topping and homemade custard for the finishing touch. The best part? It’s equally as scrumptious for breakfast as it is an after-dinner dessert. Serve it with a delicious cup of Maple Irish Coffee any leprechaun would approve of.

Irish Apple Cake

Irish Apple Cake

YIELD: Makes 10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:

3 cups self-rising flour

1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1 stick butter, cubed

3/4 cup sugar

4 apples of choice, peeled and cubed

2 eggs

1 cup half-and-half

Topping:

1/2 stick butter

3/4 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

Custard:

6 large egg yolks

6 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

2 teaspoons vanilla

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease and flour 9-inch round springform pan.

To make cake: In large bowl, sift flour with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger. Using fork, cut butter until mixture resembles crumbs. Add sugar and apples; mix well. Stir in eggs and half-and-half until mixture reaches thick, dough-like batter. Pour batter into prepared pan.

To make topping: In bowl, mix butter, flour and sugar to create crumbled mixture. Sprinkle on top of batter in pan. Bake 1 hour. Check with toothpick to make sure middle is completely done. If not, bake 5-10 minutes. Let cool on rack.

To make custard: Whisk egg yolks and sugar. In saucepan, bring half-and-half to boil. Add one spoonful half-and-half at a time to egg mixture, whisking while adding. Once whisked together, return to saucepan and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. Serve custard over cake.

Maple Irish Coffee

Maple Irish coffee

YIELD: Makes 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup hot coffee

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons whiskey

1 tablespoon half-and-half

1 teaspoon maple extract

DIRECTIONS: 

Stir coffee and brown sugar in mug. Add whiskey, half-and-half and extract; mix well. Serve warm. Top with whipped cream and maple sugar, if desired.

The Kings Park St. Patrick’s Day parade returned for another successful year on Saturday, March 2.

The Kings Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee organized the annual parade, which is both the first and largest on Long Island. 

It was led by Grand Marshal Marge Connick, who was selected due to her involvement in the community and her care to patients in her 48 years as a nurse. 

The parade began at noon, on the corner of Pulaski Road and Lou Avenue, in front of Celtic Crossing and ending in front of St. Joseph’s RC Church.

The parade route was festooned with green shamrocks, as well as American and Irish flags. In addition, the parade featured nearly 20 bands, of which 14 were bagpipe bands. The Suffolk County Police, Nassau County Police and New York City Police highlighted the parade with their respective bagpipe bands. 

Also included was the Westchester Fire Department band, St. Anthony’s Pipe Band, and two of Long Island’s finest bagpipe bands, Roisin Dubh and the Saffron Pipes. The Kings Park High School Band, the Sunrisers Drum and Bugle Corps, a banjo band, and various Irish bands also marched at the event. Bands from 11 fire districts were in the line-of-march, including Smithtown and Huntington Fire Departments. 

To round out the festive occasion, various civic and businesses attended including: the Kings Park Fire Department, Kings Park Central School District, the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, Ancient Order of Hibernians, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters of America, and Kings Park Chamber of Commerce. 

The selection of Marge as the Grand Marshal was hailed by many community members. Awards were presented to the best float — the heralded Claddaugh Cup —- best storefront design and best Kings Park School float.

The Parade Committee consists of a relatively small group: Sue Benjes, Peter Biggane, Diana Brown, Jessica Caruso, Gerry and Robert Creighton, Kevin Johnston, Tom Lamb, Kevin Malloy, Melissa McDougall, Terry Roche, Colleen Shivers, Roy Starke, Michael Sullivan and Darryl Weir. 

A scene from the 2023 Huntington St. Patrick's Day Parade. Photo by Media Origin

By Heidi Sutton

Whether or not your ancestors hail from the Emerald Isle, everyone is guaranteed to enjoy a family-friendly (and dog-friendly) St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Here are the ones on the North Shore this year over the next few weeks. And don’t forget to wear green!

Center Moriches

Moriches Chamber of Commerce’s 20th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m. The parade begins on Lake Avenue and ends at Railroad Avenue. This year’s Grand Marshal is George Keller. For more information, visit www.moricheschamber.org. 

Farmingdale

Farmingdale presents its 10th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m. The parade steps off at Northside School and proceeds down Main Street to the Village Green. This year’s Grand Marshal is Patrick J. Ryder. Call 516-286-7800 for more information.

Huntington

The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) invites the community to its 90th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Huntington on Sunday, March 10 from 2 to 3 p.m. Grand Marshal Monsignor Steven Camp will lead the procession down New York Avenue to Main Street. Long Island’s oldest and largest, the parade will feature dozens of pipe bands. For more information, visit www.huntingtonhibernian.com.

Miller Place-Rocky Point

The Friends of St. Patrick will host the  72nd annual  Miller Place-Rocky Point St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 10 at 1 p.m. sharp. The 2.8-mile parade starts at Harrison Avenue and Route 25A in Miller Place and then finishes at Broadway in Rocky Point. This year’s Grand Marshal is Vincent Worthington. For further information, visit www.friendsofstpatrick.com or call 631-473-5100.

Ronkonkoma

The 35th annual Ronkonkoma St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Sunday, March 24 at 2 p.m.Grand Marshal Greg Plante will lead the parade from Hawkins Avenue at School Street, south down Hawkins Ave ending at Thorne Street. Call 631-304-6303 or visit www.ronkonkomaparade.org.

St. James

St. James Chamber of Commerce presents the 40th annual St. James St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 9 from 1 to 2 p.m. The parade will step off along Lake Avenue from Woodlawn Avenue to the viewing stand in front of the gazebo ending just before St James Elementary School, rain or shine. Featuring scouts, dance troupes, pipe bands, school bands, floats, fire trucks and more. The grand marshal will be Peter Scully. 631-584-8510.

 

Photo by Greg Catalano

The Friends of St. Patrick have announced that the 72nd annual Miller Place-Rocky Point St. Patrick’s Day Parade is scheduled for Sunday, March 10 starting at 1 p.m. sharp.

Vincent Worthington, a long- standing member and Sergeant of Arms for the organization has been named 2024 Grand Marshal. Worthington has been a proud member of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office since 1996. After moving to Wading River with his wife in 2002, he became involved in the community, and was particularly drawn to The Friends of St. Patrick, becoming a member himself in 2005.

As his family expanded to include 3 sons, Worthington became increasingly involved in raising funds to support the parade and organizing the parade itself. Vincent has traced his Irish ancestry back to 1744. He is the seventh of seven children who were steeped in Irish traditions: dedication to family, strong work ethic, commitment to community and church, music and the Irish sense of humor.

The parade will kick off at Harrison Avenue in Miller Place and ends at Broadway in Rocky Point. For more information, visit www.thefriendsofstpatrick.com.

Tracing communication milestones from diaries to postcards

By Beverly C. Tyler

Celebrating holidays and other special days was and still is an important milestone in people’s lives. Diaries, journals and letters provide some of the earliest records of seasonal activity and how people connected with each other to mark occasions. In America, before the telephone became a standard household item, family members and friends stayed in touch through the U.S. Postal Service.     

In 1873, a new phenomenon began when the United States Postal Service issued the first penny postcards. During the first six months they sold 60 million. With the postcard, brevity was essential due to the small space provided. Long descriptive phrases and lengthy expressions of affection, which then were commonly used in letter-writing, gave way to short greetings. 

The postcard was an easy and pleasant way to send a message. A postcard sent from one town in the morning or afternoon would usually arrive in a nearby town that afternoon or evening. A postcard sent from another state would not take much longer.

As the telephone became more widely used, the postcard became less and less important as a means of daily communications. However, it provided us with a view of the early years of the twentieth century that became a permanent record of contacts between family members and friends.

METRO photo

This past Monday we celebrated Presidents Day. We should remember it’s not merely a day off from work or an excuse for a long weekend getaway. It’s a time to reflect on the impact of historical figures and the importance of leadership, both nationally and within our community.

Originally established to honor George Washington’s birthday, Presidents Day has evolved into a day of recognition for all U.S. presidents. It’s a day to celebrate the individuals who have held our nation’s highest office and led us through triumphs and challenges, shaping the course of history with their decisions and actions.

One of the primary reasons that Presidents Day holds such significance is because it serves as a reminder of the democratic principles upon which our nation was founded. The peaceful transition of power from one president to the next is a hallmark of our democracy, underscoring the importance of leadership in ensuring the continuity and stability of our government.

While Presidents Day traditionally celebrates the contributions of past presidents to the nation as a whole, it also offers us an opportunity to reflect on the importance of local leadership and its direct influence on our daily lives.

In our community, local leaders play a vital role in shaping the policies, programs and initiatives that directly impact our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and quality of life. From town council members to school board trustees, mayors to county legislators, these individuals make decisions that affect everything from local taxes and infrastructure to education and public safety.

This federal holiday serves as a reminder of the significance of civic engagement and the power of community involvement. It’s a time to recognize the dedication and hard work of our local leaders who devote themselves to serving our community and addressing the needs of its residents.

Moreover, Presidents Day encourages us to reflect on the values and principles guiding our community and consider how we can contribute to its betterment. Whether it’s through volunteering, participating in local government or simply being a responsible and engaged citizen, each of us has a role to play in shaping the future of our community.

Presidents Day provides an opportunity to celebrate the diversity and inclusivity of our community. Just as our nation is comprised of individuals from various backgrounds and walks of life, so too is our local community. Presidents Day reminds us of the importance of unity and collaboration in overcoming challenges and achieving common goals.

Each year as we observe Presidents Day, we should take a moment to express gratitude for the local leaders who work to improve our community. Let us also reaffirm our commitment to active citizenship and civic engagement, recognizing that positive change begins at the grassroots level.