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🐝 Maritime Festival Lining Up For a Return

🐝 Maritime Festival Lining Up For a Return

Hometown Proud, Canvas Crew, National Margarita Day

Thomas Loncar
February 20, 2026

Together With

Good Morning, North Fork!

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

Hometown Proud
Canvas Crew
National Margarita Day

Ready, Set, Go!

P.S. Happy Birthday to ToniAnn Sinning on 2/21 & Kathy Elak on 2/22 🎂

The Lowdown

Hometown Proud 📸

An idea sparked somewhere between cereal boxes and salad dressing at the Greenport IGA is turning into the North Fork Art Collective’s first all photography exhibition.

After spotting Madison Fender’s fashion shoot tucked into the grocery aisles, Collective founder Kara Hoblin knew it needed wall space. A few conversations later, “Hometown Proud: Personal Works” was born, a showcase celebrating local working photographers and the projects they rarely get to share.

The show opens tonight from 5 to 8 PM at the Collective’s 207 Main St. space in Greenport and runs through March 29. It marks the Collective’s first photography only exhibit and Fender’s debut as curator.

The work spans wedding, fashion, editorial and commercial photography, but this show leans into the personal. As Fender puts it, photographers spend so much time creating for clients that their own creative projects often sit unseen.

Get the full story 👉 Northforker

Canvas Crew ⛵️

To walk into Wm. J. Mills & Co. in Greenport is to step into a version of American manufacturing that still runs on steady hands and generational know how.

Founded in 1880 by Scottish sailmaker William J. Mills, the company has grown from a small waterfront sail loft into a si -generation East End institution. Today, it’s known for custom marine canvas, residential and commercial awnings, and seasonal canvas services.

For Bob Mills II, legacy isn’t something abstract. It’s seasonal. Summer starts March 1, when awning and marine calls pick up and the pressure builds. The business, he says, never really shuts off.

Flexibility, he credits, is what kept the company alive. In 1921, anticipating the decline of commercial sail power, the Mills family expanded into canvas awnings. For 35 years beginning in the 1960s, they were the sole canvas manufacturer for Boston Whaler.

Kate Katin, curator of the Long Island Collection at Mystic Seaport Museum, calls the Mills family the oldest sailmaking family in America. Through a recent grant funded research project, she’s traced their reach into maritime trades, shellfishing networks and sail lofts across Long Island, even uncovering records that suggest the family’s sailmaking roots predate the company’s official 1880 founding.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

Maritime Festival Reloaded ⚓️

Greenport’s Maritime Festival is lining up for a return, this time under new leadership. The 36th annual event is expected to receive village permits next week, clearing the way for a Sept. 26–27 run.

After 35 years at the helm, the East End Seaport Museum announced last fall it would step back from organizing duties. Now, a newly formed Greenport Business Owners Alliance is steering the ship.

The shift is structured as a three year partnership. Beginning in 2026, the Alliance will take operational leadership, with support from Hold Fast Stay True, the Greenport BID and the Village. The Seaport Museum will remain involved in key waterfront traditions, including the cardboard boat race, snapper contest and kayak races, and will receive a graduated share of festival revenue.

Get the full story 👉 East End Beacon

Photo of the Week

📸 submitted by Barbara Hazard

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

Foodie Friday 🍽

The North Fork might be known for its wine, but let’s not sleep on the salt rimmed, lime laced underdog: the margarita.

With National Margarita Day landing this Sunday, the timing felt right to give this citrusy classic its moment. Whether you like yours classic, spicy, or fruit-forward, there’s a glass (or pitcher) with your name on it somewhere. We went hunting for the best margaritas, here’s where to sip the standouts.

🍹 Lucharitos- Classico Margarita Made with Sauza Silver, triple sec, a splash of orange, and their house made mix, this marg is a sweetie. It’s bright, fresh, and definitely easy sipping, but if you like your tequila to punch back a little, this might feel more like a handshake. A solid pick for smooth marg fans, but the citrus to tequila balance could use a little extra spice. Still, you can’t be mad at a marg that looks this good.

🍹 Señor Taco- Skinny Margarita Looking for a margarita that hits all the right notes without the sugar crash? Then this one is for you. This bright and zippy sip is all about simplicity: premium tequila, fresh lime, a touch of agave, and zero frills. It’s crisp, clean, and lets the citrus shine.

🍹 Casa Amigos- Blood Orange Margarita It’s a stunner,bright, citrusy, and made with fresh blood orange and lime juice. No heavy sweetness, no spicy drama. Just a smooth, slightly sweet sip that goes down way too easy. Perfect for when you want to keep things light, fruity, and effortlessly cool.

🍹 Black Llama Bar- Margarita Light, crisp, and perfectly balanced, it’s the kind of sip that lets premium tequila do the talking, with just enough citrusy kick to keep things interesting. Smooth finish, zero sugar bomb. Bonus: it’s served in a sleek, bougie setting that makes every sip feel like a vibe. If you’re after a margarita that’s refreshing without trying too hard, this is it.

🍹 Little Fish- Spicy Fresh Margarita Spice lovers, this one’s calling your name. This bold, beautiful marg, made with Maestro Dobel Cristalino Reposado, Grand Marnier, and fresh lime, brings the heat without losing its cool. The tajín rim kicks things off with a smoky, spicy punch, then it smooths out into citrusy, top-shelf goodness. Balanced, vibrant, and seriously elevated. This isn’t your average beach bar marg.
*Currently closed for the season, but Little Fish is set to reopen April 2, 2026 and yes, this one is worth the wait.

Where is your go to spot for a Margarita?
Email us at [email protected] and let us know!

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

A Quick Reminder: We Want Your Recipes

Just a reminder that we’re opening up this Foodie Friday space to you, we’d love to start highlighting your go to dishes in upcoming Foodie Fridays. Have a recipe you swear by? Send it over.

How to submit:
Email us at [email protected] with:

The recipe (ingredients + steps)
A photo (even an iPhone pic is perfect)
Your name
Optional but encouraged: a short story - when you make it, who you make it for, or why it’s special

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THANKS!

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

Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships