Arts & Culture News » Fire Island News & Great South Bay News

“It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.,” goes the all-too-familiar lyrics of the Village People song that gets everyone moving on the dance floor, remains a crowd favorite during the seventh-inning stretch at Yankee Stadium, and easily boosts people’s spirits. But the lyrics also ring true. It is fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A., especially if you’re a college student in New York City (NYC) during the ‘80s, which is the case for Evan, the protagonist in Sloane by Kevin Banks.

Books & Authors

The Sloane House: Where ’80s NYC Art Students Found Community

Posted on June 15, 2026

Think you know baseball? Sure, you’re familiar with how the game is played today, with its pitch clock, 400-foot home runs, and the designated hitter—but what about its roots? Now, fans of America’s pastime can see how the game was played in its early days when the Brooklyn Atlantics and New York Mutuals vintage baseball teams face each other in Brightwaters on Saturday, June 20.

sports

Bay Shore-Brightwaters Public Library to Host 2nd Annual Baseball Day on June 20

Posted on June 11, 2026

Situated across from the Cherry Grove dock, Top of the Bay Bistro on Fire Island offers stunning views of the Great South Bay — along with an exceptional American Nouveau menu, fabulous cocktails, and live entertainment weekly. This summer, Executive Chef Xavier Alcequiez has taken full rein of the establishment, with former proprietor Ron King remaining behind the scenes and discreetly supporting Alcequiez and the team in any way he can.

Dining

Xavier Alcequiez: Taking the Reins at Top of the Bay Birstro in Cherry Grove

Posted on June 7, 2026

Sunday, June 13 (Noon) Patchogue Pride Dust off those flags, grab your glitter, and put on your best grin as the Patchogue Pride Parade makes its way down Main Street, Patchogue. Starting at noon, the parade will proceed along Route 112 west toward Blue Point. This glitter-filled extravaganza celebrates our fabulous diversity; who wouldn’t want to join in? For details, visit patchoguepride.com.

Happy June: Pride Parades and More Along the South Shore

Posted on June 1, 2026

Top Toque 2025

Dining

News 12’s Erin Colton Returns to the Ocean Beach Chamber of Commerce 3rd Annual Top Toque Cooking Contest

Posted on May 31, 2026

Beauty queens, the parents of transgender children, a former Special Forces police officer, and the Deputy Mayor/Alderman of Amsterdam are among the accomplished transgender individuals telling their stories. His documentary, which has earned recognition at the World Film Festival in Cannes, is having its world premiere at The Suffolk Music and Arts Festival, presented by the Love Wins International Film Festival and Babylon Pride, in collaboration with House of Yes in Sayville, on June 6.

LGBTQ+ Love Wins International Film Festival debuts with Heartfelt Cinema at Sayville Movie Theater

Posted on May 29, 2026

Sunday, May 31 (10 a.m.-1 p.m.) The Sagtikos Manor Historical Society will host The Peony Path Tour at Sagtikos Manor, 677 West Montauk Highway, Bay Shore. Attendees will take a private tour of the Manor’s walled garden and learn the history and horticulture of the Peony, the Sagtikos Peony Project, and other restoration efforts. Cap the day off with a stop at the magnificent peacock fountain and waterlily pool. Light refreshments will be provided. Admission: $20. Tours begin at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. For details and reservations, visit sagtikosmanor.org

Dining

Say So Long to the Month of May, and Hello to June! Things To Do this Weekend and the Week Ahead

Posted on May 28, 2026

I painted my sensory experiences, discovering ways to express the dynamic coastal environment. In 2020, I painted a watercolor study of the boys up in the lifeguard stand. Although the people around me were in my line of sight, I altered some figures to provide a variety of archetypes, mindful of including people of different genders, ages, and ethnicities. The directional paint strokes are dynamic forces on the surface and into the third dimension. They suggest changes in wind and heat that carry light through the humid atmosphere. The paint texture has a direction that one feels at their center of gravity as beachgoers interact and the surf crashes ashore. The colors are descriptive while also expressive. The back of the figure in the foreground contains pink, orange, and red. White describes reflected light off the burning sand and highlights on skin rich with sunscreen and perspiration.

Meet Visual Artist, Margery Gosnell-Qua, Painter of Life

Posted on May 25, 2026

The Fire Island Dance Festival, returning July 18-19 to Fire Island Pines, is set on a waterfront stage overlooking the Great South Bay. The festival gathers extraordinary dancers in a place where salt air, open sky, and communal memory become part of the performance. Here, dance is not merely entertainment. It is witness, offering, and love made visible, moving from the stage into real life through meals, medication, counseling, emergency assistance, testing, grants, and care.

Fire Island Dance Festival Launches 2026 Season with Pop-Up Performances in the Pines

Posted on May 23, 2026

It may have been a gray, damp Thursday morning, with shops still busy making final touches as Memorial Day Weekend loomed large on Fire Island, but things felt a little warmer as vibrantly colored editions of Fire Island News (FIN) graced with the cover artwork of Margery Gosnell-Qua were loaded off the water taxi and onto wagons, and delivery rounds were made in Fire Island communities multiple communities including Atlatique, Cherry Grove, Davis Park, Fair Harbor, Fire Island Pines Kismet, Ocean Beach, Ocean Bay Park, and Saltaire.

First Fire Island News of 2026 Rolls Off the Presses, and Stocked on Newsstands Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend

Posted on May 21, 2026

Tuesday, May 19 (7-9 p.m.) STAR SPANGLED CONCERT: Honoring our Nation’s 250th Anniversary Enjoy a special evening of music, remembrance, and celebration as we honor America’s 250th Anniversary and pay tribute to U.S. Navy SEALs and all veterans on Tuesday, May 19, as the North Shore Community Band performs against the backdrop of the museum and the legacy it represents. Raffles and lite snacks are available. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., the concert begins at 7 p.m. The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum is located at 50 West Ave. in West Sayville.

The Week of May Before Memorial Day: Things To Do Before the Big Weekend

Posted on May 15, 2026

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Mother’s Day and Mid-May: Things To Do this Week and the Week Ahead Along Great South Bay Long Island

Posted on May 7, 2026

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