Together With

Good Morning, North Fork! Some updates, some ideas, and maybe your next plan hiding in here.

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

• Ice Rink Delays Spark Tension

• Stories From the Soil

• Cutchogue’s New Firehouse

Ready, Set, Go!

Sponsored By Little Fish

Coastal Cuisine Done Right 🐟

A Better Way to Do Easter Sunday 🍽

Little Fish is back and they’re doing both brunch and dinner this Easter, which means you’ve got options, but either way, you’re ending up exactly where you want to be this time of year: down at Kenney’s Beach, with a table full of good food and a little more daylight than we’ve had in months.

The brunch menu leans into what they do best: coastal comfort with a little personality. Challah bread French toast, a West Indian shakshuka, and Keri’s Old Bay Bloody Mary bar, which is reason enough to show up early and stay awhile.

It’s the kind of place where you can settle in with your people, order something good, and let the day stretch a bit longer than planned, with solid food, and that first real hint of the season ahead.

Brunch runs 10 AM to 3 PM with George Tebbit playing live from 12-3 PM, dinner picks up from 5 to 9 PM. Reservations are strongly recommended and tend to go fast, so plan accordingly via Resy or by calling (631) 765-8756.

Brunch Menu | Dinner Menu | Make a Reservation

The Lowdown

Ice Rink Delays Spark Tension 🚧

A long promised ice skating rink in Greenport is turning into a point of tension and not for the reasons anyone hoped.

At a recent Village Board meeting, Business Improvement District president Rich Vandenburgh called out local officials for failing to act on a $1.2 million state grant awarded back in summer 2024. More than a year later, he says the paperwork to access the funds still isn’t done.

The frustration isn’t just about delays. Vandenburgh pointed to rising storefront vacancies, slower foot traffic, and what he described as a growing “sense of malaise” in the village, arguing the rink could be a key winter draw to help turn things around.

He’s pitching a faster, cheaper alternative: a seasonal rink that could be installed by November 2026 for under $700,000. Village leadership, however, appears focused on a permanent rink, and the two sides aren’t aligned on how to move forward.

Complicating things: this isn’t the only stalled project. Millions in separate grants for bulkhead repairs at Mitchell Park have also gone unused, with missed deadlines costing the village time, and money.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

Stories From the Soil 🌾

Hallockville Museum Farm is bringing some of the North Fork’s deepest agricultural roots to the surface, one story at a time.

At its upcoming “North Fork Farmer’s Stories” event this Saturday, a lineup of local farming families and voices will take the stage at Naugles Barn, sharing what it actually looks like to grow up, and stay, in this world.

The Sidor family, the Schmitt family, Joann Zilnicki, Anthony Scott, and voices from Farrm Wine will all be part of the conversation, covering everything from generational traditions to how farming on the North Fork has evolved.

Get the full story 👉 Northforker

Rebuilt and Reimagined 🎭

The North Fork Arts Center isn’t just fixing up an old movie theater, it’s quietly turning it into something much bigger.

Inside the historic Front Street building in Greenport, crews have spent the winter tackling one of the biggest hurdles: access. A new elevator is now in place, finally connecting the café level lobby to the main upstairs theater, a long-requested upgrade that opens the space to more of the community.

That’s part of a $500,000 round of renovations that also includes a full overhaul of heating and cooling, another major pain point flagged by visitors.

But the bigger vision goes beyond upgrades.

Executive director Tony Spiridakis describes what’s coming next as “Act Three” a plan to build out unused space behind the main theater into something closer to a full creative hub. Green rooms, workshop space, and room for classes and performances, not just screenings.

Get the full story 👉 East End Beacon

Cutchogue’s New Firehouse 🚒

Cutchogue’s new firehouse is officially up and running, and it’s a serious upgrade from what came before.

The $16 million headquarters on Main Road replaces a building that, by most accounts, had reached its limit. Leaks, cramped truck bays, and outdated systems had become the norm.

The new space more than doubles the department’s footprint, growing from about 12,000 to 21,000 square feet. It includes three double wide apparatus bays, modern ventilation systems to handle exhaust, a full sprinkler system, and a dedicated decontamination room, features the old building simply didn’t have. ($)

Get the full story 👉 Suffolk Times

^{_{Stories with a ($) require a third party subscription}}

Sponsored By Party Animal North Fork

Where North Fork Parties Begin 🎉

Party Animal North Fork’s Easter Collection Has Arrived 🐰

Pastels are back. Brunch is calling. And suddenly your table has a personality again.

Party Animal North Fork is fully stocked for Easter with a collection that leans soft, seasonal, and effortlessly put together. Muted pastels and macaron tones, modern bunny accents, and organic balloon garlands in sage, blush, and gold that somehow make everything feel like you planned this weeks ago.

It’s the kind of setup that turns an Easter brunch into a full moment: the table looks good, the photos look better, and nobody’s asking “should we have done more?”

Whether you’re hosting something small and cozy, building out the cutest basket situation, or going all in on a spring celebration, they’ve got the details that make it feel thoughtful without feeling overdone.

Fair warning: the good stuff goes fast. Stop in, see it in person, and let them help you bring your Easter vision to life.

Website | Instagram | Easter Collection

Happenings: Weekend Preview

Friday

📺 Seinfeld Trivia Yada yada yada, suddenly you’re winning trivia. Clovis Point Vineyard turns into a battleground for Seinfeld superfans, where deep cuts, classic quotes, and questionable life advice from George might actually help you win. More Info

🍽 Supper Series 10 When it’s the chef’s birthday, the menu gets a little extra bold. On Friday & Saturday, Grace & Grit transforms into a cozy dine-in supper club as Chef Adam cooks exactly what he wants to eat. More Info

🫕 Cheese Fondue Cheese pulls and wine pours. The Village Cheese Shop is bringing bubbling fondue with all the fixins to Sannino Vineyard, pairing molten cheese with a flight of three wines. More Info

🎨 Artist Talk Uncommon artist in residence Andrea Myers brings her bold, textile driven world to Sound View for an artist talk, followed by a studio tour that offers a closer look at how the work comes together. More Info

Saturday

🧁 Ice Cakes Not People Sugar, frosting, and a little righteous energy are on the menu. The Hold Fast Stay True Studios hosts a grassroots community bake sale with 100% of proceeds going to OLA of Eastern Long Island. More Info

🚤 Boating Safety Course Before you throttle up for the season, it might be a good idea to learn what all those buoys actually mean. Southold Library is hosting a New York Boating Safety Course, covering the essentials of responsible boating and basic skills every captain should know. More Info

 🌾 North Fork Farmers Stories Pull up a chair and hear the stories behind the soil. Hallockville Museum Farm hosts this special gathering, where North Fork farmers from multiple generations share what it was like growing up on the land, carrying on family traditions, and adapting as agriculture here continues to evolve. More Info

😂 Comedy Night Sometimes the only thing better than a cold beer is laughing hard enough to forget what day it is. Comedy Night lands at Eastern Front Brewing Co. bringing stand-up that feels tailor made for people who like their punchlines with a pint. More Info

🫕 Cheese Fondue Things are getting deliciously melty at Pindar Vineyards as The French Picnic brings out the fondue pots. Warm, silky cheese made for dunking, plus a glass of wine to keep things balanced between bite and sip. More Info

🛠️ Maker Fair Curiosity takes center stage at the Peconic Community School’s Maker Fair. A family friendly celebration of invention, creativity, and hands-on discovery. Students and local makers alike will be sharing their crafts through interactive demos and workshops designed to get everyone involved. More Info

📰 Old New York Stories Renowned journalist, author, and film reviewer Jeffrey Lyons takes audiences back to the Golden Age of New York City nightlife with The Lyons Den: Lecture Series Part II at the Peconic Landing Auditorium. Drawing from the famous New York Post column written by his father, legendary insider Leonard Lyons, the evening revisits a time when the glitterati dined on Champagne and cigarettes, secrets were currency, and a single mention in the morning paper meant everything. More Info

🥂 Wine + Cheese + Chocolate Bubbles meet their perfect match at this guided tasting at Sparkling Pointe that pairs sparkling wines with artisanal cheeses and chocolates from around the world. More Info

Sunday

🥣 Soupy Sundays Head to Chronicle Wines for a cozy lineup featuring hearty winter soups from Grace & Grit, fresh loaves from 1610 Sourdough, and your favorite Chronicle wines by the glass. More Info

🥞 Breakfast Buffet Coffee’s hot, and pancakes are stacked. The 22nd Annual East Marion Fire Department Breakfast Buffet returns with a hearty spread plus raffles, horseradish sales, and a 50/50 benefiting the Oysterponds 5th/6th Grade trip to Washington, DC. More Info

🍫 Chocolate Pairing Things are getting competitive at Pindar Vineyards. In this Final Four - Chocolate Regional Finals, four wines go head to head with four handcrafted chocolates from Chocology Unlimited in a bracket style tasting. 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}}

Local Spotlight

Team 870 Is World Championship Bound 🤖

Competing at the Long Island Regional Championship last week, the Southold Robotics Team: Team 870 didn’t just hold their own, they surged. With an impressive 8–1–0 record, they climbed their way to a 2nd place finish out of 48 teams, catching the attention of the tournament’s top seed along the way. The result? A spot on the winning alliance.

And the exclamation point: a massive 501 point match, the highest score of the entire event. The kind of performance that turns a strong weekend into something unforgettable.

Now, they’re packing up for Houston, where they’ll take on the world at the FIRST World Championship from April 29 to May 2.

Congrats Team 870!

^{_{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
Bridge Lane | Trivia | 6:30-8 PM
Taps & Corks | Karaoke | 7-10 PM
Southold American Legion | Bingo | 7 PM

Friday

Corey Creek | MJT The Band | 4-8 PM
Suhru & Lieb | Cassandra House | 5-7 PM
Main & Mill | Paris Ray | 5-7 PM
Touch of Venice | Rick Anzalone | 6-9 PM
One Woman Winery | Tim Siciliano Duo | 6-9 PM
Jamesport Farm Brewery | Trivia | 6:30-8:30 PM
Clovis Point | Seinfeld Trivia | 6:30-8 PM
Clam Bar at Alize Brewing | Frank Palmeri | 7-10 PM
Lucharitos | Karaoke with DJ Henry Eau | 9 PM

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign Up

Interested in sponsoring The Buzz? Let’s Talk

Want your business’s event in the newsletter? Send us the Info!

Did we miss something? Let us know at [email protected] 

THANKS!

Thanks for reading the North Fork Buzz today. Like what you read? Send it to a friend!

Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships