Together With

Good Morning, North Fork! If you hear howling tonight, it’s either the wind or someone spotting full-size candy bars. Happy Halloween!

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

• Maritime Festival Pause

• Harvest Hustle

• Calamari, Pasta, & Veal

Ready, Set, Go!

Sponsored By Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm

Holiday Cheer Starts Here 🎄

If you’re looking for the North Fork version of the North Pole, you’ll find it in Cutchogue at Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm.

28 acres of evergreens and twinkling lights are waiting to turn your weekend into a Hallmark movie. Established in 1979, this place has been growing Christmas memories for generations.

Right now, the Gift Shop is open seven days a week, packed with everything merry and bright, from ornaments and garlands to cozy home décor, toys, and gifts that’ll make even the Grinch crack a smile. Whether you’re decking the halls or shopping for someone who already has everything, you’ll find a little magic here.

Mark your calendars: November 28th kicks off the official Christmas tree season. That’s when the saws start buzzing, the cocoa starts flowing, and the North Fork officially turns into a winter wonderland.

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The Lowdown

Maritime Festival Takes a Breather ⚓️

Big waves of change are coming to Greenport. The East End Seaport Museum announced it’s hitting pause on its beloved Maritime Festival next year.

Don’t panic, this isn’t goodbye, it’s a strategic pit stop. Board President Sarah Mills Sands said the museum is taking time to reaffirm its core mission of celebrating and preserving maritime heritage while dreaming up new ways to bring that history to life year-round.

While the Land & Sea Gala will still sail on in 2026, the museum plans to channel its energy into some big priorities: modernizing the museum, preserving Bug Lighthouse, and expanding education and conservation programs.

With new Executive Director Erin Kimmel at the helm, the team’s charting a new course one that looks beyond a single weekend of festivities and toward a full calendar of experiences.

Get the full story 👉 East End Beacon

Top Stories From The Week 📖

🍝 18 Bay Returns Chefs Adam Kopels and Elizabeth Ronzetti, the culinary dream team and James Beard finalists, reopened their beloved restaurant this past weekend

🐦 A Real Cuckoo No, your clock isn’t broken, there’s an actual common cuckoo hanging out in Riverhead. And it’s got birders losing their feathers. ($)

🚜 Big Moves in Cutchogue A division of the Soloviev Group just filed plans for a 372-acre conservation subdivision stretching from Route 48 to the Long Island Sound.

🥖 Return of the Bánh Mì Queen Chef Linh Trieu, yes, the genius behind the long-missed Wednesday’s Table, is back for one day only.

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Photo of the Week

📸 submitted by Kim Caldwell

Tag @NorthForkBuzz or email us at [email protected] to get your photos in The Buzz!

Local Spotlight

Harvest Hustle 🍇🍷

Roll out the grape leaves and pop a cork, this week Doug Geed goes deep into the heart of the East End wine world.

First stop, the buzzing harvest scene at Pindar Vineyards where the vines are heavy, the tractors are humming. Then onto Sparkling Pointe a place where bubbles meet craftsmanship.

Wine here isn’t just made, it’s grown from the character of this place and shaped by the local hands that turn Long Island fruit into world class pours.

^{_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. They’re just fun things you need to know. I’ll always let you know when something is sponsored}}

Foodie Friday 🍽

We finally crossed it off the list, dinner at Touch of Venice in Cutchogue. After saying “we really need to go soon,” we went (with our toddler in tow). And you better believe we went in with a plan.

Step one: Calamari salad. Step two: Pasta. Step three: Pretend carbs don’t count on weekends.

The place has that old-school Italian charm, cozy lighting and the hum of happy diners.

No overthinking it, good calamari, good pasta, good people, good wine. Sometimes that’s all you need. No wonder they’ve been a North Fork mainstay since 1988.

Touch of Venice 🍝

Step One: Fried Calamari Insalata

This is the dish that’s been calling our name and it did not disappoint. The calamari is lightly dusted in polenta, fried to that perfect golden crisp, and somehow manages to be both tender and crunchy at the same time. It’s piled over mixed greens, peppers, peppadews, Parmigiano Reggiano, and drizzled with a citrus–truffle oil vinaigrette that ties the whole thing together.

The salad is huge, easily enough for four. Every bite was bright, flavorful, and just indulgent enough to feel like a Saturday night treat.

Step Two: Pasta

This is where Touch of Venice shows off a little. There were about a half dozen dishes calling our name, but we went classic with the Beef Bolognese. Rich, slow-simmered, and layered with flavor. The sauce has that deep, velvety depth you only get when someone’s been stirring it for hours, tomato, wine, and just the right amount of Parmesan doing their thing. The pasta itself? Perfectly cooked, soaking up every bit of that meaty, savory goodness.

Step Three: Veal Rollatini

Yes, there was a step three, we each got our own entree, and no, we have no regrets. The veal was incredibly tender, wrapped inside was Prosciutto di Parma, mozzarella, and pecorino, all tied together by a delicious marsala wine sauce. The star of the plate, though? The single rice ball that came with it, crispy, rich, and so good. Highly recommend an order of the appetizer portion.

Generous portions, cozy atmosphere, and classic Italian comfort food done right.

A big shoutout to the staff for being so kind. They sat us at the perfect table for our little people-watcher and made sure to wave and smile every time they passed. It completely made his night!

What would you like to see on a future Foodie Friday? Email us at [email protected] and let us know, we’re always hungry for suggestions.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They’re just fun things you need to know. I’ll always let you know when something is sponsored

Live Music Breakdown

🎃 = Halloween Party

Friday

Corey Creek | Nick Kerzner | 4-8 PM 🎃
Tucker’s Tap Room | Daniel Corroza | 5 PM 🎃
Main & Mill | Deanna Hudson | 5-7 PM
Billy’s By The Bay | Sahara | 5-8 PM 🎃
Jamesport Farm Brewery | DJ Phil | 5-10 PM 🎃
One Woman Winery | Tim Siciliano Trio | 6-9 PM
Touch of Venice | Rick Anzalone | 6-9 PM
PORT | The Realm | 6 PM 🎃
Little Fish | DJ SlayJ | 7-10 PM 🎃
Andy’s | Rick Rempe | 7-10 PM
The Watershed | The Great Acoustics | 7-10 PM 🎃
Greenport Harbor Brewing (Pec) | DJ Henry Eau | 7-11 PM 🎃
Green Hill Kitchen | Jack Toad | 8:30 -11:30 PM 🎃
Green Hill Kitchen | DJ Henry Eau | 11:30 PM - late 🎃

Saturday

Palmer Vineyards | Erinn Furey | 1-4 PM
Corey Creek | Frank Palmeri | 1-5 PM
Tucker’s Taproom | George Tebbitt | 1 PM
Bedell Cellars | Haig Mathosian | 1-5 PM
Pugliese Vineyards | Cameron Hart | 1-5 PM
Clovis Point Vineyard | Natalia & Christian | 1:00-5:30 PM
Terra Vite Vineyard | Jeff LeBlanc | 1:30-4:30 PM
Pindar Vineyards | Como Brothers| 1-5 PM
Jason’s Vineyard | Erin Chase | 1:30-5:30 PM
Peconic Bay Vineyards | DJ Henry Eau | 1:30-6:30 PM
Jamesport Farm Brewery | Melanie Morin | 2-5 PM
Greenport Harbor Brewing (Pec) | Eastbound Freight Band | 4-7 PM
Hotel Moraine | Nick Kerzner | 5-7 PM
Little Fish | Erin Chase | 6-9 PM
Terra Vite Vineyard | DJ Jake Fowle | 6-10 PM 🎃
Custer Institute & Observatory | Robert Secrist | 7 PM
Clam Bar at Alize | Sahara | 7-10 PM 🎃
Jamesport Meeting House | Gail Storm | 7:30 PM
Taps & Corks | DJ Henry Eau | 10 PM - late 🎃

Sunday

North Cliff Vineyards | Just E | 12-5 PM
Tucker’s Taproom | Steve’s Off the Couch | 1-4 PM
Bedell Cellars | Jeff LeBlanc | 1-5 PM
Corey Creek | Kelli Baker | 1-5 PM
Clovis Point Vineyard | Christian Cabrera | 1-5:30 PM
Pindar Vineyards | Erin Chase | 1:30-5:30 PM
Jason’s Vineyard | Sandbar Kenny | 1:30-5:30 PM
Jamesport Farm Brewery | Paris Ray | 2-5 PM
Greenport Harbor Brewing (Pec) | Route 48 Band | 3-6 PM
Minnow | Jon Divello | 5 PM tickets

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THANKS!

Thanks for reading the North Fork Buzz today. Like what you read? Send it to someone that loves carbs.

Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships