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Oh, the places frosting will go! Cake Wars returned to Ocean Beach on August 19 for its fourth competition. The Ocean Beach Association (OBA) again sponsored this community cake decorating challenge, and this year’s theme was Dr. Seuss. Thirty teams were each given a basic sheet cake and tickets that could be exchanged for frosting and candy toppings. Additional tickets could be had through Seuss trivia knowledge.

CAKE WARS 2025

Posted on September 6, 2025

With fewer people around the island during the off-season, we can take our time showing homes during the cooler months. Buyers who come to see homes when the sun isn’t at its peak aren’t just browsing; they’re serious. Off-season showings offer a different lens on island life: streets are quieter, the beaches are less crowded, and the beauty of Fire Island’s year-round charm begins to shine through. Agents are now emphasizing features like winterization, off-season rental potential, and cozy interiors built for comfort beyond summer. While the drop in foot traffic means fewer spontaneous leads, agents turn to digital marketing and virtual tours to keep interest alive. Fall buyers are thinking about next summer or even a permanent escape from the mainland. For sellers, it’s a unique opportunity with fewer competing listings, more serious buyers, and a chance to showcase the island’s off-season appeal.

How do property showings and open houses change once the Fire Island summer crowds thin out?

Posted on September 2, 2025

In 1903, State Supreme Court Justice William Jay Gaynor of Park Slope had a summer home built on what would later be known as Wilmot Road in Ocean Beach. It was the first home on the block and one of the first in the area, predating the establishment of both Stay-a-While Estates — which developed around it by 1912 — and Ocean Beach, which was settled in 1908. The three walks in the Stay-a-While community were absorbed into Ocean Beach when it was incorporated in 1921.

An Ocean Beach Oasis Where Fire Island’s Famous Once Visited and Played is Now on The Market

Posted on September 1, 2025

A competition of sand castles! This years theme is Renaissance Architecture. Build anything: the Florentine Duomo, St. Peter’s Basilica, or anything with a such style! Castles are judged based on detail and creativity. You get a plot of beach and get to build anything. Drinks and water will be available.

Labor Day Weekend and Past Tumbleweed Tuesday: Things To Do Around the Great South Bay and Fire Island as August Ends and September Begins

Posted on August 29, 2025

Enjoy Labor Day Weekend with the last issue of Fire Island News for the 2025 season at the beachside or on your breakfast table, with 64 pages of rich summer reading. Here, you will find the latest news updates, events happening on Fire Island and in the Great South Bay neighborhoods over the weekend and into September, as well as thoughtful essays on a range of subjects.

Fire Island News Closes Out 2025 Summer Season with Labor Day Weekend Edition

Posted on August 28, 2025

Along Ocean Breeze Walk in Ocean Beach, a vibrant, colored mosaic mural by mosaic artist Wendy Erdmann captures the wonders of Atlantic Coast sea life and Fire Island culture with the iconic red wagon and bike, which bestows the distinction as the land with no cars.

Fire Island’s Magnificent Mosaics: The Craftsmanship of Wendy Erdmann

Posted on August 23, 2025

The Fire Island Lifeguard Tournament is always a favorite event to cover. Still, this year, Ocean Beach Police Officer Andrew Becher sent us something a little different – a view from above. A licensed and talented drone operator, Becher's photographs have won Fire Island News journalism awards in past years, and he may do so again, as he caught all the action from a different perspective. This year, the Golden Torpe went to the Town of Islip, a machine that is hard to beat, but Ocean Beach and Saltaire Village have taken home their share over the past summers for sure. The skills of all these brave men and women are evenly matched, making for a competitive and close match every time. It's a sport developed in the interests of saving lives along the water. Congratulations to all!

Fire Island Lifeguard Tournament from the Bird’s Eye View

Posted on August 23, 2025

By 1 p.m. this afternoon, Fire Island National Seashore announced beach closures at Watch Hill and Sailors Haven until Saturday, August 23, due to hazardous swimming conditions as Hurricane Erin brews offshore. Further west, the Ocean Beach Village Lifeguard Department called it quits by 3 p.m., after red flag conditions all day, and started dismantling equipment as the ocean surged well ahead of high tide. We have no doubt that Saltaire and Town of Islip Lifeguard departments were doing the same.

Beach Closures Begin on Fire Island Ahead of Hurricane Erin

Posted on August 19, 2025

Ocean Beach transformed into a sea of purpose and remembrance on Sunday, July 27, as more than 900 people gathered for the third annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk on Fire Island. What began in 2022 as a small local fundraiser has grown into a major community event and official race in the national Tunnel to Towers Run, Walk & Climb Series. This year, it raised over $70,000 for the foundation, which honors fallen FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller by supporting first responders, veterans, and their families.

Fire Island’s Tunnel to Towers 5K Raises Over $70,000 and Honors 9/‌11 Legacy 

Posted on August 16, 2025

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Fire Island Pines

August in All Her Glory: Music, Movies, Crafts, and Oyster Festivals All Happening this Week

Posted on August 14, 2025

FIN 7 and GSBN August Issues

Books & Authors

Doubleheader as Fire Island News and Great South Bay News Hits Newsstands the Same Day in August

Posted on August 13, 2025

Sam Wood speaking to participants

Kismet

Kismet: A Destination or Destiny?

Posted on August 12, 2025

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