2018 Brings Another Year of East End Anniversaries

According to the latest scientific research, the universe is 13.8 billion years old; the Milky Way galaxy, 13.5 billion; our solar system, 4.6 billion; the earth, 4.5 billion. But how old is Sagaponack, Greenport, or the New Moon Cafe?

365 Sagaponack Established
Though it wasn’t settled by Josiah Stanborough until 1656, in January 1653, “there was made the Division of lande called Sagaponack,” which extended from Flying Point to the East Hampton boundary line lying mainly between Mecox Rd, Fairfield and Bridge lanes on the north and the ocean on the south.

360 Land Use Agreement Between Montaukett Sachem and East Hampton Town
On May 22, 1658, Lion Gardiner and the Town of East Hampton made an agreement with Wyandanch, Sachem of the Montaukett people. The agreement focused on land use, reflecting conflict over English Colonists’ roaming cattle disrupting native life and farming. Per the agreement, the East Hampton Colonists agreed to build a fence in an area that runs from “the South Beach near Georgica to the Harbour on the North Side,” and to contain their cattle for the corn-growing season.

The Montauketts agreed not to burn swamps and marshes for a certain period of the season. The Montauketts agreed to give East Hampton the right of first refusal on any sale of the Montauk Peninsula. Lion Gardiner and his heirs received the right to bring over from Gardiner’s Island up to 10 cattle for use of common acreage for the winter. The East Hampton settlers gained the right mow hay in an area known as “Noantoquitt.”

335 Islip Settled
In 1683 William Nicholl bought a tract of land from the Connetquot Indians. He called his manor Islip after his hometown in England.

335 Suffolk County Established
In 1683 Suffolk County was founded as one the 12 original counties of the Province of New York. The original boundary remains largely intact.

330 Youngs-Coyle House
The oldest house in Greenport, known today as the Youngs-Coyle House, was built by Col. John Youngs, the eldest son of the Rev. John Youngs, the Puritan minister who founded Southold Town in 1640. Back then the house was located on what is now Robinson Road, at the head of Sterling Creek. The house was enlarged in 1727 and was operating as a duck farm in 1901.

At that point, according to research done by Jerry Cibulski, the home’s listing agent when it sold in 2016, another house was built to the north. The owner of that home decided the Young-Coyle home hid his view of Greenport Harbor.

The home was then divided into three sections: The kitchen wing was moved to a lot on Second Street, the mill was relocated to Route 48, near Sterling Cemetery, and the house itself was moved to its current location on Champlin Place.

315 The Southampton Supplementary Indian Deed of 1703 Signed
This deed reserved certain privileges to the Shinnecock, including hunting rights, on the Shinnecock Tract, which includes what is today the Stony Brook Southampton Campus, the Shinnecock Hills Golf Course (according to the Tribe, burial grounds were dug up to create traps and bunkers for the course) and luxury homes in the Shinnecock Hills neighborhood.

The Shinnecocks supposedly gave up the lease, signed for 1,000 years, in 1859. Modern tribal leaders, however, noted that many of the Shinnecock signatures were illegitimate. A legal battle ensued, which the Shinnecock ultimately lost in 2016.

285 Sylvester Manor Built
The Sylvester Manor we see today was built by the grandson of Nathaniel Sylvester, who built the original manor in 1652, 366 years ago. sylvestermanor.org

275 Shelter Island Presbyterian Church
In 1743—the same year in which Thomas Jefferson was born—the first church building was erected, on same the site as the present structure of the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church. It wasn’t until the ministry of the Reverend Daniel Hall, which began in 1806, however, that a statement of faith and covenant was written “that was conformable to the order and discipline of the Presbyterian Church.”

260 An Old Tree
In 1757, at the age of 25, Isaac Van Scoy married Mercy Edwards and cleared land for a farm in Northwest Woods. When their first child was born in 1758, he planted, which was five feet high. In 1934 the tree was 98 feet high and measured 17 feet 5 inches in circumference one foot above the ground. It blew down in the 1938 hurricane, but bits of it still lie on the ground.

225 First Circulating Library in Southampton Established
The first circulating library in Southampton Town opened in Bridgehampton in 1793. It consisted of 173 volumes at the home of Mr. Levi Hildreth, who, in lieu of payment, was permitted to read the books. It was mainly the efforts of Stephen Burroughs, a teacher, which resulted in the library, though the book selection was a matter of controversy between him and the Rev. Woolworth.

Burroughs was described in History of Southampton New York (1918) as “possessing much personal magnetism and intellectual curiosity” while being “a person of decided opinions and undecided morals.”

215 Sag Harbor Volunteer Fire Department Established
The Village has the great distinction of having the first Fire Department in the State of New York, having been established by Chapter 58 of the Laws of New York of 1803.

205 Wainscott Windmill Built
Perhaps the East End’s most well-travelled windmill, the one currently on the grounds of the Georgica Association was built in Southampton in 1813. In 1858 it was moved to Wainscott, eventually becoming the Wainscott Public Library in 1912. It was moved to Montauk in 1922, before making the move to Georgica.

190 Happy Birthday Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage (Mrs. Russell Sage)
By far the greatest philanthropist Sag Harbor has ever known—though April Gornik is certainly chasing her coattails—Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage was responsible for, among other things, Mashashimuet Park, Pierson High School and a now demolished brick railroad depot in the village.

In 1909, Sage, comfortably ensconced in her mansion (which is now the Sag Harbor Whaling and Historical Museum), decided that Sag Harbor needed its own library. She then initiated the most expensive real estate transaction in the village at that point, purchasing the land across Main Street for $10,000 (approximately $300,000 in 2018 money) on which the John Jermain Memorial Library was built. She then endowed it.

180 Greenport Village Incorporated
In the mid 1600s, a group of colonists from Connecticut crossed Long Island Sound and settled in the township of Southold, which includes what is now the Village of Greenport.

Over the course of its long history, Greenport has been known by several different names including Winter Harbor, Stirling, and Green Hill. At a public meeting in 1831, the name Greenport was officially adopted. Greenport became an incorporated village in 1838. villageofgreenport.org

175 First Presbyterian Church Erected in Southampton Village
The present beautiful “wood gothic” church was built in 1843. The church was enlarged in 1895, and a three-story Christian Education building was constructed in 1957. In 1965, during the Civil Rights Movement, the Bethel Presbyterian Church (the first African American Presbyterian Church on Long Island) merged with “First Church.” 1stpresbyterian.church

175 Orient Congressional Church
Orient Congregational Church was founded in 1717, and is the oldest United Church of Christ church in New York State. The church building in Orient, with its Tiffany-style windows, was built in 1843. orientcong.org

160 Ponquogue Lighthouse in Hampton Bays Built
At 170 feet tall, the Ponquogue Lighthouse in Hampton Bays was completed in 1858. It was demolished in 1948.

160 Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in East Hampton Built
Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church at 18 James Lane in East Hampton was built in 1858. That building was replaced by the current, stone edifice in 1910. stlukeseasthampton.org

145 Turkey Bridge in Westhampton Built
Turkey Bridge, the first bridge to be built across Aspatuck Creek, carried Westhampton’s East Main Street on to Quiogue.

145 Race Rock Lighthouse on Fishers Island
In 1838, $3,000 was appropriated by Congress for a lighthouse at Race Rock Reef, a dangerous set of rocks in Long Island Sound, southwest of Fishers Island, but the money was never expended.

In 1852, the Lighthouse Board reported: “Various efforts have been made, and numerous appropriations expended, in endeavoring to place an efficient and permanent mark on this point. Buoys cannot be kept on it, and spindles have hitherto only remained until the breaking up of the ice in the spring.” Construction began in April 1871. The lighthouse was completed, at a total cost of $278,716, in 1873.

145 First Peking Ducks Arrive on Long Island
A New York merchant named James Palmer left Peking, China with 25 ducks in 1873. Four months later he arrived in New York with nine surviving ducks, which are the ancestors to all of Long Island’s Peking ducks. A man by the name of Warren Washington Hallock started raising this new breed. Within several years, his small duck farm had grown and led to additional farmers deciding to try their hand at the business as well.

Eventually these businesses led to Eastport being known as the “Duck Capital” of the world. The industry prospered for nearly 80 years until New York State set regulations to help curb the pollution from these farms, resulting in the closure of many smaller duck farms.

Curiously, according to the Westhampton Beach Historical Society, though the bay appears cleaner now, when the duck farms were most abundant—so were the clams, mussels and fish. Even eels and crabs were so abundant that they were shipped by the barrel to New York. Yet today, eels are practically nonexistent.

120 Maidstone Inn Begins Construction
Construction of the Maidstone Inn, built by the Maidstone Improvement Company, began in 1898 and was completed in 1901. The Inn was designed by architect Isaac H. Green Jr. of Sayville, who also designed the Maidstone Club’s first two clubhouses (which burned down in 1901 and 1921), Dr. Everett Herrick’s Pudding Hill house on Ocean Avenue, and Lorenzo G. Woodhouse’s Greycroft on Huntting Lane. The Maidstone Inn was considered to be East Hampton’s first hotel and the largest structure ever built in town at the time. Located on Maidstone Lane near the Maidstone Club’s first clubhouse, it was perfectly situated for receiving summer visitors and club members. themaidstone.com

120 The Cost of Things
An advertisement in an 1898 Brooklyn Daily Eagle advertised Mattituck’s Klein Harbor Inn, offering boating, fishing, crabbing, a stable, fruits, piano and “the best German Table” for $7–$10 per week.

120 Franklinville Becomes Laurel
An 1873 map of Riverhead shows a town called Franklinville. In 1898, the residents built a post office, only to discover a Franklinville already existed in Cattaraugus County in Western New York. A vote was taken to rename the place. The final tally was Laurel 13, Sequana 9.

115 The Griffing House Built
The Griffing House at 268 Main Street in Westhampton Beach was built in 1803 and served as a tavern and inn for stagecoach runs between Sag Harbor and Brooklyn. The stagecoach began running in 1772 and took three days to make the run, at a cost of $2.25.

115 Oakland Cemetery Gate
In October, 1903 the Ladies Village Improvement Society unveiled a new memorial gate at Oakland Cemetery in Sag Harbor.

110 Pierson High School Opened
Pierson High School in Sag Harbor, built in 1907, was opened in January 1908 and dedicated in June. The project was spearheaded by Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage, perhaps better known as Mrs. Russell Sage, who donated approximately $100,000 to the project. sagharborschools.org

110 Mashashimuet Park, Sag Harbor
While the park has a longer history—Hamptons Driving Park and Fair Grounds Association was formed there is 1874— it was in 1908 that Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage, saddened by the state of what is now called Mashashimuet Park, purchased the parkland for $5,000 and hired a landscaping firm to beautify it. Two years later she purchased Otter Pond across the street, added that land to the park, and, in 1920, ceded all the property to the Sag Harbor Park and Recreation Association. mashashimuetpark.org

110 St. John’s Episcopal Church
The land upon which St. John’s is located was first purchased by Thomas Topping in 1650. In succeeding generations it passed from several Toppings, Howells, Herricks and Rogers until 1911, when the owner at that time, Albert Foster, sold it, for $8,000, to the Mission of St. John’s Church, which was established in 1908 under Vicar Samuel C. Fish. Until then, the Mission had been holding services in the Parrish Art Museum. stjohnsouthampton.org

110 Happy Birthday Lee Krasner
A leader of the Abstract Expressionist movement on the East End, Lee Krasner is perhaps best known as the wife of the paint-dripping artist and proof of the adage that behind every great man is a great woman. Krasner, after all, helped devise the “all-over” technique that influenced Jackson Pollock, and she is the one who introduced him to Willem de Kooning and Clement Greenberg, among others.

100 Our Lady of Poland Roman Catholic Church
In 1918 Polish immigrants in Southampton founded Our Lady of Poland Roman Catholic church at 35 Maple Street in the village. olpchurch.org

100 Happy Birthday Elaine de Kooning
Her husband may be better known, but Elaine de Kooning was, in great her own right, an Abstract Expressionist and Figurative Expressionist painter in the post-World War II era. She also wrote extensively on art of the period and was an editorial associate for ARTnews magazine. And 31 years ago, she was the first artist to create original cover art for Dan’s Papers.

95 105 Newtown Lane Built
Currently home to Mary’s Marvelous, 105 Newtown Lane was built by Albert Cavagnaro in 1923. Cavagnara opened a combination delicatessen and grocery store on the ground floor.

95 Present Day East Hampton Middle School Built
The original East Hampton High School—now the East Hampton Middle School was erected in 1923. A two-story brick building, it has since been enlarged several times.

95 The Original Patchogue Theatre Opens
The historic Patchogue Theatre originally opened as Ward & Glynne’s Theater in 1923. In its day, the Theatre attracted first-run feature films, Broadway productions, silent films and the very best in burlesque, vaudeville and live music performances. During its early years, the price of admission was only 40 cents for adults and half that price for children.

The Theatre continued to operate solely as a movie house, and in 1982, the ground floor was divided into two theater screens, with the addition of a ceiling, to extend the balcony level for a third screen. Essentially, this turned the Theatre into a “triplex,” in which configuration it continued to operate until 1987, when the building was closed.

90 Westhampton Beach Incorporated
In 1928 the 3-square-mile area we know today as the Village of Westhampton Beach was officially incorporated as the Village of Westhampton Beach. westhamptonbeach.org

85 The Suffolk Theater Opens
The 350-seat Suffolk Theater, a unique Art Deco movie theater in downtown Riverhead, opened on December 30, 1933. According to newspapers of the day, more than 2,000 people attended the opening night festivities and it was hailed as “Long Island’s prettiest and most complete playhouse.”

R. Thomas Short, of the New York firm, Harde and Short, was the original architect. Mr. Short’s legacy includes 11 movie theaters on Long Island. Notably, The Suffolk Theater is the last remaining movie house built by Short and is also the last remaining large Art Deco theater on Long Island. The theater was built as a National Recovery Act project for the Century Theater circuit chain. suffolktheater.com

80 Hurricane of ’38
In September, 1938 “The Long Island Express” devastated the East End. The Dune Road area of Westhampton Beach was obliterated; the surge turned Montauk into an island as it flooded across the South Fork at Napeague.

Ten new inlets were created, including the Shinnecock Inlet. The surge rearranged the sand at the Cedar Point Lighthouse so that the island became connected to what is now Cedar Point County Park. High winds toppled the steeple of the Old Whalers’ Church. The storm then continued on, wreaking havoc in New England.

80 Guild Hall Artist Members Exhibition
If you’re reading this, unfortunately, you’re too late to see this year’s Members Exhibition, which closed Saturday May 19. The community-centered exhibition is an opportunity to celebrate the artists who live and work here. Artists from every level participate in this exhibition to show their support of Guild Hall and its role in their life as their community Museum, Theater and Educational Art Center. guildhall.org

80 Edwards Theater in East Hampton Built
Edwards Theater on Main Street in East Hampton was constructed in 1938. The theater had 1,035 seats, smoking lounges and chandeliers. A matinee at Edwards cost only 15 cents. It burned down on April 14, 1964. A new theater was built on the location.

70 Artists & Writers Softball Game
Willem de Kooning at bat, Franz Kline catching and Harold Kanovitz calling balls and strikes? That was the scene in Wilfrid Zogbaum’s front yard in Springs in 1948 during the first Artists & Writers Game. The game was originally played by artists including Kline, de Kooning, Philip Pavia, Jackson Pollock and Joan Mitchell.

Everyone brought a dish. Some brought drinks. Two writers joined the picnic, Barney Rosset of Grove Press and art critic Harold Rosenberg. The rest, as they say, is history. artistswritersgame.org. This year’s game will take place Saturday, August 28 at Herrick Park in East Hampton.

65 Bays Theater in Hampton Bays Closes
Bays Theater, after suffering damage in a 1947 fire, showed its last film in 1953.

50 The Wharf Shop in Sag Harbor
The Wharf Shop is a family-owned business serving historic Sag Harbor since 1968. The shop was opened by Nada Barry—ex-wife of Bob Barry who built the gift shop at Baron’s Cove in the 1960s—and Renee Norman. An art gallery was also opened in the space, which Barry believes to be the first such gallery in Sag Harbor. wharfshop.com

50 Kent Animal Shelter
The Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton was established in 1968 as a private nonprofit haven for homeless pets. “The mission has remained the same, but growth has been tremendous,” says Pamela Green, its longtime Executive Director. The Shelter’s spay/neuter clinic, built in 1974, offers one of the lowest cost, highest quality sterilization surgeries on Long Island.

Each year, it spays or neuters over 4,000 pets, reducing homeless pet populations by millions. Recently, the shelter achieved a four-star rating from Charity Navigator in recognition of its financial soundness and organizational transparency. Each year Kent Animal Shelter rescues and finds homes for more than 700 dogs and cats and relies entirely on private donations, grants and service fees for its operation. kentanimalshelter.com

45 First North Fork Vineyard Established
In 1973, the first vineyard was established on the North Fork, in Cutchogue, by Louisa and Alex Hargrave.

40 New Moon Café
Shana and Ron “Ole Tex” Campsey opened the family-owned Tex-Mex restaurant in the heart of East Quogue in 1978. newmooncafeeq.com

35 Peconic Land Trust
The Peconic Land Trust was established in 1983 by John v.H. Halsey and a small group of local residents to ensure the protection of Long Island’s working farms, natural lands and heritage. Since then, the Trust has worked diligently with landowners, communities, municipalities and partner organizations to protect 12,000 acres of land, conserving more working farms on Long Island than any other private conservation organization, and securing millions of dollars from the public and private sector for land protection. peconiclandtrust.org

35 Citarella founded in NYC
The story of the Citarella we know and love today began in 1983 when Joe Gurrera bought a beloved neighborhood seafood shop on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, also called Citarella, around since 1912. At the time, the store was small (occupying just a fraction of the space that Citarella’s flagship location does today), but Gurrera saw it as an opportunity to build on his love of seafood in this local treasure.

Today, Gurrera owns a seafood wholesale company, a seafood supply business, an online seafood store that ships nationwide and multiple Citarella markets across New York City, the Hamptons and Greenwich, Connecticut. citarella.com

30 Wölffer Estate Vineyard
Wölffer Estate Vineyard & Stables was the realization of Christian Wölffer’s lifelong dream. Today, Christian’s one-time weekend getaway on the East End spans more than 170 acres, including his acclaimed 55-acre Wölffer Estate Vineyard. After Christian’s passing in 2008, his children, Joey and Marc Wölffer, and Winemaker/Partner Roman Roth, continued his legacy—producing elegant, fashionable, food-friendly wines and keeping the extraordinary style and creativity that was Christian’s trademark very much alive. wolffer.com

30 Mickey Paraskevas’s 30th Danniversary
Michael Paraskevas has been creating original art and the Green Monkeys cartoon for Dan’s Papers since 1988. He’s also illustrated and written more than 20 children’s books. He and his mother, Betty, created the animated television series Maggie and the Ferocious Beast for Nickelodeon, and two of their books were made into animated series: Marvin the Tap Dancing Horse for PBS and Kids from Room 402 for Fox Family.

Paraskevas’s large-scale beach paintings have sold all over the world through his gallery in the Hamptons. Paraskevas works in acrylic, oil, watercolor, or in whatever the mood suits him at the moment. He also works digitally. michaelparaskevas.com

30 Gene Casey Formed the Lone Sharks
Gene Casey formed the Lone Sharks after moving to Long Island’s East End in 1988, having received his baptism performing in the New York area (Mudd Club, CBGBs, Maxwell’s) during the waning days of punk/New Wave.

The Lone Sharks became a mainstay in the late 1990s Hamptons music scene, when bars were plentiful and audiences robust and loyal.

Throughout the ’90s and into the new century Gene and the evolving line-up of Sharks were the house band at The Wild Rose Cafe, a Bridgehampton night spot where packed houses danced to the roots rock and swing. Today, Gene Casey and the Lone Sharks is a Dan’s Best of the Best Hall of Famer. genecasey.com

30 Nick & Toni’s
Opened in 1988, Nick & Toni’s in East Hampton remains a charming and dependable table for a delicious and seasonally inspired meal in a community ripe with edible bounty. nickandtonis.com

25 West Hampton Dunes Incorporated
The area was practically obliterated in the Hurricane of 1938, and again in 1991 by the Halloween nor’easter (also known as the Perfect Storm), and once again in another nor’easter in 1992. What these area homeowners were looking for—and ultimately got with incorporation—was a say in how the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers handled revitalizing the barrier beach. The replenished beaches are now home to more than 170 homes—many, perhaps most, built after the 1991 Nor’easter.

25 First Female Justice in Southampton Town
Deborah Kooperstein, the first female justice in the Town of Southampton, was appointed to that position, in a 3 to 2 board vote, following the death of long time justice Mercator Kendrick.

25 Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth Founded
Since the birth of Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY) in 1993, the organization evolved and formed the LGBT Network (The Network), an association of nonprofits, including LIGALY, that serves the Long Island and Queens communities. LIGALY and The Network’s history is marked with achievements in community organizing, advocacy and education that has moved the needle forward to create change and equality and social justice for countless families. lgbtnetwork.com

25 Pristine Pools Founded
Pristine Pools, located in East Hampton, has built a stellar reputation over the last 25 years by designing exceptional poolscapes that defy the norm. Impeccable quality control, cutting-edge designs and a wealth of knowledge and experience are the cornerstone of Pristine Pools. swimpristinepools.com

25 Sen Restaurant
Owners and brothers, Jesse and Tora Matsuoka, and Jeff Resnick along with Chef Courtney Sypher are about to reopen Sen, Sag Harbor’s Japanese restaurant and sushi bar, after extensive renovations. The expansion celebrates their 25th year in business. senrestaurant.com

25 Unlimited Earthcare
Award-winning designer Frederico Azevedo and his specialist planting and care team have been making the East End even more beautiful for the 25 years. unlimitedearthcare.com

20 Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
The space first opened in June 1932 as the Westhampton Theatre, a John Eberson–designed building. The building was later purchased by United Artists and converted to a single-theater movie house. By the mid-1990s, the theater was “not financially viable” and was set to be demolished.

In 1996, a group of concerned village residents and business bought the theater for $300,000. On July 4, 1998, the new Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center reopened its doors to the public and it has since become one of the most important cultural institutions on the East End. whbpac.org

20 Patchogue Theatre Reopens
After being closed for nearly a decade, three local businessmen came up with the funds to purchase the Patchogue Theatre in 1996, while the Incorporated Village of Patchogue applied for grants to renovate and restore the venue to its former glory. The Theatre’s interior was restored to its 1923 grandeur in several phases and Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts (PTPA) opened for business with its first performance in December of 1998. patchoguetheatre.org

20 Pink Pearl Gala
This event a celebration of survivors, providers caregivers and supporters of the North Fork Breast Health Coalition. northforkbreasthealth.org

20 Ann Liguori Foundation Charity Golf Classic
National sports talk show host Ann Liguori hosts her 20th Annual Ann Liguori Foundation Charity Golf Classic on June 4 at the Atlantic Golf Club in Bridgehampton. The famed U.S. Open Championship Trophy will be on hand at Ligouri’s charity tourney for golfers to pose with, a week before the champion of the U.S. Open will hoist it aloft at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Course in Southampton. annliguori.com

15 Wine Country History
A 2003 newspaper article states “Long Island Wine Country has more than 3,000 acres of grapes and 27 wineries.” Today there are more than 60.

10 Terrie Sultan Appointed Parrish Art Museum Director
Terrie Sultan, who oversaw design and construction of the Parrish Art Museum’s 34,000-square-foot building in Water Mill was appointed Director of the Parrish Art Museum in January 2008.

In addition to bringing the project to fruition, Sultan advanced the Parrish’s reputation as an internationally recognized art museum and firmly established the Parrish as a dynamic cultural gathering place for the region through her broad community initiatives and involvement.

During her tenure, the Parrish Art Museum has presented more than 80 exhibitions, produced 22 scholarly art publications and enhanced its collection to include more than works by artists who continue the creative legacy of the East End.

“Having the opportunity to lead this august institution into a new era has been extremely rewarding,” Sultan says. “Completing the new building is just the beginning of what the Parrish can achieve, and I’m looking forward to continuing to guide the Museum as we look to what the future will bring to the Parrish, the region, and the world.” parrish.org

10 Montauk Lighthouse Lighting
Every year at the end of November the Montauk Lighthouse is lit up to celebrate the holiday season. The lighting is organized by a self-funding nonprofit entity, which relies solely on patrons to support the site. montauklighthouse.com

10 Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) SummerDocs
For 10 years, SummerDocs host (and HIFF Co-Chair) Alec Baldwin has presented new and groundbreaking documentary filmmaking and thought-provoking stories to the East End. This year’s films will be Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind, Bathtubs Over Broadway and Chef Flynn.

5 Suffolk Theater Reopens
After opening in 1933, Suffolk Theater was a central attraction in Riverhead for many years. Unfortunately, changes in shopping habits, a shifting economy and the birth of the multiplex forced The Suffolk Theater to close in 1987. The theater was for sale from 1987 until 1994 when the Town of Riverhead purchased it. The theater then remained closed for 18 years.

In 2005, Dianne and Bob Castaldi purchased The Suffolk Theater with the vision of creating a unique, state-of-the-art performing arts center. The Suffolk Theater restoration project took a major, public step forward on September 2, 2011 with the lighting of the theater’s state-of-the-art LED marquee.

Finally, after years of work, the ribbon cutting for The Suffolk Theater took place on March 1, 2013, as the period-costumed newsboys shouted “Extra, extra, read all about it! The Suffolk Theater re-opens!” The theater officially re-opened to the public on March 2, 2013. suffolktheater.com

5 Fireside Sessions with Nancy Atlas
2017 marked the fifth year that the Fireside Sessions with Nancy Atlas helped East Enders shake off the winter blues with hot music performed live at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. nancyatlas.com

5 Chef Rozzi
This year, chef Michael Rozzi celebrates five years at The 1770 House and his 20th year cooking at various East Hampton Main Street mainstays.

5 New Works Festival at Bay Street Theater
Bay Street’s New Work Festival includes readings of new plays by exciting and emerging playwrights. The focus of the festival is to give the playwrights a chance to hear their works in development in front of an audience and to give the audience at Bay Street and East End Community a chance to experience cutting edge voices in the theater. baystreet.org

5 Amagansett Food Institute
The Amagansett Food Institute (AFI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization comprised of farmers, food producers and food consumers on the East End. AFI understands that the well-being of our community and environment is tied to the ways we produce and distribute food. Through this understanding, AFI supports those who cultivate the health of both, as they are the basis of our sustenance. amagansettfoodinstitute.org