Celebrating Día de los Muertos in 2025 (Photo: Petite North Fork)
I’m not sure how, given that October began liiiiike yesterday, but November is here. This month, we’ll spend our days hiking on North Fork trails, learning about the circle of life, casting our votes, and kicking off the holiday season with some of our favorite events. Read on for details on our November plans on the North Fork with kids.
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Celebrating Día de los Muertos, Mattituck
On Sunday, November 1, from 1 to 3 p.m., we’ll be joining Sonia Spar, Town of Southold's Spanish Community Relations Specialist, Jennifer Murray of Turtleback Environmental Education Center, and Carmen Campos of Puppeted, for the third annual Día de los Muertos event—a bilingual, family event where we’ll craft, hike, scavenger hunt, eat, and enjoy a puppet show about Monarch migration and its cultural significance. This year’s event will take place at Bailie Beach and Bailie Beach Lodge in Mattituck. It is free and open to all.
Visiting with Santa, touring historic houses, and counting down for our favorite tree lighting at the Candlelight Tour & Tree Lighting, Southold
This event is one of our family’s very favorite North Fork events. There’s something so Hallmark-y about visiting with Santa in an old barn, taking tours of historical houses, watching traditional demonstrations, playing classic children’s games, and then watching the lighting of the prettiest Christmas tree on the North Fork with friends and neighbors. Magical, right?! This year’s Candlelight Tour and Tree Lighting, presented by the Southold Historical Museum, will take place on Friday, November 27, from 3 to 6 p.m. This sweet holiday event is free and open to all.
Shopping for produce and provisions at the Riverhead Farmers Market, Riverhead
As longtime fans of the Riverhead Farmers Market, our family was delighted to learn about its move into Hallockville Museum Farm’s Naugles Barn. On Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, beginning November 7 and running through April 24 (plus a one-off Sunday market on December 6), Hallockville Museum Farm will serve as home to the Riverhead Farmers Market in its historic Naugles Barn. The barn, which underwent extensive upgrades in 2025, including heat and bathrooms, will host upwards of 30 local farmers, artisans, and vendors, making an easy one-stop shop for all things farm to table and beyond. Our crew loves to shop for winter produce, healthy snacks, and locally made goods such as beeswax candles and balms.
Hiking family-friendly North Fork Trails all month, but especially on Thanksgiving, North Fork
With the sounds of leaves crunching underfoot, November is our family’s favorite month to hike. You’ll find us on a North Fork trail weekly, but especially on Thanksgiving morning — a beloved, annual family tradition. Lucky for us North Forkers, the North Fork has plenty of hiking trails with every variation, including length, landscape, ease, and access. If you’re wondering where to begin, here are some of our favorites.
Ooohing and aaahing at the Festival of Trees, Peconic
The Festival of Trees is back for its seventh year. This winter wonderland event and fundraiser, presented by Peeko Oysters and vitally supporting CAST, will take place on Saturday, November 21, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sunday, November 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Treiber Farms in Peconic. Our family loves to vote (and bid!) on our favorite uniquely decorated and locally sponsored trees and wreaths, enjoy live music, and nosh on sweets and treats from the Cookie Cottage concession stand.
Spending time outside with Group for the East End, Cutchogue
When scheduling time outdoors with friends, we always look to Group for the East End’s event calendar to see what happenings they have planned. This month, Group for the East End has two kid-friendly events scheduled: a Leaf Litter Craft workshop on Saturday, November 7, and a Kids’ Birding Hour on Sunday, November 15, both at Downs Farm Preserve in Cutchogue. At the Leaf Litter Workshop, which will run from 1 to 2 p.m., we’ll use nature as art supplies and collect colorful fallen leaves to turn into creations, while learning about the plants and animals that visit the preserve. At the Kids’ Birding Hour, attendees will check out and identify the birds along the trails at the preserve. Binoculars are suggested. Although these events are free and open to all, both events require registration. Register here.
Watching “Hoppers” with neighbors and friends at Mattituck Park District’s Movie Night, Mattituck
On the evening of Saturday, November 7, beginning at 7 p.m., we’ll be meeting friends and neighbors at Veterans Beach in Mattituck as Mattituck Park District presents a movie night screening of “Hoppers”. This family-friendly, free movie night is open to all, not just park district residents, and will include complimentary popcorn. Get there early for a good spot! More info here.
Decorating Thanksgiving-themed sweet treats at The Sweet Escape Macarons, Wading River
With school out on Veterans Day (Wednesday, November 11), The Sweet Escape Macarons, located in The Shoppes at East Wind, has planned a Thanksgiving Chocolate Party with time slots from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There, kids will enjoy making Thanksgiving-themed treats and chocolate and playing themed games. The cost per child is $25, and reservations can be booked here.
Voting on our favorite cookies at Floyd Memorial Library’s Cookie Vote and Storytime, Greenport
Get your kids into the habit of voting with Floyd Memorial Library’s Cookie Vote taking place on Tuesday, November 3rd. Stop by the library’s Children’s Room between 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. for your child to place their vote for their favorite cookie. At 6 p.m., library visitors can enjoy a special story time featuring “The Cookie Vote” by Margaret McNamara and a “Schoolhouse Rock” short film viewing party. This event is open to all library cardholders and is not limited to Floyd Memorial Library cardholders. However, registration is strongly suggested.
Hunting for treasure with map #29 of Greenie Supply Treasure Maps, Port of Egypt, Southold (map vending location)
Our family has never been shy about our love of Greenie Supply Treasure Maps. I’ve actually lost count of how many maps we’ve completed since the very beginning, even if we’ve needed a hint or two on a few along the way. These $5 treasure hunting maps, which can be purchased in the map vending machine at “The Old Port of Egypt Fishing Station,” are fun for the whole family, requiring even the youngest in tow to pitch in—hello, expert hole diggers! This month, our fam is excited to put our love and knowledge of the North Fork to the test with the latest treasure map, #29.