Above, one of the many scarecrows that greeted visitors at the Stony Brook Village Center last year. File photo by Giselle Barkley
A sparkly (and flexible) witch greets visitors to the Stony Brook Village Center in a previous year. File photo
One of the North Shore’s most popular holiday events is now underway at the Stony Brook Village Center, the Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s annual Scarecrow Competition. This will be the 26th year the spooky, silly and scary six-foot creations will adorn the pathways of picturesque Stony Brook Village Center for visitors to enjoy and vote in their favorite! Voting ballots will be available in all Village Center shops and eateries or at the WMHO office.
Categories are Professional, Adult/Family and Children’s. Registration deadline will be Sept. 30 and there is an entry fee of $15. Winners will receive cash prizes awarded at WMHO’s Annual Halloween Festival, beginning at 2 p.m. on Oct. 31. Suffolk Center for Speech is the main event sponsor for the festival and competition. For full information on this and other Stony Brook Village events, call 631-751-2244 or visit www.stonybrookvillage.com
James Maddock comes to the LIM on Sept. 18. Photo by Mary Ellen Matthews
Americana and folk
The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook will welcome singer/songwriter James Maddock in concert on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 5 p.m. as part of the museum’s Sunday Street Series.
British born James Maddock was first recognized in the U.S as leader of the band Wood whose song “Stay You” was included in the first Dawson’s Creek compilation. After taking an extended break from record making, Maddock moved to New York City and returned to the scene in late 2009 with the exquisite collection of songs, Sunrise On Avenue C. Maddock followed “Sunrise” in 2011 with Wake Up and Dream and his last album, Another Life, was was frequently mentioned on “Best of the Year” lists for 2013. WFUV and Sirius XM host Vin Scelsa says “Maddock’s talent has a timeless quality he shares with the great songwriters. His music touches the soul.” His live performances show Maddock to be one of the most engaging and exciting artists on the acoustic music scene. Chris J. Connolly will open the show.
Advance sale tickets may be purchased at www.sundaystreet.org for $25 through Sept. 16 with remaining tickets at the door, if available, for $30 (cash only). The concert will take place in the Gillespie Room located in the Carriage Museum. The Sunday Street Series is a not-for-profit series sponsored by the collaboration of WUSB-FM, The Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council and The Long Island Museum. For more information, visit www.sundaystreet.org or call 631-632-1093.
Bah humbug! Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson will hold open auditions for ages 8 to 17 for its upcoming production of “A Christmas Carol” on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. A Christmas carol, “Christmas Is Coming,” will be taught. Nine roles will be double cast (for a total of 18 young people). Rehearsals begin late September and are weeknights at 7 p.m., Saturday mornings or afternoons and Sundays (morning, afternoon or evening). Young people must appear in half of the performances, including the student matinees. Performances will be held on the Mainstage from Nov. 19 to Dec. 30. For more information, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com/auditions.html.
It’s hard to believe but the kids on the North Shore are headed back to school this week and fall is just around the corner. For parents, the days are just going to be busier, with sports, homework, meetings, activities, concerts — the list goes on and on…
During this time of year, your slow cooker can become your best friend, making delicious meals that are quick and easy. Get in the back-to-school swing with these delicious slow cooker recipes, Slow Cooked Short Ribs and Sweet ‘n Sour Pork Chops from Thomas H. Sarc’s “Dishing Out Delicious” cookbook, a collection of the Long Island author’s family recipes.
Sweet ‘n Sour Pork Chops
INGREDIENTS:
Sweet ‘n Sour Pork Chops
4 boneless pork chops, 1 inch thick
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 package (14 oz.) frozen bell pepper stir-fry blend
4 teaspoons corn starch
DIRECTIONS: Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Place on high heat. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with pepper to taste. Add to skillet and cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer to a slow cooker. In a small bowl whisk together brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and garlic until sugar dissolves. Pour over chops. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours.
Add frozen vegetables and increase heat to high. Cook one hour more or until chops are heated through (145 F) and vegetables are tender. Transfer chops to a platter, reserving the liquid and vegetables in the slow cooker. For the sauce, whisk together corn starch and 4 tablespoons cold water until dissolved. Stir in cooking liquid from slow cooker. Microwave on high for 2 minutes or until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Return to the slow cooker. Spoon vegetables and sauce over the pork chops and serve.
Slow Cooked Short Ribs
INGREDIENTS:
Slow Cooked Short Ribs
3 pounds beef short ribs
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups barbecue sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
DIRECTIONS: Place the ribs in a slow cooker. Top with onion. In a medium bowl, whisk together barbecue sauce, honey, flour and mustard. Pour over ribs. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours or until the meat is very tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the ribs from the slow cooker and place on a a platter. Spoon cooking liquid over ribs before serving.
‘Dishing Out Delicious’ is available at Barnes and Noble and www.amazon.com.
From left, Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal will come to Northport on Oct. 17. Photo courtesy of Engeman Theater
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport, will host stars Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp as they perform their new concert Adam & Anthony LIVE Monday, Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the iconic musical “RENT,” the concert will feature material from both artists’ solo shows, popular hits and duets as they performed in the original Broadway production, national tour and film adaptation of “RENT.” Adam and Anthony will also share stories about working with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and composer Jonathan Larson. Tickets are $75 per person and may be purchased by calling 631-261-2900 or by visiting www.engemantheater.com.
File photo by Giselle Barkley
A Dragon Boat team races to the finish at last year’s event. File photo by Giselle Barkley
Dragons will roar once again as the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosts the 3rd annual Port Jefferson Dragon Boat Race Festival in the village on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The free event, which will be held at the Mayor Jeanne Garant Harborfront Park, 101 E. Broadway and the Port Jefferson Inner harbor, is anticipated each year with great fanfare.
The festival is the brainchild of Barbara Ransome, director of operations at the chamber, who attended a dragon boat festival in Cape May, New Jersey, a few years ago.
“This year’s ‘Dragons’ has 32 teams, up from last year of 22,” said Ransome. “We have brought in new Asian entertainment and have configured the layout of the park differently to accommodate all the new team encampments and the entertainment. The event is rain or shine and will lots of great recreational racing competition, where we will be giving out over 300 medals to our winnning team paddlers!”
Opening ceremonies begin at 8:30 a.m. with Erin and Kiera Pipe singing the national anthem and a performance by the Asian Veterans Color Guard. Buddhist Monk Bhante Nanda of the Long Island Buddhist Meditation Center will hold the Blessing of the Dragon and “Eye Dotting” ceremony to kick off the races and there will be a special appearance of the festival mascot Dragon sponsored by the Harbor Ballet Theatre.
With the first race scheduled at 9 a.m., boat teams will compete in a 250-meter course in four dragon boats provided by the High Five Dragon Boat Company and will include representatives from local hospitals, civic groups, businesses and cultural organizations. Each team will be made up of 20 “paddlers,” one steersman and one drummer. Heats will run all day (all teams will race three times) with a culmination of an awards ceremony at the end of the day.
Spectators can easily view the race course from the park’s edge and pier. In addition to the races, there will be a day-long festival featuring numerous performances including the famous Lion Dance, martial arts, dancing and singing. New this year is the performance of Bian Lian, the art of Chinese mask changing. In addition there will be a performance of the Erhu (a Chinese two-stringed fiddle).
Various Asian delicacies will be offered from food vendors including spring rolls, pot stickers, pork buns, sushi, cold noodles, bubble tea and fried dumplings. There will be many activities for children including the painting of “dragon” eggs, visiting with real dragons, crafts and even a fun photo booth to create a fun memory keepsake!
Adults can try their hand at traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy and enjoy massages and Reiki by the Port Jeff Salt Cave along with chair massages by Panacea Massage & Wellness Studio of Port Jeff.
Sponsors include the Confucius Institute of Stony Brook, LongIsland.com, People’s United Bank, Times Beacon Record Newspapers, News12, ServPro of Port Jefferson, Maggio Environmental Services, New York Community Bank, Stony Brook University, Tritec, Suffolk County National Bank, OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates — Long Island Chapter and Asian-American Cultural Circle of Unity.
Free shuttle buses provided by the Port Jeff Jitney will make frequent stops at the Port Jefferson Train Station, CVS parking lot on Barnum Avenue and the corner of Belle Terre Road and Myrtle Avenue to bring eventgoers to the Port Jefferson Village Center until 5:30 p.m.
Bring a blanket or lawn chair and come enjoy the festivities. For more information, call 631-473-1414 or visit www.portjeffdragonfest.com.
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:
A dragon greets visitors at last year’s festival. Photo by Elyse Sutton
7:45 a.m. Team captains meeting on the Great Lawn at Harborfront Park
8:30 a.m. Opening ceremonies 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Food vendors, crafts, children activities, photo booth pictures, cultural/educational/nonprofit vendor tables
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dragon Boat races in the Port Jefferson Inner Harbor
9 a.m. First races begin
9 a.m. DDKY Korean Traditional Drums
9:30 a.m. Long Island Chinese Dance Group
10 a.m. Sound of Long Island Chorus, Chinese classic, modern singing, dances
10:30 to 11 a.m. Performance by Taiko Tides — Japanese percussion instruments, drumming
11:15 a.m. Performance by the Stony Brook Youth Choir — Peking Opera, Chorus and Chinese Yoyo
11:30 a.m. North Shore Youth Music Ensemble
12 to 1 p.m. Lunch break (no racing)
12 to 12:45 p.m. Parade of the Team T-Shirt Contest and Best Drummer Costume Contest. Location: Show Mobile
12:45 p.m. Authentic Shaolin Kung-Fu Lion Dance, Kung Fu and Tai Chi demonstration
1 p.m. Races continue
2 p.m. Chinese Umbrella Dance performed by Alice and Emily Snyder
2:30 p.m. DDKY Korean Traditional Drums
3 p.m. Bian Lian performance (art of Chinese mask changing) and performance of the Erhu (Chinese two-stringed fiddle)
3:30 p.m. Song Island Performing Art Group
4 p.m. United Martial Arts Center — Japanese Karate and Ninjutsu
4:30 p.m. Performance by Taiko Tides — Japanese percussion instruments, drumming
Do you know where and when this photo was taken? Why are these men wearing costumes? Email your answers to [email protected]. To see more wonderful vintage photographs like this, visit The Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s ongoing exhibit, It Takes a Team to Build a Village, at The WMHO’s Educational & Cultural Center, 97P Main Street, Stony Brook. For more information, call 631-751-2244.
Last week’s photo:
This photo was taken in the early 1940s in the Harbor Crescent section of the Stony Brook Village Center. Photo courtesy of The WMHO
Over 100 exhibiting artists and artisans will be at Gallery North's 51st annual Outdoor Art and Music Festival this weekend. Photo courtesy of Gallery North
Exhibiting artists and artisans will offer a variety of art and crafts at this weekend’s Outdoor Art and Music Festival. Photo courtesy of Gallery North
They say some things just get better with age. This can surely be attributed to Gallery North’s annual Outdoor Art and Music Festival, which celebrates its 51st anniversary this year. Over 100 exhibiting artists and artisans, offering a variety of art and crafts such as painting (acrylic and oil), ceramics, jewelry, photography, fiber art, sculpture and mixed media work, will congregate on North Country Road in Setauket this Saturday, Sept. 10 and Sunday, Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine.
The two-day event provides members of the community an opportunity to interact with artists, purchase finely made crafts, and enjoy a weekend full of exciting activities while searching for the perfect handmade gift for family and friends and to get a jump-start on holiday shopping.
Roberta Fabiano and Tony Montalbo will perform live during Gallery North’s 51st annual Outdoor Art and Music Festival. Photo courtesy of Gallery North
Throughout the weekend visitors will enjoy musical performances by Sybil Lefferts & Friends, Claudia Jacobs Band, Roberta Fabiano and Tony Montalbo and The Bobby Sexton Trio. All musical entertainment is sponsored by Bridgehampton National Bank.
In addition to enjoying the outdoor festivities, all are invited to stop by the gallery to view the current Printmaking exhibition. The Community Art Center will also be open on both Saturday and Sunday welcoming visitors to participate in the gallery’s Make Your Mark Tile Fundraiser. Adults, children, families, as well as professional artists are invited to paint their own six-inch ceramic tile, which will be used in the garden wall of the terrace of the new Community Art Center.
In honor of excellence in Fine Art and Craft, Gallery North’s Board of Trustees and Friends will sponsor prizes for outstanding work in the areas of jewelry, painting, crafts and mixed media, work on paper including watercolor, pastel and graphics and drawing, wood craft, photography, glass as well as best in show. This year’s judges will be Larissa Grass, Stephanie Gress and Dean Goelz. Prize sponsors include Sharon Cowles, Judy Gibbons, Robin and Doug Dahlgard, Ronne Cosel, Stephanie Gress, Nancy Goroff and Dina and Bill Weisberger.
Event schedule
Saturday, Sept. 10
◆ 10 am to 5 pm: Make Your Mark — Tile Fundraiser in the Community Art Center (CAC)
◆ 11 am to 1 pm.: Kids Art Table
◆ 12 to 2 pm: Sybil Lefferts & Friends in concert
◆ 2:30 to 4:30 pm: Claudia Jacobs Band in concert
Sunday, Sept. 11
◆ 10 am to 5 pm: Make Your Mark — Tile Fundraiser in the CAC
◆ 11 am to 1 pm: Kids Art Table
◆ 12 to 2 pm: Roberta Fabiano and Tony Montalbo, 9/11 Tribute
◆ 2:30 to 4:30 pm: The Bobby Sexton Trio in concert
Gallery North is located at 90 North Country Road in Setauket. For additional information, please call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.
Jay Gammill of East Setauket took this gorgeous photo of a female black swallowtail butterfly taking a sip of nectar from tall garden phlox in his backyard in August.
Last year’s winners of the Long Island Apple Festival’s apple pie contest, from left, second-place winner Rosemary Ullrich of South Setauket; Michelle Miller of Setauket (best looking pie); first-place winner James Goddard of Middle Island; and third-place winner Alyssa Turano of Setauket. File photo by Heidi Sutton
The humble apple will be the focus of the largest Apple Pie Baking Contest on Long Island, to be held in conjunction with the 27th Annual Long Island Apple Festival Sunday, Sept. 25, at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm, 55 Old Post Road, Setauket, from 11 to 4:30 p.m. Participants get a chance to show off their favorite family recipes and participate in an old-fashioned blue ribbon competition. The contest is sponsored by Homestead Arts, the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities and the Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council.
Entries must be traditional apple pies only. Pie, including crust, must be homemade by amateur bakers. Early registration is preferred, before Thursday, Sept. 22, but registrations will also be accepted on the day of the festival. Pies must be on the contest table at the Sherwood-Jayne House before 11 a.m. on the day of the festival. A written recipe must be submitted with each entry including the name and address of the baker. Each contestant will receive one free Apple Festival entry.
The judging will begin at 2 p.m. with prizes awarded between 3 and 4 p.m. First-, second- and third-place winners will be announced for Best Tasting Pie, and there will be a prize for Best Looking Pie. Several local judges will participate along with an Everyman judge chosen from our Apple Festival audience. All winners will receive a prize. Past prizes have included a brunch or dinner for two at fine restaurants, theater tickets, gift baskets and gift certificates, to name a few. The first-place winner will be invited to be a judge at next year’s Apple Pie Baking Contest. All pies, including their dishes, will be auctioned off after the winners are announced.
For contest entry forms, visit www.splia.org. For more information call 631-692-4664.
‘Dishing Out Delicious’ is available at Barnes and Noble and www.amazon.com.
This photo was taken in the early 1940s in the Harbor Crescent section of the Stony Brook Village Center. Photo courtesy of The WMHO
Entries must be traditional apple pies only. Pie, including crust, must be homemade by amateur bakers. Early registration is preferred, before Thursday, Sept. 22, but registrations will also be accepted on the day of the festival. Pies must be on the contest table at the Sherwood-Jayne House before 11 a.m. on the day of the festival. A written recipe must be submitted with each entry including the name and address of the baker. Each contestant will receive one free Apple Festival entry.
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