Good Morning,

Bellport’s girls track team earned All-County honors, more than 2,100 winter coats were collected for neighbors in need, and the Patchogue Polar Plunge is set to support eight local nonprofits.

Concerts, tribute shows, art lectures, scholarship opportunities, and a St. Patrick’s Day Grand Marshal announcement round out a busy issue.

Brian Grant

Editor

Actress Sally Struthers will appear at Gateway Playhouse's Cabaret Night fundraiser for a special appearance. The event aims to raise funds for the theater's programs.

The Bellport girls' track team achieved All-County honors at the Suffolk Championships.

The Town of Brookhaven’s Annual INTERFACE Winter Coat Drive collected 2,103 coats and hundreds of additional winter items.

Farmingdale State Men's Basketball defeats St. Joseph's-Long Island in Patchogue to reach a record of 20-3.

Patchogue-Medford Library hosted an after-hours rock concert featuring local bands. The event is part of the maker space at the library. 

The New York Conference of Italian-American State Legislators is now accepting applications for its annual scholarship opportunities, giving eligible students time to apply for financial support toward their education. 

A Bellport man has been charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs in connection to a fatal pedestrian accident.

Jen McNamara, a long-time Blue Point resident and founder of the FDNY Firefighter John F. McNamara Foundation, has been named the 2026 Grand Marshal of the Bayport Blue Point St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

This honor recognizes Jen’s unwavering commitment to preserving the legacy of her late husband, John F. McNamara, and his influential motto, “Whatever It Takes.”

The Johnny Mac Foundation stands as a vital support system for first responders and families, deepening community bonds through local outreach and partnership.

Selected by the Bayport Blue Point Chamber of Commerce, Jen’s leadership shines as a trusted example of service that has touched many in Bayport and Blue Point.

On Sunday, March 15, 2026, at 11 a.m., Jen will lead the 36th Annual Parade down Montauk Highway, inviting residents to come out, celebrate, and applaud her dedication to the community.

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Art lovers in Patchogue, Medford, Bellport, Bayport, and Blue Point can anticipate a vibrant slate of events in early 2026.

On February 19, Germano returns to trace Mexico’s artistic evolution from the arrival of Cortés to the present, examining codices, Baroque architecture, modernism, and Mexican Muralism.

March 12 brings a focus on Georgia O’Keeffe and the Transcendental Painting Group, revealing the influence of the Southwest’s landscape on early American modernists.

Lectures are held at 20 Terry Street, Patchogue, and on Zoom, with advance registration required.

The Patchogue Arts Council hosts “Mexico; Past & Present,” a dynamic MoCA L.I. exhibition, while CREATE Programs offer hands-on art workshops, including “Junk Journaling” on January 12.

Residents and visitors will find rich opportunities to engage with local art, history, and culture.

• Experience the timeless music of Fleetwood Mac with TUSK, a top tribute band, at Patchogue Theatre on Feb 20, 2026.

• Patchogue Arts Council is celebrating its 18th birthday with a special party at Spy Coast on February 18th. A free raffle entry for every guest who RSVPs and attends. 

• Bellport Chamber of Commerce is hosting its Annual Installation Dinner  on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.

• Respect The Game Basketball is launching RTG East with boys travel team tryouts on February 16 at All Sportz in Melville at 100 Ruland Road. All practices held at the Boys and Girls Club in Bellport for local families.

• Professional opera singer Elizabeth Zharoff provides in-depth analysis of Cinderella's music video with an informed and insightful tone. Cinderella has a stop in Patchogue on May 8th.

• Be informed: The Village of Bellport announces a meeting for the tentative assessment roll and Board of Review on February 17, 2026, at Village Hall.

• The 2026 Patchogue Polar Plunge raising funds for eight local nonprofits is rescheduled to March 1st.

• Join an all-level Yoga class at the Henrietta Acampora Recreation Center in Blue Point, running Mondays from March 2 to April 13.

• Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts has just announced an upcoming tribute show celebrating the music of Michael Jackson with Who’s Bad hitting the stage on Saturday, May 9, 2026. PTPA member presale tickets available February 11 at 10 am and general public tickets going on sale Friday.

• Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts is hosting Taylorville, an unofficial live band celebrating the music of  Taylor Swift on Sunday, February 22. 

• Lighthouse Mission is hosting a free Easter art contest for local artists of all ages, with every entry set to be displayed in an art gallery at the mission’s main building in Bellport. The contest is open now and runs through Friday, March 6.

• Bayport Blue Point High School PTSA is inviting local families to a community conversation about kids and technology with a free event called PTA Connected Create with Kindness on Thursday, February 26, 2026.