Events

All Huntington and Oyster Bay residents are encouraged to become Oyster Gardeners this summer at one of five gardens in their community. Attend the Saturday, May 8th presentation at the Huntington Public Library (via Zoom) to learn more and sign up to raise oysters this season in Oyster Bay and Cold Spring Harbor.

The Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Protection Committee invites residents to play an active role in protecting their local waters by becoming Oyster Gardeners this season. Oysters serve as “ecosystem engineers” improving water quality, enhancing habitat and protecting shorelines from damaging storms. Since 2017 hundreds of families, individuals, boy and girl scouts, church groups, yacht, bathing and garden clubs have raised and planted tens of thousands of oysters on a protected spawner sanctuary in Cold Spring Harbor.

The Oyster Gardening program is an outreach tool of the inter-municipal Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Protection Committee to educate and engage residents in conserving their natural resources.

To learn more:

Attend: Oyster Gardening 101 Presentation – Huntington Public Library Huntington Public Library (via zoom). Everyone (not just Huntington library patrons) are welcome to attend. Oyster Gardening supporters and Huntington Town Councilmembers Cergol and Smyth will welcome attendees.  The zoom session will be followed by an in-person visit to the site of the garden at West Neck Beach to learn first-hand. Registration begins May 3rd. For details see: Library Newsletter ( page 4): https://myhpl.org/images/newsletters/2021/may-june.pdf

 Visit: www.oysterbaycoldspringharbor.org for more information.

David Conklin Farmhouse

The weather looks lovely this weekend so the Huntington Historical Society will be offering tours of two of their historic properties!

The David Conklin Farmhouse, 2 High Street, Huntington will be open on Sunday, May 2 from 1 to 4 p.m.

​This farmhouse was built c. 1750 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally the home of David and Sybel Conklin, the house was occupied by the Conklin family for over one-hundred and fifty years.

A volunteer docent will lead you through the original rooms of the house where Sybel Conklin and her children lived and worked while her husband, David, was held prisoner by the British in 1777. You will also see rooms decorated to reflect the Federal and Victorian periods.  Stop by to get a spring dose of local history! Admission is a suggested donation of $4 per person. Parking is available on site. Masks are required.

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Soldiers and Sailors Building

Soldiers and Sailors BuildingThe Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building, 228 Main St., Huntington will be open on May 2 as well from 1 to 4 p.m. (free admission). The building was completed in 1892 as a memorial to the 40 townsmen who died in the Civil War.

The idea for a memorial was first proposed in 1865.  Huntington’s leading citizens joined together to create The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Association in 1886 and fundraising efforts finally bore fruit when the building was completed in 1892. It is the first of several monumental civic structures built in Huntington in the two decades surrounding the turn of the twentieth century.

This building, which you see before you as you leave downtown Huntington going east, was used as the town library. After the library moved to its current location at the other end of Main Street in 1958, the building was used by the Huntington school district. From 1969 on it became home to the Town Historian. In 2000, the Association donated the building to the Huntington Historical Society. The Society undertook an ambitious eight year restoration project and re-opened it as a museum in 2008.

Today, the building houses the Society’s History and Decorative Arts Museum and features changing exhibits from the Historical Society’s collection. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and as part of Old Town Hall National Register Historic District.

Parking is available on site and masks are required.

A baby flying squirrel. Photo from Sweetbriar Nature Center

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown invites the community to a Baby Shower for Wildlife on May 2 from 1 to 3 p.m. Come celebrate nature as it comes alive in the Spring with beautiful flowers, vibrant green leaves and of course, baby animals. Help the Center prepare for the busy spring baby season! Hundreds of young wild animals will rely on lifesaving care. Your gift during the Wildlife Baby Shower will ensure the smallest animals — from squirrels and bunnies to hummingbirds and ducklings — get the nourishment and medical care they need to thrive. At the event you will meet some of the ambassador animals and learn about why they are permanent residents at the center. Tickets are $5 adults, $10 children. See the wish list below. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org.

Purchase a special gift today and bring it with you to the event or drive by and drop off your donation at the front door.

Wish list – BIG NEEDS AT THE MOMENT:

  • Sponges

  • White Vinegar

  • Kitchen Trash Bags (13 gal)

  • Unsalted, unroasted mixed nuts (NO PEANUTS PLEASE)

  • Large Trash Bags (33 gal, 42 gal, 55 gal)

  • Latex Gloves

  • Miracle Nipples

  • Baby Bottle Warmers/Mug Warmers (With Temp Adjustment Knob)

  • Meal Worms

  • Wax Worms

For more information, call 631-979-6344.

Port Jefferson Farmer's Market

The Port Jefferson Farmers Market heads outdoors to Harborfront Park, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson this Sunday, May 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Purchase local produce, honey, bread and baked goods, seafood, international specialties, plants and flower bouquets. Live music. Social distancing and masks required. The outdoor market will run through Nov. 14. Call 473-4724 for more information.

By Heidi Sutton

This past Saturday, members of the community gathered at St. George’s Manor Cemetery in Setauket to pay tribute to Judge Selah Strong with the unveiling of a commemorative graveside plaque. Margo Arceri, owner of Tri-Spy Tours, dedicated the bronze marker which honors the judge’s contributions to the local community, 205 years after his death.

“Strong was one of the first patriots in the community. He was best friends with Culper Spy Caleb Brewster … During the  Battle of Long Island, he was arrested by the British for assisting the Continental Army. After the war, he had a long and illustrious career in public service. The Strong family wanted him to be recognized for his efforts during the Revolutionary War and after. It was a great honor to place the marker for them,” said Arceri after the ceremony. “This is an important moment in our community’s history and for the Strong family.”

The event was attended by representatives of the Three Village Historical Society including President Steve Healy, Director of Education Donna Smith and historian Beverly C. Tyler; members of the Anna Smith Strong chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution; and several descendants of Selah Strong. Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright, and Brookhaven Town Historian Barbara M. Russell were also in attendance.

Selah Strong is buried in a family plot next to his first wife, Anna Smith Strong, the only female member of George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring, known for her famed clothesline.

“It’s always been a bit of a shame that not too many people payed attention to Selah because they were so interested in Anna and her story, but actually he did an awful lot,” said John (Jack) Temple Strong Jr., Selah Strong’s great-great-great grandson, who had the honor of unveiling the plaque.

Supervisor Romaine agreed. “Born on Christmas Day, 1737, died on the Fourth of July, 1815, he packed into his life things … we see of a man who was dedicated to his community, someone that at the tender age of 26 was elected Town Trustee and would wind up spending 35 years in office, most of them, certainly from 1780 on, as President of the Trustees, which is the equivalent of Supervisor,” he said.

Selah Strong also served as Suffolk County Treasurer, judge for the Court of Common Pleas, and was a New York State Senator for four years. “This is a man who served his community … I am here to pay my respects to someone that paved the way because as we look around today, a lot of what we have over the last 200 years would not be here if not for men of this caliber,” added Supervisor Romaine.

“When we think about patriotism we think about Selah Strong, Anna Smith Strong and the personal sacrifice, the amount of risks that they took for their country — true patriots,” said Raymond Brewster Strong III, Selah Strong’s 6th generation grandson who made the trip from Houston, Texas, to attend the ceremony. “[George] Washington’s motto was ‘deeds, not words’ and when you think about Selah Strong’s [accomplishments], those are true deeds, not words.”

“The Strong family continues as tradition bearers, and Tri-Spy Tours and the Three Village Historical Society are also important parts of passing to the next generation a sense of place and a sense of continuum,” said Assemblyman Englebright. “I am just honored to be here to bear witness to this wonderful occasion. This is altogether a respectful moment that should be remembered, as Selah Strong should be remembered.”

*Editors note — St. George’s Manor Cemetery is a private cemetery still owned by the Strong family.

All photos by Heidi Sutton

Francesca Lunghi

Celebrate the warmer weather with a spring concert at the First Presbyterian Church, 107 Main and South Sts., Port Jefferson on Sunday, May 2 at 3 p.m. Titled “Songs of Healing and Renewal,’ the concert will feature mezzo-soprano Francesca Lunghi with artistic director Daniel Ragone on piano. Suggested donation is $20. COVID protocols will be in effect. Non-perishable food donations are welcome. For more information, call 631-473-0147.

Volunteers at Theatre Three's food drive. Photo by Heidi Sutton

By Heidi Sutton

Volunteers from Theatre Three in Port Jefferson hosted its ninth food and personal care items drive to benefit Open Cupboard Pantry at Infant Jesus Church last Saturday and the donations poured in. 

“We filled the theater’s van three times floor to ceiling and completely filled the hallway of the Convent building where the food pantry is housed. In addition, we received close to $800 in cash and grocery gift cards,” said board member and facilities manager for Theatre Three Brian Hoerger. 

“Our donors have been so generous, and we get a lot of ‘regulars’ each month who always come with bags full of groceries and supplies. People really want to help and always thank us for organizing these events and ask us when we are doing our next one,” said Hoerger. 

The theater’s next drive will be held on Saturday, June 5 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention our amazing volunteers who have given up a part of their Saturday each month to help us collect, sort and carry all of the donations to the pantry. Their dedication is truly awesome. They all deserve a standing ovation!” he said. 

Theatre Three is scheduled to reopen on July 9 and 10 with The L.I. Comedy Festival followed by a Mainstage production of The Fantasticks from July 16 to Aug. 15.

Photo from Vanderbilt Museum

Picnic & Putt at the Vanderbilt

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport invites visitors to play the museum’s William Vanderbilt Classic Mini-Golf Course through May 16. Play during the day on Saturday and Sunday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. ($15 per person), or reserve tickets for Sunset Picnic & Putt on Friday and Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. Group package for up to 6 guests is $45. For tickets and more information, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

WHOO-HOO! Meet an owl or two at Sweetbriar on April 30. Photo from Sweetbriar Nature Center

Families with children ages 7 and up are invited to Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown for a Creatures of the Night program on April 30 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nocturnal and crepuscular animals have different features and behaviors to help them be active in the dark. After taking a twilight hike, you will learn about creatures that are active at night. Meet some fluffy and scaly nocturnal creatures and learn about all their amazing adaptations! Please bring a flashlight, bug spray and dress warm. Masks are mandatory. $10 per person. Advance registration required by visiting www.sweetbriarnc.org. For more information, call 631 979-6344.

The Town of Smithtown Department of Environment and Waterways collected 39 tons of waste at the hazardous household waste event this weekend.  On Saturday, April 24th, approximately 860 Smithtown households participated in safely disposing 78,000 pounds of toxic items, which are prohibited in regular curbside waste pickups. This was a record number of residents for a single collection event since the hazardous waste event program began in 2009.  Residents were asked to wear face masks and not to leave their cars, to protect everyone’s wellbeing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“I want to personally commend and Rich Kitt, the Department of Environment and Waterways, along with Neal Sheehan, his foreman Tom Passariello, the amazing team at MSF, Fire Marshall Nick Kefalos, and the Department of Public Safety, all who devoted their Saturday to tirelessly serving the community and our precious environment. We’ve added additional collection events to the calendar year and still, we are seeing growing community participation. Setting a record such as this one is proof positive that the residents of Smithtown are increasingly more committed to preserving our home and our ecosystem for future generations to come,” said Supervisor Ed Wehrheim.

Smithtown Municipal Services Facility employees worked in conjunction with the Department of Environment and Waterways Environmental Director David Barnes and Solid Waste Coordinator Mike Engelmann to safely secure over forty three (55) gallon drums, twenty seven (1) cubic yard boxes and two full 30 cubic yard roll-off containers loaded up with paints/solvents, etc. The exact weight collected was 39.00 tons (scale house net) in hazardous materials. Materials were collected and manifested for disposal by Radiac Research Corp. In addition to residents dropping off hazardous household waste, many circled their vehicles around to pick up bags of free mulch on the way out.

A portion of the waste collected for manifested disposal include: waste oil based paints/flammable paints, gasoline, paint thinners, waste gases, petroleum distillates, flammable solids, oxidizers liquids and solids, sodium/potassium nitrates, acids, corrosives, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, misc. toxic liquids (i.e. Chlordane, etc.) and solids, lacquers, lithium batteries, battery acids and various other toxic compounds. The New York State DEC is expected to reimburse the Town for 50% of the contractor expense for this event.

The next Household Hazardous Waste events are scheduled for Saturday, July 10, 2021 and Saturday, October 2, 2021. These events are for Smithtown Township residents only. Proof of residency will be strictly enforced.

DID YOU KNOW:

Residents can also dispose of Electronic waste, free of charge, at the Town Recycling Center (also located at 85 Old Northport Road). Electronic Waste such as computers, printers, TV’s, monitors, automotive and household batteries can be dropped off during regular hours for proper recycling.

This is a free service. Proof of residency is required.

Mulch is also available FREE OF CHARGE to residents. Smithtown residents can line up for Pre-packaged bags of mulch with a maximum of ten (10) bags per visit. We offer free loading of loose mulch into your pick-up or dump truck. (Cover required)

The Smithtown Municipal Services Facility, is located at 85 Old Northport Road in Kings Park, NY.

Regular Operating Hours: Tuesday through Saturday From 7:00 am to 11:45 am and 12:45 pm to 3:15 pm)