The Beat

Farmingdale, NY (July 11, 2025) – American Airpower Museum and Honor Flight Long Island will co-host a Patriotic Reunion on August 2nd, reuniting 45 veterans who took a free Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. on May 3, 2025.  These Long Island heroes visited their military memorials, commiserated with fellow veterans and exchanged stories.  Honor Flight’s mission is to honor fellow Long Islanders who served in the Armed Forces of the United States, by honoring them with free, one-day trips to D.C.

Stony Brook, N.Y. — The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) recently announced the lineup of films to be screened and the expected guests at its first-ever LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival, taking place August 8^th-10^th. The festival will be held at LIMEHOF’s Stony Brook location (97 Main Street, Stony Brook, NY) and will begin at 11 a.m. and runs into the evening each day. Check this web page for the full schedule.

July 26 Open Water Swim Brings 800+ Swimmers and Volunteers to Dive Into Long Island Sound to Support Cancer Research + 8 Additional Pool Swims Support Kids Swimming for Kids

Larchmont, N.Y. - Join the 33rd annual Swim Across America - Long Island Sound open water swim to make waves to fight cancer on Saturday, July 26, 2025. This fun and inspiring event attracts more than 800 swimmers, volunteers, supporters and spectators, and is Swim Across America's largest open water swim in the U.S. With swim lengths of 2K, 5K and 10K, plus a 1/2-mile pool swim on July 26, the swim has an event for everyone. There are also an additional eight pool swims starting June 27 and running through August 2 at area clubs that are KIDS Swimming FOR KIDS in support of pediatric cancer research.

Stirring Up History Workshop

Riverhead, N.Y. - Hallockville Museum Farm, the 28-acre, preserved North Fork farm homestead at 6038 Sound Avenue in Riverhead, invites ice cream fans and foodies to a hands-on workshop July 13 entitled, “Stirring up History: Early Ice Cream Making and Victorian Ice Cream Molds.” Historical cook Diane Schwindt will explain the history of ice cream and demonstrate how it was made. Participants will help to swirl the salt and ice-packed sarbotiere to make ice cream and then try out antique ice cream molds and enjoy a sample of their creation on a homeade waffle.

Dinosaurs, Art, STEM, Theater & Waterplay — All at Affordable Prices

Garden City, N.Y. - This summer, Long Island Children's Museum invites families to dive into a world of daily discoveries with exciting activities ranging from dinosaur explorations to creative art projects, STEM challenges and interactive theater performances. The Museum's programming calendar is designed for families seeking enriching, hands-on activities to keep kids engaged and entertained throughout the summer. LICM offers a welcoming space where parents and children can explore, learn and create together — providing activity options to keep kids engaged all summer long. 

Garden City, N.Y. - The Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM) will host an Arrival Ceremony on Monday, June 30, to commemorate the arrival of a newly crafted 10-foot white pine mishoon. The traditional dugout canoe, commissioned by LICM, was created under the leadership of Shinnecock Cultural Steward Chenae Bullock, in collaboration with her mentor Darius Coombs (Mashpee Wampanoag) and apprentice Shane Weeks (Shinnecock).

A Bold New Addition to Long Island’s Landscape and Artistic Legacy

Oyster Bay, N.Y. – A century after its creation as an exclusive private estate, Planting Fields is once again on the cusp of redefining its legacy with the unveiling of a new addition: the Piet Oudolf Garden. Designed by Piet Oudolf, the world-renowned landscape designer whose visionary, naturalistic gardens have reshaped the global landscape design scene, this new space will make its debut in summer 2026. It is a move that promises to elevate Long Island as a must-visit destination for art, nature, and architecture lovers from across the globe.

Stony Brook, NY (June 9, 2025) – The wait is over! The Stony Brook Film Festival has officially released the full schedule for its milestone 30th anniversary, from July 17–26 at Staller Center for the Arts. This summer promises more bold, original storytelling that has defined the Festival for three decades. The 2025 Festival will showcase 36 films from 19 countries, including world premieres, U.S. debuts, and exclusive screenings that can only be experienced in person—on the region’s largest screen—at Staller.

Event features a student poetry open mic, live music, a mini hip-hopera, and a tribute to the first published Black poet in the United States