Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Spring Fling Carnival 2024. Photo by Aidan Johnson
By Aidan Johnson
The 9th annual Fling Into Spring Carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai saw its share of disorder Saturday night, April 20, after a fight broke out within the packed crowd.
“There were just a bunch of young kids acting out, acting crazy,” police officers said, expressing worry that little kids could get hurt in the chaos.
“Groups of unaccompanied teens acting out caused us to close early tonight,” the North Shore Youth Council, which partnered with Newton Shows to put on the carnival, said in a statement on Facebook.
“We had a wonderful day with many families and are extremely disheartened that the actions of these few individuals spoiled the rest of the evening,” the statement added.
The carnival continued on Sunday with packed crowds, despite the raucousness of the previous night. There was an announcement on the Heritage Center’s Facebook page that anyone under 17 years old would have to be accompanied by an adult or guardian. Police officers, along with the carnival’s own security staff, were present throughout the entirety of the second day.
The humble shepherd Strephon (Henry Horstmann) has fallen in love with wealthy heiress Phyllis (Kara Vertucci), but she’s a ward in chancery and his chances of winning her seem slim in a scene from the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island’s 2024 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe. (Photo by NanMagna. Copyright 2024 The Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island.)
Mortals and immortals come face to face in the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island’s 2024 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s classic Iolanthe, coming to the South Huntington Public Library on Sunday, April 28, at 2 p.m.
Iolanthe—which debuted in 1883, with book and lyrics by W.S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan—is one of the most beloved of all the Gilbert & Sullivan operas, especially for its perfect balance of words and music, humor and drama, magic and political satire. The current production is the Light Opera Company’s first since 2015.
2) Phyllis (Kara Vertucci) is torn between competing proposals from Lord Mountararat (Kenneth Kopolovicz, left) and Lord Tolloller (Richard Risi) in a scene from the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island’s 2024 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe. (Photo by NanMagna. Copyright 2024 The Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island.)
The story is a whimsical one, involving a shepherd lad named Strephon, who has the unusual problem of being half fairy and half mortal … his mother was a fairy, his unknown father a mortal, and he’s a fairy down to the waist, though his legs are mortal. When Strephon falls in love with Phyllis, a wealthy heiress who is a ward in chancery and sought after in marriage by half the House of Lords, it sets up a conflict between the wily Lord Chancellor and the cosmically powerful Fairy Queen, with the Queen’s band of fairies, the lovestruck Peers and Strephon and Phyllis themselves caught in between.
The dramatic side of the story involves Strephon’s mother, Iolanthe, who was sentenced to death for marrying a mortal, then reprieved at the last moment and banished from the fairy world. Her greatest concern is for her son, and when the Lord Chancellor himself falls in love with Phyllis, Iolanthe faces a dilemma that may spell the end of her immortal life.
In the new production of the opera, Kara Vertucci of Lindenhurst plays Phyllis and Henry Horstmann of Lindenhurst plays Strephon, with Traci Weisberg Gang of Rego Park playing Iolanthe. Chris Jurak of Brightwaters is the Lord Chancellor, with Kenneth Kopolovicz of East Islip and Richard Risi of Locust Valley playing, respectively, Lord Mountararat and Lord Tolloller. Ben Salers of Northport plays Private Willis, with Delaney R. Page as the Fairy Queen. Farah Chandu of Oakland Gardens plays Leila, Rebecca Rutkovsky of Manhasset play Celia and Hanna Roth of Upper Brookville plays Fleta. The director is Gayden Wren, and the music directors are Isabella Eredita Johnson and David Bernard.
“Iolanthe is everything at once,” said Wren, a longtime member of the company and also the author of an acclaimed book about Gilbert & Sullivan. “It’s a goofy slapstick comedy, a whimsical fantasy, a political satire and a drama of Shakespearean proportions, and it swings from one to another so gracefully that it seems perfectly natural.”
The score for Iolanthe is arguably Sullivan’s greatest, ranging from the jaw-breaking patter of the Lord Chancellor’s famous “Nightmare Song” to the romantic duet “None Shall Part Us,” from the swaggering “March of the Peers” to the keen-edged “When Britain Really Ruled the Waves,” offering literally something for everyone.
“It’s really Gilbert & Sullivan at their best,” concluded Wren, who admitted that it’s his personal favorite of the operas. “The real magic isn’t the invisible fairies or the hypnotic spell they cast, it’s Gilbert, Sullivan and the way that they seem to come together so closely that it’s hard to tell where one begins and the other leaves off. It’s one of the greatest works of musical theater ever written.”
Iolanthe will be presented on Sunday, April 28, at 2 p.m. at the South Huntington Public Library, 145 Pigeon Hill Road in Huntington Station. Admission is free. For further information, call (631) 549-4411 or visit www.shpl.info.
1) The humble shepherd Strephon (Henry Horstmann) has fallen in love with wealthy heiress Phyllis (Kara Vertucci), but she’s a ward in chancery and his chances of winning her seem slim in a scene from the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island’s 2024 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe. (Photo by NanMagna. Copyright 2024 The Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island.)
2) Phyllis (Kara Vertucci) is torn between competing proposals from Lord Mountararat (Kenneth Kopolovicz, left) and Lord Tolloller (Richard Risi) in a scene from the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island’s 2024 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe. (Photo by NanMagna. Copyright 2024 The Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island.)
3) The Fairy Queen (Delaney R. Page) finds herself irresistibly drawn to the phlegmatic sentry Private Willis (Ben Salers) in a scene from the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island’s 2024 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe. (Photo by NanMagna. Copyright 2024 The Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island.)
Photo courtesy of Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor
Photo courtesy of Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor
Photo courtesy of Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor
Photo courtesy of Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor
Whales, Ales, and Salty Tales becomes Whales, Ales, and BRINY Tales!
The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor announces the broadening of its classic event, Whales, Ales, and Salty Tales, now presented as Whales, Ales, and BRINY Tales! This year, the event introduces an exciting new feature: Pickles! Adults aged 21 and over are invited to this immersive indoor/outdoor experience on Sunday, June 1 from 2 to 5 p.m. at The Whaling Museum.
“We are thrilled to unveil the next chapter of our well-received, annual event,” said Nomi Dayan, Executive Director, The Whaling Museum & Education Center. “After offering new pickle-themed programs a few months ago which sold out, we realized Long Island has a crowd interested in flavorful experiences. We are excited to hybridize tastings of pickles with craft beer offerings – a tasty combination that provides a lively backdrop for historical discussions about life at sea.”
The museum’s plaza will be transformed into a hub of activity, showcasing craft brews from local breweries such as Jones Beach Brewing Company, Secatogue Brewery, Take Two Brewery, Threes Brewery, and more to come. Horman’s Best Pickles will offer pickle samples, along with the option to purchase pickles on sticks. For the adventurous, one brewer will even offer samples of pickle- flavored beer. The event will be further enriched by live sea chanteys performed by Scuttlebutt Stu, providing a lively maritime soundtrack guests can sing along to.
Inside the museum, attendees can expand their knowledge through informative talks on pickles and preservation on whaling ships. Creative minds can participate in designing scrimshaw-style keychains or select the box option for a unique keepsake. The “Tales of the Tavern” adult scavenger hunt will offer a fun and educational experience for interacting with the museum’s exhibits through QR codes and a booklet of clues.
To commemorate this special occasion, the first 150 attendees will receive a commemorative tasting cup sponsored by Mercedes of Huntington, adding a collectible element to their experience. Tickets are available for purchase online at $40, $30 for members or at the door for $45, $35 for members. Designated driver tickets are also available for $15. Event t-shirts will also be available for purchase and are sponsored by local marina, H&M Powles.
“This event has evolved over the course of 10 years, beginning as a quaint tasting event inside the museum to a tented affair featuring new vendors and activities,” said Gina Van Bell, Assistant Director at The Whaling Museum & Education Center. “We are thrilled to see the ongoing excitement from guests, sponsors, and brewers who have supported the event year after year. We are eager to continue expanding the event, connecting the community with our maritime heritage through creative and delicious experiences.”
Tickets are on sale now. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit cshwhalingmuseum.org/ales.
Spring styles have sprung! Foodies and shopaholics unite for a three-part series of luncheon fashion shows in Stony Brook Village. From 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. on three separate Thursdays, the event will be held at Country House Restaurant on May 2nd, Mirabelle Restaurant at Three Village Inn on May 9th, and Luca Restaurant on May 16th.
Each luncheon will feature different spring styles and accessories from Stony Brook Village shops. Returning this season are Chico’s, Mint, and Ecolin Jewelers. D.K. Brothers will be joining the luncheons for the first time, showcasing its collection of men’s clothing. Kate’s Vintage Rose will also make a debut, featuring its collection of vintage-inspired women’s clothing. Additionally, you can expect stunning hair and makeup styles, courtesy of the Village Hair Studio.
As guests enjoy their lunch, the models will stroll through the restaurants, sharing information about the
spring fashion and accessories they are wearing. Staff of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization will make an appearance to share a bit of local history. The three-part series will take place at separate dining locations – On May 2, at the Country House Restaurant ($45), on May 9 at Mirabelle Restaurant at the Three Village Inn ($35), and May 16 at Luca Restaurant ($39). For $45 at the Country House Restaurant, $35 at the Three Village Inn, or $39 at Luca Restaurant, attendees can enjoy selections from a pre-fix menu.
To make your reservation, contact the restaurants directly. Located at 1175 North Country Road in Stony Brook, Country House Restaurant’s phone number is (631) 751-3332. Located in the historic Three Village Inn at 150 Main Street, Mirabelle Restaurant’s phone number is (631) 751-0555. Located at 93 Main Street in Stony Brook Village, Luca Restaurant’s phone number is (631) 675-0435.
Caption: The Brookhaven Highway Department is offering free safety programs including Child Safety Seat Checks, Bicycle Rodeos and a Teen Driver Safety class. Call 631.451-5335 to reserve your spot today.
Caption: The Brookhaven Highway Department is offering free safety programs including Child Safety Seat Checks, Bicycle Rodeos and a Teen Driver Safety class. Call 631.451-5335 to reserve your spot today.
Caption: The Brookhaven Highway Department is offering free safety programs including Child Safety Seat Checks, Bicycle Rodeos and a Teen Driver Safety class. Call 631.451-5335 to reserve your spot today.
Child Safety Seat Check, Bicycle Rodeo and Teen Driver Safety Program
Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Daniel Losquadro is announcing several free safety programs being offered to Town of Brookhaven residents this spring.
The Traffic Safety Department is hosting several Child Safety Seat Checks at Safety Town, 249 Buckley Road in Holtsville. Upcoming events will be held on Saturday, May 4, from 8 a.m. to noon, and Saturday, June 1, from 8 a.m. to noon. The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, along with certified technicians from the Brookhaven Highway Department, will be on hand to inspect car seats and make sure children are riding in the right car seats for their age and size as they grow.
The Brookhaven Highway Department will offer a Teen Driver Safety Program at Safety Town on Thursday, May 16, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Teenagers 15 and older and their parents are invited to participate in an interactive experience exhibiting the dangers of texting or drinking and driving. During this intense, real-life program, certified instructors with many years of defensive driving and accident investigation experience will talk with participants about the importance of developing safe habits when traveling the roadways. Teens will then use electric cars to complete obstacle courses designed to simulate driving while texting and impaired.
On Saturday, May 11, and again on Saturday, June 15, the Brookhaven Highway Department will host a Bicycle Rodeo at Safety Town. These events encourage children to learn how to safely ride their bikes in a mock-roadway, kid-sized setting. Participants of all ages will be evaluated and given feedback on their own bicycle-handling abilities, after proper bicycle safety skills are demonstrated. Participants are required to bring their own helmets and bicycles; both will be inspected for safety.
All events are by appointment only; call 631-451-5335 to reserve your spot.
All programs are funded in part by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with a grant from the New York State Governors Traffic Safety Committee.
Want to be part of the action at this year’s fairs and 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.
◆ 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
◆ Stony Brook Community Church, 216 Christian Ave., Stony Brook will hold a Tag and Bake Sale on May 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reserve a table to sell your gently used, no longer needed items or your own handmade hobby items. Vendor fee is $30; must provide own table. Email [email protected].
◆ 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
◆ Long Island Game Farm, 489 Chapman Blvd., Manorville seeks food and flea market vendors for its Wild Treasures Market on June 9, July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 8 and Oct. 13 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit www.wildlifesustainability.org/market for more information.
Beach trash becomes community treasure when Gallery North partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island, Atlantic Marine Conservancy, and Center for Environmental Education and Discovery (CEED) to sponsor beach cleanups at the Flax Pond Tidal Wetland Area, 15 Shore Drive, Old Field on Saturday, April 27, and Smith Point Beach, 1 William Floyd Parkway,Shirley on Sunday, April 28.
Each clean-up will be conducted in two shifts starting at 9 a.m. and 10:30 am each day. Atlantic Marine Conservancy will provide 50 buckets and trash pickers to volunteers on a first come, first serves basis.
The cleanups are the brainchild of artist Jack D’Ambrosio, a native of Shirley, who will upcycle gathered plastic garbage into a found object sculpture. With the presentation of repurposed refuse, he hopes to bring awareness to the ongoing dangers of plastic pollution.
“Art is a great way to spread a message and support a cause,” he said.
Primarily a printmaker, beach cleanups are just one element of D’Ambrosio’s interest in supporting communities through artistic expression. His artistry is immersed in an awareness of illuminating social issues by centering often overlooked subjects. While previous print projects have incorporated found plastic, he has never worked on a sculpture of this scale before. Such an undertaking of reinvention offers D’Ambrosio the chance to create poetic permanence out of problematic potential, an outcome that intrigues Gallery North.
“The beach cleanup is an opportunity for Gallery North to impact and beautify the community in a different way,” Executive Director Ned Puchner said. “We have never done anything like this before…beyond that, we will be helping to preserve the ecology of the area, making the waterways and beaches cleaner.”
Once the trash has been amassed, D’Ambrosio will sort it and share the loot on Gallery North’s social media. After properly disposing of the non-plastic items, he will clean the plastic articles for the sculpture, the design of which has yet to take shape.
“I am waiting to see what we find,” D’Ambrosio explained.Intended to be a permanent installation, the sculpture’s final home is also yet to be determined. “This is a project of many partners, and once plans are drawn up, I will collaborate with one of them to find a location for the piece,” he added.
A recipient of Gallery North’s 2023 Carmela Kolman Fellowship in Fine Art, in his application D’Ambrosio initially proposed the cleanup and its culmination.
“Jack shared his desire to involve the community in a beach clean up when he applied for the fellowship and that excited the committee…We were moved by the conceptual aspect of Jack’s work. His idea to use art to educate the community on stewardship interested us,” Gallery North Education Director Larissa Grass said.
At its core, the beach cleanup/sculpture exercise underscores the need for individual engagement and interpersonal cooperation to ensure the environment and art do not just survive, but thrive.
“During the pandemic, I went to the beach seeking inspiration. Instead I found garbage. This experience made me want to do something with it, since it will never, ever go away,” D’Ambrosio said. “…I really encourage people to come join us on this journey.”
The clean-ups will be a rain or shine event. Pre-registration is encouraged by visiting www.gallerynorth.org. For more information, call 631-751-2676.
PJV Arbor Day 2024 Flyer. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kassay
The Village of Port Jefferson’s Tree Committee – freshly sprouted in 2023 – invites one and all to the village’s first annual Arbor Day Celebration this coming Wednesday, April 24, from 5-6 p.m.
Held in the Maple Parking Lot, behind Old Fields and Billie’s restaurants, attendees will hear from Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright, Port Jefferson Village Mayor Lauren Sheprow and the Village’s Deputy Mayor and Commissioner of Environmental Sustainability, Rebecca Kassay.
A local student from Port Jefferson will delight the crowd with a topical reading before the group ceremoniously plants two new native trees. Finally, all attendees will all be given a native tree or shrub sapling to plant in their own yards.
By hosting this event, which is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, the village will be one step closer to their Tree City USA designation.
Sights from the 15th annual Health & Wellness Fest at the Meadow Club on April 13. Photo by Serena Carpino
By Serena Carpino
The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosted its 15th annual Health & Wellness Fest at The Meadow Club in Port Jefferson Station on Saturday, April 13. Dozens of businesses — ranging from local clinics to internationally recognized organizations — attended the event to spread awareness of their efforts to help people create healthy habits and promote a wellness lifestyle.
Both returning and new businesses set up booths around the club. Some had attended for 15 years. For most, it was their first time at the Health & Wellness Fest.
Many of the booths were centered around heart and mental health, but there were also representatives from therapy groups, local gyms and several other related programs. However, there was one main theme across the board: preventative care. Officials spread awareness about early screenings for different illnesses, regular doctor checkups and healthy eating to prevent chronic diseases.
For example, the Fortunato Breast Health Center at Mather Hospital is promoting breast health through early mammograms — around age 40 for all women and earlier for those with a family history of breast cancer — as well as breast self-examinations. According to Maureen Burke, an employee at the center, they have many resources for women who have been diagnosed with cancer and are encouraging them to utilize these opportunities.
“We’re just making them aware of different programs that we have,” Burke said. One such program is a navigation system in which nurses follow patients through their cancer journey and are always available via phone to help schedule appointments or answer any other questions. In addition, they educate people on lymphedema and offer different blood tests through their oncology department.
Other programs, such as the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, focused on nutritious eating habits to promote longevity. This organization is advocating for the MyPlate meal plan, which stipulates that half of our plates should be filled with fruits and vegetables. In addition, Cornell encourages making better beverage choices and remaining physically active.
Linda Altenburger, a registered dietitian and the program manager for the organization’s diabetes team, said that Cornell has also partnered with WIC and SNAP-Ed populations and has offered many free resources to the community.
“We’re an outreach, you know, to the community … [we have] a lot of hands-on programs for children and adults, and overall just provide great resources so the community knows where to turn,” she explained. “We’re trying to reduce the incidence of diabetes and help those that are trying to lose weight and just how to cook healthy with more fruits and vegetables.”
Cornell Cooperative has also partnered with local farmers markets and Sun River Health to further their efforts for the community.
There were representatives at the fest from mental health groups such as LightPath Counseling Group and Youth Enrichment Services.
LightPath has 20 therapists that have various focuses. Janice Martin, director of LightPath and a clinical social therapist for over 20 years said, “We do anxiety, depression, relievement, pretty much everything. Each therapist specializes in something different.”
Youth Enrichment Services was founded in 1987, but recently added its Community Mental Health Promotion and Support division. The organization is mainly located in Brentwood and Islip, with several school programs focused on mental health and community drug misuse awareness. This is the first year YES has attended the Health & Wellness Fest. Fernando Hurtado, a member of the COMHPS division, explained that it “is a good opportunity because it gives everybody a way to bolster everybody’s mental health outreach.”
Other groups present at the event included Redefine Fitness, Stony Brook University Heart Institute, New York Blood Center, Port Jefferson Free Library, Countryside Animal Hospital and more.
Scenes from the Three Village Rotary Club findraiser on April 10. Photo by Katherine Kelton
By Katherine Kelton
Three Village Rotary Club held a fundraiser at the Reboli Center for Art & History Wednesday, April 10, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. All proceeds went directly to the Reboli Center to fund maintenance on the building.
The fundraiser was the first event the club held since its name change from Stony Brook Rotary Club. A name update was important to President Marios Patatinis, as “there’s not just one little ZIP code — everyone works together in the community,” he said.
Rotarian Chris Sokol spearheaded the event with local businesses catering the event: Elaine’s Restaurant and Bar provided refreshments; The Bench provided a plentiful food spread; The Jazz Loft provided music; Chocology provided chocolates and several other businesses also contributed.
“It’s just a nice opportunity to get everyone in the Three Village community together to support this gem in a time of need,” Sokol said of the event’s importance.
People entered through the gallery doors of the Reboli Center and walked through the building to the outdoors. The spring weather aided in creating an atmospheric space, with music in the background.
In addition to the many people flooding the space as the night went on, Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) was also there. He has a long history with both the Rotary Club and the Reboli Center. Accounting professor Daniel Kerr and Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) shared remarks regarding the legislator’s support for the center.
Many of the people in attendance consisted of current and aspiring Rotary Club members. Rotary Clubs, which have long screening processes before admittance, attract people with different careers.
Patatinis charmingly referred to Three Village as “our backyard” and said, “People care about Three Village, they want to come back to our backyard.”
Some goals of the Rotary Club include creating an “ecosystem” between local businesses and residents, as Sokol described it. The Rotary also wants to just bring more members of the community together at events.
Kornreich admitted he is not one to sugarcoat things as he shared the importance of the Reboli Center as a “pillar of our community,” which made it the perfect place to host this Three Village Rotary event.
President of the Reboli Center, Lois Reboli, was also in attendance. With the proceeds she hopes to supervise much needed updates on the building, including the awning, parking lot and beautifying the space.
She is the widow of Joseph Reboli, to whom the gallery is dedicated and that houses his work. The president shared her husband’s community involvement: “He was on the board of Gallery North and he was also on the board of The Ward Melville Heritage Organization. He was always giving back and he was always going to meetings. And I would say, ‘Why would you want to go to all these meetings?’ to which he said, ‘I love the community and I want to give back.’”
With excited members and a rebrand, the Three Village Rotary Club is hoping to expand its influence on the community and bring people together with more events.
