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Good Morning, North Fork! Stop doom scrolling for plans. We’ve got your entire weekend wrapped up like a perfect little gift.

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

• Mega Millions

• Pipeline Drama

• No Place Like Home

Ready, Set, Go!

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The Lowdown

Mega Millions Mania 💰

Mattituck just got a whole lot luckier.

Last Wednesday, Jay Patel rolled into NOFO Beer & Smoke Shop a few minutes early only to find his lottery terminal flashing a message most shop owners only see in their dreams: someone who bought a ticket there just hit $3 MILLION in Mega Millions.

He called his cousin and shop owner Nik Patel, who had the same reaction we all would: Wait… WHAT? Moments later the New York Lottery confirmed it, the Patels had officially sold their biggest winning ticket ever.

Now everyone’s asking the million-dollar (well, three million dollar) question: Do the Patels know who won?

Short answer: nope. And thanks to New York’s anonymity rules, they might never.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

Pipeline Drama 🚰

The North Fork pipeline saga just got spicier.

The Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) has officially declared, “Thanks, but no thanks,” to local zoning review, saying its massive North Fork Pipeline is exempt from town oversight. Southold took one look at that and said: “We’ll be the judge of that.”

Southold just announced it will run its own Monroe Balancing Test, basically a nine point legal smackdown used to decide whether a big government project has to follow local land use rules or can bulldoze ahead on its own.

Riverhead already ran the test for Phase 1 and declared the pipeline not exempt. SCWA ran its own version and told… well, everyone that it is exempt.

Yes, we now have dueling Monroe Tests. The Pipeline Olympics.

Get the full story 👉 East End Beacon

There’s No Place Like Home 🏠

The North Fork Arts Center in Greenport was the place to be on Thanksgiving weekend, part gallery hop, part hometown reunion, all wrapped into one theme: “There’s No Place Like Home.”

Timed to match the opening of Wicked: For Good at the theater, the show brought together artists from across the Fork who clearly took the assignment to heart.

Galleries from Greenport to Jamesport showed up: VEME Studios, VSOP Projects, North Fork Art Collective, Alex Ferrone Gallery, and William Ris Gallery, turning the NFAC into one giant creative family dinner (minus the awkward political debates).

It was a reminder that art isn’t just something you hang on a wall, but something that holds a community together.

Get the full story 👉 East End Beacon

Town Systems Still Offline 💻

Southold Town is still digging itself out of a digital disaster after last week’s cyberattack.

Town Supervisor Al Krupski says departments are slowly flickering back to life, Police, Justice Court, Waste Management, but email is still totally down, and nobody knows when inboxes will rise from the dead. In the meantime, Town Hall has gone full retro: phone calls, paper calendars, text chains, and lots of scanning documents like it’s 2003.

And no, Southold is not paying the ransom. With the FBI, Homeland Security, Suffolk County, and NYS Courts all pitching in, the town is holding the line. Krupski, who lived through Suffolk County’s 2022 cyberattack, says paying doesn’t guarantee anything anyway.

The attack also lit a fire under plans to modernize the town’s social media presence, which currently amounts to a couple of Facebook pages. A new Communications Task Force is now in the works to fix that.

Get the full story 👉 East End Beacon

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Happenings: Weekend Preview

Friday

🎶 Chorale Holiday Concert Series If your idea of holiday magic involves soaring harmonies then North Fork Chorale has you covered. Their 2025 Holiday Concert Series runs Friday through Sunday, bringing beautiful choral arrangements to three different North Fork venues. More Info

🎨 2nd Anniversary Show The North Fork Art Collective is celebrating two incredible years in the historic Fiedler Gallery. More than 125 local artists have filled the space with creativity and color, had down and celebrate the magic. More Info

🦪 Anniversary Bash Kicking off Raise Shell Weekend, Little Creek Oysters is having their First Anniversary Bash. Drink specials, snacks and live music that’ll turn the place into a dance floor. More Info

🎄 Tree Lighting Head over to Orient Beach State Park for this year’s Annual Tree Lighting. Festive tunes, snacks, hot cocoa, and kid-approved crafts while everyone counts down to the big moment: Santa stepping in to light the tree at 5:00 PM. And because the season is all about giving, coats and canned goods will be collected for local families. More Info

🎉 Kickoff Party Head over to Greenport Harbor Brewing Co.(Greenport) for a Raise Shell Kickoff Party. Enjoy ice cold beer, just shucked oysters, and live music that makes you forget you promised yourself an early night. More Info

☕️ Cocoa & Crafts Mark your calendars North Fork Fiber Arts is teaming up with Ali Katz Kitchen for a cozy holiday hangout. This year’s project? Embroidered felt holiday ornaments easy, festive, and very “I made this myself.” All paired that with Ali’s Famous Hot Chocolate and a spread of holiday treats. More Info

Saturday

🎄Holiday Fair Jumpstart your seasonal spirit at Southold Historical Museum’s Annual Holiday Fair at the Southold Town Recreation Center. The fair is packed with unique gifts, handmade treasures from local artisans. Santa and Mrs. Claus are making a special appearance, so bring your wish lists and your kids. More Info

🎅🏻 Santa Bazaar Nite Mattituck is going big this year, combining First Fridays and Santa Day into one magical night: Santa Bazaar Nite on Love Lane. The whole street will come alive with carolers, food and drinks, late night shopping, and vendors lining the lane. And yes, Santa himself will make a grand entrance on a fire truck before settling in for photos with the kids. More Info

🦪 Raise Shell This two day, village wide takeover is an immersive swirl of oysters, chef specials, holiday shopping, local art, and live music that follows you down the street like a soundtrack to your best weekend. More Info

🎨 10x10 Art Show CAST and the North Fork Art Collective are teaming up for the 19th Annual 10x10 Art Show & Sale in Memory of Amy Worth. The walls will be filled with dozens of 10x10 masterpieces created by local artists, small canvases with big personality. More Info

🚒 Christmas Parade Southold is firing up the holiday cheer. The Southold Fire Department’s Christmas Parade is rolling through town, enjoy decorated trucks, sweet treats, and meet Mr. & Mrs. Clause. More Info

🎄 Cutchogue Tree Lighting Head over to the Cutchogue Village Green, for the Cutchogue–New Suffolk Historical Council & Museums annual Christmas Tree Lighting. Singers in full Dickens-era costumes will be wandering the green and caroling, treats waiting in the garage, twinkle lights everywhere, and Santa himself is expected to drop by. More Info

🚚 Stuff the Truck The Mattituck Lions Club is revving up the giving spirit with its annual Stuff the Truck drive at Oregon Road Organics. They’ll be collecting nonperishable food and gift cards to support local families who could use a little extra help this holiday season. More Info

🍽 Supper on the Farm A dreamy winter dinner is coming to 8 Hands Farm, as Fyr & Salt hosts another round of Supper on the Farm, a family-style feast featuring: wood-roasted chicken with mushrooms, polenta, crisp garden greens, squash, and slices of sourdough making their way around the table. More Info

🎄 Parade & Tree Lighting The Greenport Fire Department is rolling out its annual Parade & Tree Lighting at Mitchell Park, and it’s one of those nights you don’t want to miss. More Info

✨ Barrel Tree Lighting Lenz Winery is lighting up its iconic barrel tree. Twinkling lights, glowing barrels, a glass of something delicious in hand, and live music from Emy McB. More Info

🍷 Blend It Here’s your chance to play winemaker. The Shoals is teaming up with RGNY for a hands-on session where you mix, swirl, and sip your way to a one of a kind red blend. Work with RGNY’s estate grown wines, and take home your very own bottle and some serious bragging rights. More Info

🧀 Cheese Pairing Take your taste buds on a world tour with the Tour the World Cheese Pairing at Sparkling Pointe. Sip through a five wine tasting flight while snacking on artisanal cheeses from around the globe, aka the most delicious geography lesson ever. More Info

Sunday

🏃 Stuff the Sleigh Ready to run for a good cause? The Stuff the Sleigh 5K & Toy Drive is back, and it’s the most festive jog you’ll take all year. Runners are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy along with their entry fee, all of which will be donated to Southold Town, CAST and other local charities. More Info

🍪 Cookie Decorating Get extra merry with a sugar cookie decorating session at Jamesport Farm Brewery with Host Hampton. Roll up your sleeves, grab the icing bags, and turn plain cookies into sugary works of art. More Info

🎨 Winter Crafts Join Maggie from Wine of a Kind for a cozy Glass Painting Workshop at Pindar Vineyard. Paint two wine glasses decked out in an adorable snowman theme. More Info

🌿 Moss Wreath Workshop Build your own preserved moss grapevine wreaths using a gorgeous mix of mosses, lichen, and natural textures with Imaginariums by Elissa at The Halyard. Learn how to layer, shape, and add soft seasonal accents until your wreath looks like it wandered straight out of a winter forest. More Info

🌊 Beach Clean Up Head over to Orient Point for Surfrider Foundation Eastern Long Island’s community beach cleanup. Stroll from the Cross Sound Ferry lot out to the lighthouse and back, scooping up debris and protecting our shoreline. More Info

🐌 Snail of Approval Celebration Head over to The Boathouse at Silver Sands for Slow Food East End’s Annual Meeting & Snail of Approval Celebration. Chef Finn O’Hara and Alexander and Anna Perros of Silver Sands are set to receive the coveted Snail of Approval Award for their triple threat lineup: Nookies, Eddie’s, and The Boathouse, three spots that have made slowing down and eating an art form. More Info

^{_{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 + Fun Breakdown

Thursday

Eastern Front Brewing | Sonic Gumbo | 5-8 PM
Greenport Harbor Brewing (Pec) | Trivia | 6-8 PM
Taps & Corks | Karaoke | 7-10 PM
Southold American Legion | Bingo | 7 PM

Friday

Corey Creek | The Como Brothers | 4-8 PM
Suhru & Lieb | Paris Ray | 5-7 PM
Main & Mill | Danny Palladino | 5-7 PM
Tucker’s Taproom | Karl Blessing | 5-8 PM
Ram’s Head | Trivia with Think Inc. | 6 PM
Touch of Venice | TBA | 6-9 PM
One Woman Winery | TBA | 6-9 PM
Little Fish | Don & Susan | 6-9 PM
First & South | Rachelle Rossi | 6-9 PM
Little Creek Oysters | DJ Henry Eau | 6-10 PM
Hold Fast Studio | Conjunto La Herencia (6pc Salsa Band) | 6-10 PM

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Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships