Arts & Entertainment

Above, one of the locations featured in the Historic Barn and Garden Tour. Photo by Kimberly Phyfe

The Three Village Historical Society and Museum (TVHS) in Setauket has announced the launch of their first Historic Barn and Garden Tour — a brand-new fundraising event in support of the ongoing construction of The Dominick-Crawford Barn Education and History Center. 

This unique event, to be held on Saturday, June 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., is the first of its kind in the Three Village area in many decades.

Above, one of the locations featured in the Historic Barn and Garden Tour. Photo by Kimberly Phyfe

“The Three Village Historical Society + Museum has long been known for ushering in the winter holiday season with our beloved Candlelight House Tour for 45 years. Now, we’re delighted to introduce what we see as its springtime cousin, an outdoor celebration that welcomes the summer season with beauty, history, and community spirit,” said Mari Irizarry, Director of the TVHS.

This exciting initiative has officially become a challenge grant fundraiser, thanks to the generous support of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, which has pledged to match every dollar raised, up to $10,000. “That means together, we can raise up to $20,000 to help bring The Barn to completion!” said Irizarry.

With the help of sponsors TBR News Media, Howard Hanna | Coach Realty and Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, this tour will take you to four beautifully preserved historic barns and six stunning gardens, where you’ll hear captivating stories of the area’s agricultural past. 

“Barns are iconic symbols of our farming heritage, and we’re honored to partner with property owners who have lovingly stewarded these historic structures for generations. The gardens you’ll explore are just as special, many of them carefully curated and nurtured by their homeowners over decades, reflecting a deep love of the land and dedication to beauty and sustainability,” said Irizarry.

Your day doesn’t end there. Visit TVHS headquarters at 93 North Country Road, Setauket, to be among the first to explore their brand new art gallery, sponsored by Cathy Minuse, opening with a “Barn and Garden” themed exhibit, and enjoy guided tours of TVHS’s ReWild Community Garden, packed with inspiration for sustainable gardening and backyard biodiversity.

In addition, Four Harbors Audubon Society will hold a Native Plant Sale on the front lawn of the historical society from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring plants for a bird-friendly garden; an assortment of native shrubs and herbaceous perennials, some of which are deer and/or shade resistant; educational exhibits; and live music for kids. 

“Join us as we celebrate the beauty of the land, the legacy of our barns, and the spirit of community, all while supporting a transformative new space for education and history at TVHS,” said Irizarry.

Tickets are $50 per person, $40 members. To order, visit www.tvhs.org/barnandgarden. For more information, please call 631-751-3730.

Reviewed by Heidi Sutton

Through June 21, the fairest of them all and her seven friends will take up residence at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson for a musical retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. 

Written by Jeffrey Sanzel and Kevin F. Story with additional material by Jeffrey Hoffman and Douglas J. Quattrock, the show features all of the elements of the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale with the evil queen, the magic mirror, the seven dwarfs, the handsome prince, the poisoned apple and, of course, the enchanting Snow White.

Directed by Colleen Britt with choreography by Kiernan Urso, the show opens with the queen asking the Mirror for the umpteenth time who the fairest in the land is. When the Mirror replies Snow White, the queen summons Witch Yvonne to give her a makeover. When that goes horribly wrong, the jealous queen flies into a fit of rage and orders the Huntsman to take Snow White into the forest and dispose of her. 

Of course the Huntsman doesn’t have the heart to do that so he lets her escape. Snow White comes upon the cottage of the seven dwarfs and the adventure begins. 

Julia Rose Albino is perfectly cast as the sweet Snow White who infuriates the  queen, played to the hilt by Cassidy Rose O’Brien, because she “is sooooo nice!” Indeed, every time Snow White enters the room you hear birds sing — a nice touch.

Although the names are different, the dwarfs — played by Louisa Bikowski, Ginger Dalton, Steven Uihlein, Sophia DelCarmen, Kaitlyn Jehle, Yashaun Harris, and Ryan Van Nostrand — have the same personalities of the original Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy and Dopey. Special mention must be made of Bikowski as Iggy (aka Dopey) who can’t remember what happened three seconds ago, and Van Nostrand as Froggy (aka Doc) who has the patience of a saint.

Kyle Breitenbach is the handsome Prince who is on a quest to save a damsel in distress when he meets Snow White. The chemistry between Breitenbach and Albino is adorable to watch as they hide their identity from each other when they first meet, instead posing as Principal Marco Polo and Blanche Snowkowski.

The song and dance numbers, accompanied on keyboards by Douglas Quattrock and Jeffrey Hoffman, tie everything together. Albino’s rendition of “I Love It All” and O’Brien’s follow-up “I Hate It All” in the beginning of the show set up the storyline perfectly and Uihlein’s rendition of “I’ve Got Those ‘I’m-Just-a-Mirror-on-the-Wall’ Blues” is wonderfully executed. 

Breitenbach and VanNostrand’s duet, “Someone,” shows off some dance skills and Breitenbach and Albino’s duet “I Think I’m in Like With You” is absolutely charming. “Hand in Hand” by the entire company is the perfect finale.

Costumes by Jason Allyn are colorful and fun and wait until you see the incredible special effects! This fairy tale production is not to be missed. Meet the entire cast in the lobby after the show for a group photo.

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs through June 21. All seats are $12

Children’s theater continues with The Fantasmix: A Superhero Journey Begins! from July 11 to July 26 with a sensory friendly performance on July 13 at 11 a.m.; and The Frog Prince from Aug. 1 to Aug. 9. All seats are $15. 

For more information or to order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

——————————————–

Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.

PRINCESS TEA PARTY WITH SNOW WHITE!

Calling all little Princes and Princesses! Join Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson for a magical morning of fun at a Princess Tea Party with Snow White on Saturday, June 21 at Griswolds Cafe from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. immediately following the closing performance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs! The royal event includes craft time, tea time with cookies from Curtain Call Confections, and a meet and greet with Snow White.

Tickets for the Princess Tea Party are $12. For more information or to order, call the box offie at 631-928-9100.

 

 

 

METRO photo

With summer-like temperatures in the forecast this week, AAA Northeast is sounding the alarm that vehicular heatstroke can happen quickly — especially given that child deaths inside hot cars increased by nearly 35% last year.

In 2024, 39 children died in hot cars across the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, including a 2-month-old infant who died on a 77-degree June day. That’s a significant increase over 2023, when 29 children succumbed to vehicular heatstroke. On average, 37 children die each year because of vehicular heatstroke.

The inside of a car can become lethally hot even on a cool but sunny day: Although most deaths occur when temperatures exceed 80 degrees, a child has succumbed to vehicular heatstroke in 70- to 80-degree temperatures in each of the past 11 years. A child died of heatstroke in Rossville, Georgia in January, 2016 when the outside air temperature was 52 degrees.

On a typical 80-degree summer day, the interior temperature of a vehicle climbs by 20 degrees in only 10 minutes and reaches a deadly 109 degrees in 20 minutes. On hotter days, the interior temperature can easily reach 120- to 140-degrees, and cracking the windows has little effect.

“While every family wants to believe this could never happen to them, the reality is a child dying from vehicular heatstroke is an unimaginable tragedy that can happen to any family,” said Robert Sinclair of AAA Northeast. “We urge families to take action to ensure children’s safety. Establish firm guidelines about heatstroke safety with family members and caregivers and put processes in place to ensure children — and pets — are never left behind. In some cases, a sticky note affixed to the steering wheel or a smartphone screen can help prevent a fatality.”

To prevent hot car deaths, AAA Northeast recommends caregivers practice the following:

Stop and look at the backseat before exiting a parked vehicle. Make it a habit to check the entire vehicle before locking the doors and walking away. Place personal items, like a purse or briefcase, on the floor in the back seat as another reminder to look before you lock. Ask childcare providers to immediately call if your child doesn’t show up for care as expected and always seek confirmation that your child was removed from the vehicle safely by anyone transporting them — including spouses, grandparents, other family members and close friends.

Lock your vehicle to prevent unsupervised access and a child getting trapped inside. Keep car keys away from children and teach them that the inside of a car should never be used as a play area.

Act fast, call 911 and take action if you see a child alone in a locked car. A child in distress should be removed as quickly as possible.

Statistics about hot car deaths:

Over 52% of deaths are caused by a caregiver forgetting the child in the vehicle, according to NoHeatStroke.org. And it’s often not a parent: 29% of the deaths related to children forgotten in vehicles involve a caregiver other than a parent. Be especially vigilant whenever there is a change in your childcare or drop-off routine.

Nearly 22% of deaths result when a caregiver knowingly leaves a child in the car (typically to run a quick errand or let the child finish a nap). The majority of the temperature rise occurs within the first 15 to 30 minutes, and caregivers may mistakenly assume that cracking the windows is sufficient to cool and ventilate the vehicle.

Nearly 25% of cases are related to the child gaining access to the vehicle without adult supervision and becoming trapped in the vehicle. An innocent game of hide-and-seek can lead to such tragedies; often the child enters the vehicle and closes the door or trunk and cannot get out. It is important for all drivers, not just parents, to lock their vehicles in driveways and parking lots.

Statistics about pets dying in hot cars are not tracked as closely, but the American Veterinary Medical Association reports that every year, hundreds of pets die of heatstroke in parked vehicles. Exercise the same care with a pet as you would with a child.

AAA Northeast is a not-for-profit auto club with offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire and New York, providing nearly 6.8 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, financial and auto-related services.

The Picklr will open in Centereach in the fall.

The Picklr, an indoor pickleball franchise headquartered in Kaysville, Utah, has announced that they will be opening their first location on Long Island in the former Big Lots at 217 Middle Country Road in Centereach in the fall of this year.

The Picklr will move into the former Big Lots in Centereach.

The 33,900-square-foot location will feature 10 courts with high-quality proprietary outdoor surfacing from Just Courts, as well as full pro shop, and private event space.

Members of The Picklr will have access to unlimited open play, league play, and tournaments and an option to enroll in private and semi-private lessons and clinics by The Picklr’s certified trainers. Additionally, all members will have the ability to use their membership at all The Picklr locations nationwide. 

“The Picklr Centereach is our first club on Long Island in a multi-unit strategy to grow the sport and offer more courts for Long Islanders. We expect to announce additional club locations soon,” said Syosset resident Tom Neale, the Founder of Arete Sports Group, the franchisee with The Picklr rights to Long Island, in a press release.

“Part of our mission is to uplift people’s lives through the sport of pickleball and to contribute to the growth of the sport. We believe that once players discover The Picklr’s first class state-of-the-art premier facilities, an all-inclusive exceptional member experience, professional level playing conditions, and wide range of programs for every age and skill level, they’ll choose The Picklr as their home for pickleball,” he added.

The new club in Centereach is a part of The Picklr’s national expansion, including more than 475 new locations with roughly 4,750 courts being built over the next few years, according to the release.

For more information, visit thepicklr.com/location/centereach/.

Lenny Bruno Farms, 740 Wading River Road, Manorville welcomes the start of strawberry season with their 4th annual Strawberry Festival, taking place on Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This once-a-year celebration offers an exclusive opportunity to pick your own strawberries on the farm’s scenic fields—an experience only available during this special weekend.

Admission is $10 per person (children 2 and under are free) and includes a wide array of family-friendly activities such as live music, a foam bubble party, access to playgrounds, jumbo garden games, farm animal meet-and-greets, face painting, fairy hair, and access to a curated lineup of artisan vendors and local food trucks. Unique photo opportunities will be spread across the farm, making it the perfect day out for all ages.

For guests seeking the ultimate strawberry experience, a $10 add-on provides a hayride to the strawberry fields, a pint of hand-picked strawberries, and exclusive access to photograph the season’s harvest among the rows. Additional pints will be available for purchase.

Festivalgoers are also encouraged to visit the on-site farm store featuring freshly picked produce, baked pies, ice cream, and other farm-fresh treats.

“Our Strawberry Festival is a tradition we look forward to all year,” said Dominick Bruno. “It’s a chance for families to not only enjoy fresh, delicious strawberries but to make memories that last a lifetime right here on the farm.”

Please note: Tickets are only available at the door. Arriving early is recommended. Parking is free and available on-site.

The farm will host a series of events through the Fall including a Sweet Summerfest on July 19 and a San Gennaro Feast on Sept. 20 and 21. For a full line-up, visit www.LennyBrunoFarms.com/events.

More festivals ….

St. James Strawberry Festival

St. James Episcopal Church, 490 North Country Road, St. James will host their annual Strawberry Festival on Saturday, June 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Featuring raffle baskets, baked goods, garden table, lunch, jewelry table, antiques, Books & Things, Grandpa’s Garage, children’s activities, church and cemetery tours, animal rescue groups, strawberry treats, jams and more. 631-584-5560

Mattituck Strawberry Festival

The 70th annual Mattituck Lions Club Strawberry Festival, 1105 North Road, Mattituck will be held on June 11 and June 12 from 5 to 10 p.m., June 13 from 5 to 11 p.m., June 14 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and June 15 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Highlights include strawberry shortcake, strawberries dipped in chocolate, live music, crowning of the Strawberry Queen, over 100 arts and craft vendors, carnival rides, food and fireworks on June 13, 14 and 15 (weather permitting). Admission varies based on festival days. www.mattituckstrawberryfestival.com

Rocky Point Strawberry Festival 

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 716 Route 25A, Rocky Point presents their annual Strawberry Festival on Saturday, June 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with craft vendors, delicious food and desserts, bbq, bake sale, huge Tag Sale, gift basket raffles, and children’s games and activities. 631-744-9355

Pick Your Own Strawberries…

The following farms on the North Shore offer u-pick strawberries in June. Always call before you go to check availability. 

• Anderson Farms, 1890 Roanoke Ave., Riverhead. 631-727-1129

• Condzella’s Farm, 6233 North Country Road, Wading River. 631-929-4697

• Fink’s Farm, 6242 Middle Country Road, Wading River. 631-886-2272

• Glover Farms, 641-681 Victory Ave.,  Brookhaven. 631-286-7876

• Golden Acres Organic Farm, 652 Peconic Bay Blvd., Jamesport. 631-722-5100

• Harbes Family Farm, 715 Sound Ave., Mattituck. 631-298-0800

• Hodun Farms, 3642 Middle Country Rd., Calverton. 631-369-3533

• Lewins Farms, 812 Sound Ave., Calverton. 631-929-4327

• Patty’s Berries and Bunches, 410 Sound Ave., Mattituck. 631-655-7996

• Rottkamp’s Fox Hollow Farm, 2287 Sound Ave., Baiting Hollow. 631-727-1786

• Schmitt’s Farm Stand on Sound, 3355 Sound Ave., Riverhead. 631-983-6565 

• Soundshore Market & Farms, 5629 Sound Ave., Riverhead. 631-722-4740

• Wickham’s Fruit Farm, 28700 Rte. 25, Cutchogue. 632-734-6441

• Windy Acres, 3810 Middle Country Road, Calverton. 631-727-4554

For a list of farmer’s markets on the North Shore, click here.

Coneflower. Pixabay photo

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport and Anthony Marinello of Dropseed Native Landscapes will host an interactive Pocket Prairie workshop on Sunday, June 8, from 9:00 to 11:00 am. Learn about Long Island’s grasslands and how to convert a section of lawn into a pocket prairie.

Participants will learn about Long Island’s unique grassland communities, discover what makes them unique, and why they deserve our appreciation and preservation.

Marinello will demonstrate how to convert a section of lawn into a “pocket prairie” by restoring a small section of the native grasslands frequently lost to suburbanization and ornamental landscaping.

Take-home kits will be available for an additional fee. Each kit includes a 3×4′ sheet of cardboard, a bag of cedar mulch, and 12 landscape plugs. All plants will remain under 3 feet tall and are native to Long Island, which will attract and support butterflies and songbirds throughout their life cycle.

Workshop only: $50/$45 Members

Purchase Tickets 

Take-home kit (includes cardboard, mulch, and 12 plugs): $100/$90 Members

Pixabay photo

Join the Rocky Point Civic Association for their annual Rocky Point Garden Tour, a self-guided tour through nine beautiful home gardens plus a docent led tour of the historic Hallock Homestead home and gardens, on Saturday, June 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition, artwork, plants and garden supplies will be available for sale at several gardens. Held rain or shine. $20 per person. Tickets are available at Heritage Paint & Home Design, 637 Route 25A, Rocky Point and Flowers on Broadway, 43 Broadway, Rocky Point. For more information, call 631-521-5726.

Photo courtesy of Hallockville

Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead will hold their annual Spring Tea on Friday, June 13 at 1 p.m. Join them for a lovely afternoon of delectable savories, sweets, and assorted teas in the historic Naugles Barn. This year’s speaker is professor and former board member Susan Babkes who will explore the role of women in the American Revolution. Definitely a tea-worthy subject! Reserved seating – $45 per person. To register, visit www.hallockville.org. 631-298-5292.

Stock photo

Give the gift of life! Take part in one of the upcoming community blood drives, and help save lives—one donation at a time.

Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta, in conjunction with St. Joseph Church in Kings Park, will host a blood drive on Thursday, June 5 at  St. Joseph Church’s Travis Hall, 59 Church Street, Kings Park from 1:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Free parking is available in the lot off Old Dock Road. For more information, call 631-854-3900.

■ St. Elizabeth Ann Seton R.C. Church Parish Hall, 800 Portion Road, Ronkonkoma will host a blood drive on Sunday, June 8 from 8:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Call 631-737-4388 for more information.

■ Port Jefferson Moose Lodge 1379, 37 Crystal Brook Hollow Road, Mt. Sinai will hold a blood drive on Sunday, June 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments preferred. Refreshments will be served. 1-800-933-2566

Terryville Fire Department, 19 Jayne Blvd., Port Jefferson Station will hold a blood drive on Saturday, June 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of four free tickets to their July Carnival. Call 631-473-1224 for more info.

AS YOU WISH Catch a screening of 'The Princess Bride' at the Cinema Arts Centre this Sunday.

PROGRAMS

First Steps Into Nature 

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown presents First Steps Into Nature for children ages 2 to 4 on June 6, June 13, June 20 and June 27 at 9:30 a.m. Little ones will learn about nature through hands on interaction, music, crafts, stories, play and more. $20 per child per class. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. 631-979-6344

Amphibian Scavenger Hunt

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor will hold an Amphibian Scavenger Hunt on June 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn about the amphibians that live in New York as you explore the hatchery and complete a scavenger hunt. Included with admission of $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 children ages 3 to 12. 516-692-6768

Sensational Strawberries

Registration is now open for Sensational Strawberries, a kids workshop at Benner’s Farm, 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, East Setauket on June 7 from 10 a.m. to noon.  Children ages 4 to 11 will hike to the strawberry fields, pick ripe fruit and make delicious goodies to take home while learning how to make strawberries into jam, ice cream, cupcakes and more! $40 per child. To register, call 631-689-8172 or visit www.bennersfarm.com.

Story & Craft with Nana Carol

The Next Chapter bookstore, 204 New York Ave., Huntington hosts a Story and Craft event with Nana Carol on June 9 at 10:30 a.m. Free. No registration required. Appropriate for ages 0-4. 631-482-5008

The Wizard’s Quest

Whaling Museum. 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor presents The Wizard’s Quest from June 5 to June 8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wizards young and old are invited to journey around the gallery to hunt for fantastical beasts and mythical monsters in this magical self-paced adventure activity. Solve riddles to collect potion ingredients along the way before mixing up a miniature vial of shimmering elixir to keep on a necklace or keychain. Recommended for ages 7+ with the help of an adult. Admission fee plus $12 at the door. 631-367-3418

THEATER

‘Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs’

Join Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson for a hysterical musical retelling of the wonderful story Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs from May 31 to June 21 with a sensory friendly performance on June 1 at 11 a.m. Come on down for this daffy tale with a Queen, a Witch, a Princess with skin as white as snow, and seven crazy dwarfs that are guaranteed to keep you laughing from start to finish. Tickets are $12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘The Little Mermaid Jr’

Ready for an under the sea adventure? Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 East Main St., Smithtown presents Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. from July 12 to Aug. 17. In a magical underwater kingdom, the beautiful young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home — and her fins — behind and live in the world above. But first, she’ll have to defy her father, King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, and convince the handsome Prince Eric that she’s the girl whose enchanting voice he’s been seeking. Tickets are $26.50. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.

FILM

‘The Princess Bride’

As part of its Cinema for Kids series, the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington will screen The Princess Bride, a fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love who must battle the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin to be reunited with each other, on June 8 at noon. Scaling the Cliffs of Insanity, battlling Rodents of Unusual Size, facing torture in the Pit of Despair ­— true love has never been easy. Rated PG. Tickets are $13 adults, $5 kids. www.cinemaartscentre.org.

———————————–

Father’s Day Painting Workshop

The Atelier at Flowerfield, 2 Flowerfield, Suite 6 & 9, St. James presents an in-studio Father’s Day workshop for children ages 6 to 12 on Saturday, June 14 from 10 a.m. to noon. Learn how to paint this awesome monster truck painting for Dad or that special Dad in your life with step-by-step instruction from Miss Linda. $55 per child includes an 11″ by 14″ canvas and all art supplies. To register, visit theatelieratflowerfield.org. For more information, please call 631-250-9009.