Popular pet showcase features entertainment, education & shopping
The Long Island Pet Expo returns to Suffolk County Community College’s Suffolk Federal Credit Union Arena, 1001 Crooked Hill Road in Brentwood on March 4 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and March 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with fur flying entertainment, dog sporting competitions and educational programs designed for the whole family. The event will also feature many special attractions, pet adoptions and outstanding shopping for pet lovers and their pets and is expected to draw over 10,000 attendees over the weekend.
“The Long Island area is passionate about animals and pets of all kinds,” said show co-producer Karen Garetano of Family Pet Shows, which runs several similar events in the northeast.
The 100+ special exhibits always feature some of the hottest new products coming out often before they hit the retail shelves. Pets on leashes are always welcome, and several area rescue groups with adoptable pets will be on hand. Popular performers and presenters include Gail Mirabella and the Dynamo Dogs, Diana Frohman and her Beautiful Dancing Dogs, Schutzund Demonstration by Maximum KP Service, the Dog Lovers Days Lure Course, Rainforest Reptiles, TICA Championship Cat Shows, Rabbit Hopping, the Long Island Dog Derby and more.
About This Year’s Featured Performers/Presenters:
New for 2023: Gail Mirabella and The Dynamo Dogs Variety Act! You can teach your old dog new tricks – these veteran- performing dogs will knock the spectator’s socks off with their Trick Dog Show Routine, Frisbee Dog Acrobatics and dynamite performances. Gail and her canine friends will wow the crowd as they do all over the country.
Also New for 2023: The Long Island Dog Derby! Come down and enter your dog in the first ever Dog derby. Dogs of any breed, 25 pounds and under will race head to head to see who is the fastest on Long Island. Races will be held at 1 pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Prizes will be awarded to the top three dogs on each day. There will be an entry fee per dog. Check the website for additional information or email [email protected]
Diana Frohman & Her Dancing Dogs: Diana Frohman and her beautiful golden retrievers will be dancing the weekend away with several performances on both days. “Dancing With Your Dogs” is one of the most popular returning features of the event. It’s a wonderful display of communication and relationship between dog and handler set to music. https://freestyledancingpro.com
Schutzhund Demonstration by Maximum K9 Service: Maximum K9 Service will be doing a Schutzhund demonstration which will include obedience, dumbbell retrieval, tracking, protection work and a detection demonstration. www.maximumk9service.com
Dog Lovers Days Lure Course: This popular event is back! Dogs will have a blast running through the lure course and testing out their agility while letting out some energy! Dogs love to zip through this course and it’s a blast to watch! www.dogloversdayslurecourse.com
Rainforest Reptile Show: an exciting, fascinating adventure through the rare and endangered reptile world! Many exotic reptiles will be at the show for kids and adults alike to learn about. www.rainforestreptileshows.com
Rabbit Hopping: Rabbit Hopping, it’s not the bunny hop you’re thinking of – but talented rabbits who love to jump! Allikatt’s Bunnies will present an agility demo of rabbits hopping all weekend – and there will be demonstrations and there is even a seminar so you can learn how to get involved in this sport with your own hare. www.rabbithopping.com
TICA Championship Cat Shows: for cat lovers who have never been to a cat show, this is a purrific way to see a wide variety of cat breeds up close. www.TICA.ORG
LI Dog Derby: Enter your dog in the Dog Derby. Dogs of any breed, 25 pounds or under will race head to head to see who is fht fastest on Long Island. There is an entry fee. additional information on the website
“We always have fun at these events, but we also are strong supporters of responsible pet ownership and humane values when it comes to all issues involving animals and pets,” said Garetano. “We partner with several community organizations, shelters, veterinarians and other animal lovers educate and inform when it comes to best practices for training, feeding and all aspects of pet care.”
Community and rescue organizations participating in the show include Almost Home Animal Rescue, Chippy’s Angels, Pawsitive Paws Rescue, Bark Animal Rescue, the LI Parrot Society and more to be announced before the event.
Adult admission at the door is $15, children ages 3-11 are $6, and those under three years old are always free. For additional information, call 631-423-0620 or visit www.familypetshows.com.
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Please note: Free parking and attendees are welcome to bring their well-behaved pets to the expo. There are some regulations and restrictions. Visit www.familypetshows.com for more information.
Free event to highlight kid compositions and musical surprises
By Melissa Arnold
Music has a way of moving us both physically and emotionally. Regardless of culture, language or age, the right song can make just about anyone smile.
For more than 20 years, the Stony Brook University Symphony Orchestra, an all-student ensemble featuring undergraduate and graduate music majors as well as qualified non-music majors, has put on a special Family Orchestra Concert, aiming to instill an excitement for music in children while bringing generations together. The free event returns to the Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University on Tuesday, Feb. 28.
Featured soloist violinist Elvina Liu will perform the opening movement of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4.
Conductor Susan Deaver works hard each year to dream up a fun and creative theme for the performance. Some are obvious — recent concerts have focused on contrasts or weather, to name a few — but others are more subtle.
This year’s theme, “Musical Surprises,” will challenge the audience to listen for something unexpected in each piece.
“Everybody likes surprises, right?” joked Deaver, who’s been with the university since 2000. “There are a few ways we’ve included surprises in this show. For example, we have two [portions] from Sir Edward Elgar’s ‘Enigma Variations,’ which offer surprising changes in mood and tempo. There’s also ‘Thunder and Lightning’ [by Johann Strauss II], which reflects the surprise of being caught in a sudden thunderstorm.”
The concert includes both recognizable and lesser-known pieces, but the majority are short to provide as much variety as possible. And the program is just an hour long, helping to keep the littlest concertgoers happy while getting everyone home at a decent time. It is a school night, after all.
A surprising new addition to the program this year are mini-melodies composed by young orchestra students in the community.
Elementary school musicians from the Hauppauge Public School District have attended the concert for the past several years as a nighttime field trip. Interest in the concert continues to grow, and this year, Deaver approached music teacher Timerie Gatto with an exciting idea.
“There are three elementary schools in Hauppauge, and each one has an orchestra. We started with each child bringing one parent to the concert, so that they could all see what a future in music can look like if they work at it. Now we are also involving younger siblings,” Gatto said.
“Susan Deaver is fantastic, she interacts with the audience and does whatever she can to help the kids develop a greater appreciation for music. This year, she asked if my students would make up melodies for the orchestra to play!”
With the help of classroom iPads, students were able to compose, hear and perform their own one-line melodies.
“It’s been an impressive experience for me, watching them develop their own titles and musical ideas. Some kids even put groups of notes into chords and developed more complex syncopated rhythms,” Gatto said.
The orchestra is comprised of about 75 university students from diverse backgrounds and fields of study. Among them is 20-year-old Elvina Liu, a senior music major from Auckland, New Zealand. Liu is also the orchestra’s concertmistress — a lead violinist who serves as liaison between the orchestra and conductor.
Liu will perform a solo from Mozart’s “Concerto No. 4 in D Major,” which she said can be surprising in its own way.
“I think classical works, such as this Mozart concerto, are commonly perceived as pieces that don’t allow for a lot of freedom in interpretation. A lot of teachers and musicians believe that there are certain elements that have one “correct” way of being played, which is a pretty outdated way of tackling these pieces in my opinion,” Liu explained. “I do make a great effort to respect Mozart’s writing and stylistic ideas, though I admit that I enjoy testing the limits and boundaries when I play. Sometimes I surprise myself in the moment as well!”
Liu and Gatto agreed that music provides children opportunities for development, self-expression and community in a way little else can.
“Music is one of those things where it doesn’t matter how bright, strong or fast you are. It’s accessible to all kinds of people regardless of their ability, and it offers the chance to connect with others in a nonverbal way,” Gatto said.
Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook will host the annual Stony Brook Family Orchestra Concert on the Main Stage on Tuesday, Feb. 28from 7:30 to 8:30p.m. Admission is free and tickets are not required. Children of all ages are welcome. For more information, call 631-632-7330 or visit at www.stonybrook.edu/music.
The Town of Smithtown Personnel Department, in collaboration with the New York Blood Center, will host a Community Blood Drive at the Smithtown Landing Country Club, 495 Landing Ave., Smithtown on Wednesday, March 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“Donating blood is a quick and simple gesture that makes a major difference. Blood centers are in critical need at this time, and each donation could save up to three lives. Our Smithtown community has a proud history of working together to help those in need. We have had so many residents and employees participate in blood drives in the past. I hope many more are inspired to join us in providing others with this lifesaving gift,” said Supervisor Ed Wehrheim.
Anyone wishing to help make a difference can schedule an appointment at www.nybc.org, click on “Donate Blood”, “Where to Donate”, then “Sponsor Name Search” and type in “Town of Smithtown”. Appointments are preferred, however walk-ins will be welcomed if space permits.
Please remember to eat, drink and bring your donor ID card or ID with name and photo. Masks are optional for all donors and staff. For a full list of COVID-19 safety protocols, please visit www.nybc.org/coronavirus.
Eligibility Criteria:
Minimum Weight: 110 lbs
No new tattoos for the past 3 months
Ages 17 – 75 (Under 17 with Parent’s Permission, Over 75 with Doctor’s Permission)
Donor Card or ID required
DID YOU KNOW?
Only 2% of the local eligible population donates blood each year, and if only 1% more of Americans donated, blood shortages would disappear.
1 in 3 people will need a blood product in their lifetime.
The donation process will take an average of 10 minutes.
For more information on this event and how to register, contact Dineen Szczepanski at [email protected], or at 631-360-7626.
Hear ye, hear ye! Looking for something cool to do during winter break? The Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown will host a A Royal Princess Party: A Villainous Tale of Magic on and Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. and Feb. 25 and Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. The princesses return to the Royal Kingdom of Smithtown to get together and explore some magical artifacts. Princesses, princes, and royal families of all ages are welcome to attend but must be with an adult at all times. Special surprises and magical touches make this show a royal treat! Tickets are $16 per person. To order, call 800-595-4849 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.
In anticipation of the Miller Place-Rocky Point St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 12 at 1 p.m., the Friends of St. Patrick will be honoring this year’s Grand Marshal, Bob Evans, manager of the Rocky Point Stop & Shop, with a dinner/dance at East Wind, 5720 Route 25A, Wading River on Friday, March 3 from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $70 and include dinner and dancing, a Bag Pipe appearance and cash bar.For more information, call Brian Baisley at 631-790-9061 or Mike Tatilian at 631-484-6322.
Artist Hulbert Waldroup with his painting, The Life and Legend of Pyrrhus Concer, at the Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor
By Tara Mae
Serving in one of the 19th century’s most profitable and perilous industries, Black mariners risked their lives, livelihoods, and liberty in the pursuit of a meager but available wage. The Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor’s new two year special exhibition, From Sea to Shining Sea: Whalers of the African Diaspora, examines the too-frequently ignored Black heritage and contributions to the whaling industry.
Guest curated by Dr. Georgette Grier-Key, Executive Director of Eastville Community Historical Society in Southampton, the exhibit opened on Feb. 15 and will run through 2024.
“This exhibit is focused on expanding and expounding on stories of Black mariners in maritime history and sharing the untold/under-told stories of whalers of African descent and whalers of color in our whaling history,” said Gina Van Bell, Assistant Director of the Whaling Museum.
From Sea to Shining Sea exhibit at the Whaling Museum
The exhibit casts the African American whalers for what they were: main characters in their own lives, who took up whaling as a means of survival and, in many cases, transformed it into a stepping stone for other successes.
“We want people to understand the vastness of their lives, which is sometimes missed,” Dr. Grier-Key said. “We really wanted to focus on that, just going a little bit deeper and not stopping at the surface of BIPOC whalers and their lives, probing what they were able to do and what it meant in the context of the times. We want to offer more of a world view, a holistic look at whalers and their lives.”
Like a ship’s crew comprised of many individual roles, this exhibit consists of items from the museum’s own archives as well as items on loan from 10 different historical organizations. It honors the artistic pull the sea has had on creators throughout the centuries by incorporating art inspired by the water and maritime culture.
Awash with primary source documents, artifacts, and artwork, the interactive display explores what life was like at sea and ashore for non-white mariners while contextualizing the greater experience of people of color who in lived in coastal areas during the 1800s.
The story of one such Black man, Pyrrhus Concer, inspired local artist and Southampton gallery owner Hulbert Waldroup, whose oil on canvas painting The Life and Legend of Pyrrhus Concer (2022), is included in the show. This circular painting, reminiscent of the shape of a porthole, depicts in vibrant colors the nautical scope of Concer’s life, framed in repurposed boat wood rescued from a salvage yard.
A formerly enslaved Southampton man of African descent, Concer became a sailor after he was freed in 1832 (slavery in New York formerly ended in 1827.) He sailed aboard the whaling ship Manhattan, the first American ship to visit Tokyo, Japan, where he was greeted with wonder, being the first Black man many of the Japanese had ever seen.
“It was painted purely out of love and respect for Concer,” Waldroup said. Drawn to the stories of Black cowboys and whalers, who have traditionally been erased from popular lore, Waldroup was intrigued by Concer, whose career as a whaler enabled him to establish himself as a businessman and philanthropist on the shore.
Whaling and other maritime endeavors were often precursors for the precarious promise of more stable lives away from the water, but such pursuits were fraught.
Part of the Sea to Shining Sea: Whalers of the African Diaspora exhibit at the Museum.
“The first Black Americans who were treated as ‘citizens,’ in a way, were sailors. During the nineteenth century, working as a merchant seaman or whaler was one of the few occupations which offered free Black people a relative level of independence and self-sufficiency, along with the opportunity to travel the world with a Seaman’s Protection Certificate,” said Executive Director of the Whaling Museum Nomi Dayan.
From circa 1796-1940, American mariners carried this document as proof as citizenship. It was particularly vital to Black sailors, as they were not defined as citizens under the law until the ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868.
African Americans took very big risks for mitigated reward when they sailed with whaling ships. When docking in harbors of the South, for example, they were subject to being jailed or captured and sold into slavery.
From Sea to Shining Sea features receipts for the imprisonment and release of Alfred Gall, an African American crew member on the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Company’s Tuscarora, whose captain had to bail him out of jail. His crime? Being a free Black man in a Southern port.
Yet despite the marine and manmade dangers, whaling was considered to be a viable, even comparably steady trade. The sea offered a sort of freedom to men who might not find it on land as long as the voyage did not kill them.
“Whaling employed the most diversified workforce among all other occupations at the time. Many whalers of color who endured hard work, poor pay, awful living conditions, and serious danger, chose to work at sea because work options on land were limited,” Dayan said. “African American whalers who faced work discrimination on land were more likely than other racial groups to continue whaling.”
Whaling records indicate that rank prevailed over the color of one’s skin. Recruiters did not record race, just complexion, which was a subjective categorization. Herman Melville, the white author of Moby Dick was even listed as “dark.”
Light-skinned African American sailors had more opportunity for advancement. And while Black whalers did encounter barriers to advancing their ranks and were relegated to service-based positions, they usually earned the same rate of pay as other men of the same rank.
“On these voyages, your life and your counterpart’s life depended on how well you did you job. So in that way, you were equal in the sense of doing the work … tough, backbreaking work that was dangerous — you could lose your life but could achieve financial success,” Dr. Grier-Key said.
This made whaling unique to other industries. Whaling could provide a sort of networking opportunity for the African Americans and other people of color. Ancillary jobs associated with the sea were also available to them, such as being caulkers and coopers. Wives of BIPOC whalers might be seamstresses for the captains’ wives.
Such a utilization of community building is a trait understood by the team behind this exhibit, for whom From Sea to Shining Sea is a labor of love and longevity, part of the Whaling Museum’s ongoing efforts to share the whaling tales generally omitted from the history books.
Dr. Grier-Key and Dayan served together on the board for the Museum Association of New York, and Dr. Grier-Key knew of Waldroup through her work in the Southampton community. Together with Van Bell, they coordinated an exhibit that the stories of BIPOC whalers are no longer submerged in the murky annals of time.
RELATED PROGRAMS:
Black History: Whaleboat Chat
Join the special edition of a Whaleboat Chat highlighting the Whalers of the African Diaspora exhibition on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at noon. Gather around the star of the museum’s collection, the whaleboat, and listen as a staff member shares the tale of the dangerous Nantucket Sleighride and the brave whalers. Free with admission. No reservations necessary.
Black History: Build-A-Boat Workshop
Drop by the Museum any time on Feb. 21 and Feb. 24 from 1 to 3 p.m. to learn about African American whalers who designed, built and worked on whaling ships in the 19th century and then imagine, design and create unique wooden vessel models out of a variety of materials in this open-ended workshop. Entry: Admission + $10 participant.
Beyond the Book
Join the Whaling Museum’s new book club! Read Whaling Captains of Color by Skip Finley at home andgo on new adventures through history. Then meet at the museum on Feb. 23 at 6:30 p.m. to dive deeper into the story through connections with the Museum’s collection. Adults only. $15 per participant. Registration required.
The Whaling Museum, 301 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor is open Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the winter months, and Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the summer. Admission is $8 for adults; $6 for seniors; $6 for children ages 4-17; free for children three years old and younger; and free for members. For more information, visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org or call 631-367-3418.
Pal-O-Mine Equestrian, a private, not for profit organization providing a comprehensive therapeutic equine program using horses to facilitate growth, learning and healing for children and adults with disabilities, has announced that it will holding an art show and auction on Thursday, May 4 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at its facilities located at 829 Old Nichols Road in Islandia. The Stable Spirits Art Show and Auction Fundraiser will feature the artwork of local artists of all ages and art mediums and styles. In addition to the art show and auction, the event will include a selection of wines from local vineyards paired with smallbites by Sommelier Jun Xi Chen, assisted by restaurant professionals and fellow Culinary Institute of America graduate, Megan Henne. Event ticket prices are $60.
“We are very excited to give local artists an opportunity to show their work, while also helping Pal-O-Mine raise funds for our new 2,000 square foot educational center, which will expand our on-site therapy and vocational services,” said Pal-O-Mine founder and CEO Lisa Gatti. Under the guidance of Splashes of Hope artists, attendees will also participate in an interactive mural process creating art to hang in the new center.
For artists interested in participating, they can submit three to five pieces by completing a submission form and emailing images of their artwork. The deadline for all submissions is March 15. Artists will be notified of acceptance by email on March 17. Artists must agree to donate 20% of each sale made at the event to Pal-O-Mine and donate one piece of art to Pal-O-Mine for use in future fundraisers.
Accepted artists will drop off their work at Pal-O-Mine on Tuesday, May 2 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Each artist will have space in one of Pal-O-Mine’s barn stalls to display their art. Tables and professional lighting will be provided for artists’ use during the event.Artists must bring any additional display materials they require (e.g., tablecloths, easels, display boards, etc.). Each pieces should be priced between $200-$500.The art pick-up date is Friday, May 5 from 9 a.m. to noon. To access the submission form, visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2teQWHilkRlAq1YgV8iDzlUpN-KK8jZAGh7Btrq-edxuqzQ/viewform
The Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main St., Stony Brook continues its Third Friday series on Feb. 17 with a presentation titled The Enchanted Islands — Galapagos with guest speakers Carl Safina and Patricia Paladines from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
The volcanic islands 600 miles west of the Pacific coast of South America have lured humans for hundreds of years. In 1535 a Spanish galleon carrying the Bishop of Panama found itself drifting helplessly in a no-wind situation near the islands. The crew, including the Bishop—finding themselves running out of water—staggered ashore. For two days they searched the land of black rocks finding nothing to alleviate their thirst. In desperation they began eating the island’s cacti, squeezing out the water these succulent plants retain. Unimpressed with the volcanic oasis that saved his life, the Bishop wrote in his journal that what earth the islands have, “is like a slag, worthless.”
Herman Melville also passed through the Galapagos aboard the whaler Acushnet, drawing inspiration for his most famous novel, Moby-Dick. But the most paradigm shifting visit was made 300 years after the cactus eating Bishop, with the arrival of Charles Darwin aboard the Beagle. His observations in the Galapagos Islands changed the way we understand the origins of life. But at first arrival, Darwin did not immediately see the beauty in the animals that greeted him. Upon seeing the islands’ endemic marine iguana, he noted, “The black Lava rocks on the beach are frequented by large…most disgusting, clumsy Lizards…They are as black as the porous rocks over which they crawl.”
As the world celebrates Charles Darwin’s 224th birthday this month, Safina and Paladines will share their personal observations of the enchanting islands, the unique life forms that inhabit the rugged landscape, and the conservation efforts that now protect this crucible of evolutionary understanding.
This family-friendly event is free to the public and no reservations are required to attend. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call 631-751-7707 or visit www.rebolicenter.org.
Mark your calendars! A Friends of the Pantry Food and Personal Care Items Drive willbe held at the Infant Jesus Church food pantry, 110 Hawkins St. (off Myrtle Ave.) in Port Jefferson Village on Sunday, Feb. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon.
Donations needed include juice, boxed milk, Ramen, soup, complete pancake mix, pancake syrup, peanut butter, jelly, mac & cheese, pasta sauce, condiments, Maseca corn flour, cooking oil, cereal, oatmeal, canned fruit, black beans, canned mixed vegetables, coffee, healthy snacks as well as shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, feminine products, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, toilet paper, baby shampoo, baby wash, baby wipes, diapers (size 5 & 6), baby powder, Desitin, Enfamil formula and lotion.
Celebrate Valentine's Day with a screening of 'Casablanca' at the Cinema Arts Centre.
Thursday Feb. 9
Huntington History lecture
Huntington Historical Society continues its Lunch & Learn series with a virtual program at noon. Enjoy your own lunch from the comfort of your home while learning about the historic Sammis houses of West Neck in a presentation given by Robert Hughes, Town Historian and Toby Kissam, HHS Trustee. Presentation will last 45 minutes with time for commentary and Q&A from participants. Free. To register via Zoom, visit www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org.
Lunch and Learn
Kehillath Shalom Synagogue of Cold Spring Harbor presents an online Lunch and Learn program titled Jewish Humor: Then and Now at 12:30 p.m.34% of American Jewish consider “having a good sense of humor” to be an essential aspect of their Jewish identity. In this new Lunch & Learn class, just in time for Adar!, the group will explore the history and evolution of Jewish humor and explore its components. Bring a joke or story. All are welcome. Contact [email protected] for Zoom information.
Love Notes in Scrimshaw
Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor at 2 p.m. or 6 p.m. for Love Notes in Scrimshaw. Take a peek into the world of historic love tokens as you explore romantic examples of carved whalebone from the 19th century. Uncover the secrets of coded images shared between romantic partners and design and carve your own scrimshaw art for someone special (or for yourself!) Adults only. $15 participant (includes admission), $10 members. Call 367-3418.
An Evening of Jazz
Mala Waldron, Mike Hall and Tom Manuel kick off the Loft’s Acoustic in the Living Room series at the Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook from 7 to 9:30 p.m. This jazz music series showcases small duos/trios in the Loft’s main performance room which will be set up to resemble an intimate living room, with spaced out seating. The concerts are conversational, engaging and intimate and a very special window into the heart and mind of the artists. Tickets are $40 per person at www.thejazzloft.org.
Friday Feb. 10
An evening of opera
St.Paul’s United Methodist Church,270Main St., Northport hosts an evening with Opera Night Long Island at 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served. $10 donation, students free. For more information, call 261-2387 or email [email protected].
Wintertide concert
The Port Jefferson Village Center, 101A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson continuesitsWintertide concert series from 7 to 8 p.m with a performance by Chic Voorhis (Americana with a country twist) in the Sail Loft Room on the third floor. $5 donation at the door. Questions? Call 473-4778.
Grounds and Sounds Concert
Grounds and Sounds Cafe at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook, 380 Nicolls Road, East Setauket presents award-winning singer/songwriter Rorie Kelly in concert at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $15 per person, available in advance at www.groundsandsounds.org and at the door. Light refreshments for sale. For further information, call 751-0297.
Saturday Feb. 11
Garden Club Meeting
The Shoreham-Wading River Garden Club invites the community to its meeting at the Wading River Congregational Church at 2057 North Country Road, Wading River at 10 a.m. Club president Judy Faraone will make a presentation titled “Learn to Love Bugs and Keystone Plants,” followed by a video titled “What’s the Rush?” by Doug Tallamy and favorite garden tools by garden club members will be on view. Admission is free and all are welcome.
Audubon Society exhibit
The Bates House, 1 Bates Road, Setauket hosts an exhibit by The Four Harbors Audubon Society titled Valentine to Whitman’s Paumanok Exhibition today and Feb. 12 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Twenty-four local photographers and artists are sharing their love for our beautiful Long Island’s wildlife and wilderness as captured by their individual talents. An Artists’s Reception will be held on Feb.12 from 1 to 4 p.m. All are welcome. Free. Questions? Call 689-7054.
All Souls Poetry Reading
The Second Saturdays poetry series will be returns to All Souls Church in Stony Brook via Zoom from 11 a.m. to noon. Hosted by Suffolk County Poet Laureate Richard Bronson, the featured poet will be Claude Mayers. An open-reading will follow; all are welcome to read one of their own poems. Call 655-7798. Participants can access the program through the All Souls website https://www.allsouls-stonybrook.org/
Here’s to the Ladies! concert
The perfect Valentine’s celebration will be at the Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook with a performance by the Jazz Loft All Stars titled“Here’s to the Ladies!” from 7 to 9 p.m. with complimentary champagne and chocolate. Tickets are $50 per person. Purchase your tickets at www.thejazzloft.org.
February Funny Fest
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents the 6th annual February Funny Fest on the MainStage at 8 p.m. Fancy a fun night out? This is the comedy show for you! Featuring a full line-up of top comedians direct from the Long Island Comedy Festival including Scott Schendlinger, Keith Anthony, Chris Roach, host David Weiss and more! Tickets are $45. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
FOR THE LOVE OF COMEDY Tim Krompier headlines the Lovers of Comedy Show at the Smithtown Performing Arts Center on Feb. 11.
Lovers of Comedy Show
Join the Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown for a Lovers of Comedy Night, a night of laughs with Governor’s Comedy Club, at 8 p.m. Featuring Tim Krompier, Olga Namer, Debbie D Amore, and Rachel Williams. Tickets are $45 per person, $40 members includes open bar of beer and wine. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.
Sunday Feb. 12
Audubon Society exhibit
See Feb. 11 listing.
Port Jefferson Food Drive
See sidebar on right.
Super Bowl Sunday Pancake Breakfast – just added!
Halesite Firehouse, 1 New York Ave., Halesite will host its 15th annual Super Bowl Pancake Breakfast fundraiser from 9 a.m. to noon. with raffles, Super Bowl Snack Cooler and more. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children 3-10 yrs, under age 3 free. Call 427-1910 for more information.
Living History with Abe Lincoln
Celebrate St. James continues its Living History series at the St. James Community Cultural Arts Center, 176 Second Street, St James with a visit with President Abraham Lincoln presenter Garry Rissman at 1 p.m. followed by a Q&A. Refreshments will be served. Tickets are $25 adults, $20 members, $10 children ages 10 and up, children under age 10 are free. To register, visit www.celebratestjames.org or call 984-0201.
An Afternoon of Celtic Music – just added!
St. Anthony’s High School, 275 Wolf Hill Road, South Huntington will host An Afternoon of Celtic Music, a benefit for the St. Anthony’s Bagpipe Band, at 2 p.m. Featuring three bagpipe bands – Saint Anthony’s Celtic Friars Pipe Band, AOH Division 7 Roisin Dubh Irish Pipe Band, and the West Milford Highlanders- along with Irish Step Dancing. Basket raffles, 50/50 raffles, bake sale and complimentary Irish Soda Bread and tea served during intermission. Tickets are $20 at the door. Questions? Email [email protected].
Monday Feb. 13
Civic Association meeting
The Sound Beach Civic Association will hold its first in-person meeting of the year at the Sound Beach Fire Station, 252 Sound Beach Blvd., Sound Beach at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome. Call 744-6952.
Emerson String Quartet concert
Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road Stony Brook presents the award-winning Emerson String Quartet in concert in the Recital Hall at 7 p.m. Program will include Walker “Lyric”; Schubert Quartet in A Minor, D. 804 (“Rosamunde”); Webern 6 Bagatelles, op. 9; Shostakovich 12th Quartet, op. 133; Setzer, 1st violin in Walker and Schubert; and Drucker, 1st violin in Webern and Shostakovich. Tickets range from $52 to $60. To order, call 632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.
Tuesday Feb. 14
NSJC Social Club event
North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station will screen the documentary Food, Incorporated in the Social Hall at 11 a.m. The film reveals the surprising and shocking truths about what we eat, how it’s produced, and who we have become as a nation. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee among other refreshments will be served. $5 per person, $3 members. Call 928-3737 for more information.
America’s Sweethearts in concert
The John W. Engeman, 250 Main St., Northport celebrates Valentine’s Day with a concert by America’s Sweethearts at 8 p.m. These New York City-based ladies have performed across the USA at iconic spaces honoring our veterans (the Intrepid Air and Space Museum, the WASP Museum) as well as large theatres and intimate cabaret venues, getting crowds tapping their feet to hits like “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” as they celebrate history through their crystal-clear harmony and colorful costumes. Tickets are $45 per person. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
Wednesday Feb. 15
Quilting Workshop
Huntington Historical Society hosts a Quilting Workshop at the Conklin Barn, 2 High St., Huntington from 1 to 3 p.m. Join quilting instructor Lucie Blohm for a demonstration on the basic techniques, equipment, and materials required. Experienced and novice quilters are invited to bring their sewing machines and projects for encouragement and advice. Fabric will be provided to practice technique. Fee is $25, $20 members. To register, visit www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org or call 427-7045, ext. 401.
Whaling Museum reception
Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor for an opening reception for their latest exhibit, From Sea to Shining Sea: Whalers of the African Diaspora, at 6 p.m. Enjoy a special edition whaleboat chat, meet the guest curator, and partake in light refreshments while you explore the artwork, artifacts and text exploring and expounding on the role of African American mariners in whaling history. Call 367-3418.
Hard Luck Cafe concert
Connecticut-based folk singer-songwriters Tracy Walton and Sierra West will share the bill and swap songs during the Hard Luck Café concert at the Cinema Arts Centre’s Sky Room, 423 Park Ave., Huntington from 7 to 10 p.m. An open mic precedes the concert.Tickets are $20 at www.fmsh.org.
Thursday Feb. 16
Atelier webinar
Join the Atelier at Flowerfield in St. James for a free zoom lecture and demonstration titled “Is It Watercolor or Acrylic?” It’s Gouache! at 7 p.m. Learn the basics of how to use this versatile medium with instructor Beth Drucker. To register, visit www.theatelieratflowerfield.org.
Vanderbilt Lecture
Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its lecture series with a presentation titled “A Lost Story of the Revolutionary War” at 7 p.m. Noted historian Benjamin Carp will explore the Great New York Fire of 1776. Carp’s book on the devastating fireis forthcoming from Yale University Press. Tickets are $10 at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
Film
‘The Good House’
Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to a viewing of The Good House, starring Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline on Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. Open to all. Call 928-1212 to reserve your seat.
Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman star in ‘Casablanca.’
‘Casablanca’
The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington invites all lovebirds and lonelyhearts to spend Valentine’s Day revisiting a classic, Casablanca, on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. with an introduction by film historian Philip Harwood and complimentary sweets and flowers from Amy’s of Huntington. Tickets are $20, $15 members. Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.
Theater
‘Hello Dolly!’
The Stony Brook School’s Theatrical Arts Society,1 Chapman Parkway, Stony Brook presents Hello Dolly! on Feb. 9, 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. A musical adaptation of The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder, Hello, Dolly!centers around the exuberant Dolly Levi, a matchmaker and self-professed expert in many things — particularly the art of meddling. First performed on Broadway in 1964, Hello, Dolly! is a fast paced, comedic romance that is bound to appeal to musical and theater lovers of all ages.Tickets are $10. To order, visit sbstickets.ticketleap.com.
‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St.. Northport presents Dirty Rotten Scoundrels from Jan. 19 to March 5. Con artist Lawrence Jameson is a longtime resident of a luxurious coastal resort, where he enjoys the fruits of his deceptions–that is, until a competitor, Freddy Benson, shows up. When the new guy’s lowbrow tactics impinge on his own work, Jameson resolves to get rid of him. Based on the uproarious movie, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels boasts a jazzy-pop score by David Yazbek, who also wrote the music for The Full Monty. Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
‘Bad Valentines …’
The Performing Arts Studio, 224 E. Main St., Port Jefferson presents (Mostly) True Things: “Bad Valentines and Worst Dates Ever” on Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. Hosted by Jude Treder-Wolff, the evening will feature four storytellers: Ivy Eisenberg, Kelly Massaro, Jack Canfora, and Joey Novick. Tickets are $15 online at www.mostlytruethings.com or $20 at the door (cash only). The show is recommended for teens and adults. Call 928-6529.
Festival of One-Act Plays
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents the 24th annual Festival of One-Act Plays from February 25 through March 25 at The Ronald F. Peierls Theatre, on the Second Stage. Selected from over 250 submissions world-wide, these seven cutting-edge premieres are guaranteed to entertain and engage. Directed by Jeffrey Sanzel, the plays will feature Steve Ayle, Tamralynn Dorsa, Antoine Jones, Brittany Lacey, Phyllis March, Evan Teich, Steven Uihlein, Sean Amato, Ava Andrejko, Angelo DiBiase, Samantha Fierro, Jason Furnari, Melissa Norman, Danielle Pafundi, and Tristan Prin. Please Note: Adult content and language. All tickets are $20. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
‘Tape’
The Theatre at Suffolk County Community College, Ammerman campus, 533 College Road, Selden presents a production of Tape by Stephen Belber in Theatre 119 in the Islip Arts Building on March 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 at 7:30 p.m. and March 12 and 19 at 2 p.m. After 10 years apart, three disparate people come together to play out the unresolved drama of their final days in high school. Suspense builds as each character is provoked into revealing his or her true nature and motivation as they choose which cards to play and which cards to hold. Mature content. General admission is $14. For tickets, call 451-4163.
* All numbers are in (631) area code unless otherwise noted.
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