Steal My North Fork Itinerary for September
Celebrate the North Fork’s maritime heritage at the Maritime Festival (Photo credit: Petite North Fork)
Sure, it’s hard to see summer wane, but September brings so much beauty and celebration to the North Fork, and we’re ready for it. This month, we’re going to ALL of the festivals, digging into the bounty of the North Fork with a family-friendly food (and beverage and more!) tour, and watching a classic movie outdoors with friends. But that’s not all. Read on to learn all the details of our September plans on the North Fork.
Steal My Itinerary is made possible by Lea Mommy Chef. Her custom-made treats, which are equal parts stunning and delicious, are made right here on the North Fork.
Watching The Goonies at our favorite neighborhood park
On the evening of Saturday, Sept. 6, we’re packing up our car with sweatshirts, blankets, and beach chairs and heading to our fav neighborhood park for an outdoor movie night. But not just any movie, The Goonies! The screening, made possible by the Mattituck Park District and hosted at Veterans Park in Mattituck, begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to all. Popcorn will be served.
Celebrating the North Fork’s maritime heritage at the Maritime Festival
From the annual Merry Merfolk parade to the children’s activities in Mitchell Park, the Maritime Festival is always a big hit with our fam and friends. This year, the festival will take place on Saturday, September 20, and Sunday, September 21, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., with the parade on Saturday at 11 a.m. Check the East End Seaport Museum website for the complete schedule of festival events.
Picking our weight in apples
We’re not too proud to say that we are one of those fams who pick apples multiple times each September. Whether we’re bringing along friends from out of town or want a peaceful weekday filler for our own crew, apple picking is something we look forward to every year when the weather cools. As far as the spot, we don’t discriminate! Some of our favs have been Breeze Hill Farm, Harbes Orchard, and Woodside Orchard. Look out for our Guide to North Fork Apple Picking hitting petitenorthfork.com this coming Friday.
Sampling the best of the North Fork on the North Fork Foodie Tour
Picking a favorite North Fork fall event is no easy feat, but this annual Foodie Tour always tops our list. We’ve attended this event for the past 10 years, and while it was amazing before having kids, taking the kids along to some of the more family-friendly tour stops makes the experience even better. The North Fork Foodie Tour will take place this year on Sunday, September 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. View the complete tour locations and speaker schedule here.
Strolling Orient by scooter, followed by a picnic in Poquatuck
This family-friendly activity has become a beloved tradition for our crew, and we look forward to it every early fall. With scooters and helmets, we stroll the neighborhoods surrounding Orient Village, then enjoy a picnic lunch in Poquatuck Park with food from the Orient Country Store. Just thinking of it makes me yearn for crisp, cool days.
Playing board games at The Loft
Calling it now — The Loft Board Game Café in Southold, located in the upstairs loft of Rowan Craft Boutique, is about to become a fall fav. This new spot, stocked with tons of board games and classic Skee Ball, will host its opening night on Friday, September 12, at 6 p.m. The space promises to be family-friendly and community-driven, and we are so very THERE! (Keep an eye on petitenorthfork.com for a full feature on the new space very soon!)
Having old-fashioned fun at Hallockville Museum Farm’s Country Fair
Hallockville Museum Farm celebrates 50 years of its annual Country Fair this September 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. This bucolic North Fork tradition features historic hours tours and demonstrations, plentiful children’s activities, pony rides, a meet-and-greet with farm animals, live music, and so much more. You’re likely to catch us at the old-fashioned laundry station where my children have been known to spend hours (literally) scrubbing, washing, wringing, and hanging clothes. Who would have thought that turn-of-the-century laundry would be such a hit?! Be sure to sign up for the Petite North Fork weekly newsletter so you don’t miss an upcoming event preview for this annual fair.
Getting creative at Art Lab on the Lawn
Our first Art Lab on the Lawn of the fall season is here! Join us and Artfully Long Island on Sunday, September 28, between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to craft, create, and play in an open-air, open-studio setting on the lawn at Hotel Moraine. Bring your blankets and chairs and lounge on the lawn while your kids dive into their creations. The cost per artist is $15. Reserve a spot for your fam here.
Kicking off harvest season at the Garlic Festival
The annual Long Island Garlic Festival is an event that I’ve read about many times over our decade as North Forkers, but have yet to attend. We’ll be changing that this year as we attend the “stinkiest festival on Long Island” the weekend of Saturday, 13 and 14, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Waterdrinker North Fork in Riverhead. This festival will celebrate harvest season with garlic tasting and tons of family-friendly fun on the 40-acre farm. We are most excited for the Garlic Scavenger Hunt and hay ride! More info here.
Touching all of the trucks at Touch-A-Truck
You may or may not know that I have a four-year-old TRUCK OBSESSED son. While he’ll be along for the ride (pun intended) for the rest of our September plans, there’s not much on our itinerary that he’ll be overly into — except for the laundry at the Country Fair, of course — so, when I saw this hands-on event pop up, I knew it was going on our calendar. On Sunday, September 21, from 1 to 3 p.m., at Stotzky Park in Riverhead, the Riverhead Recreation Department is hosting a Touch-A-Truck event where children are invited to get up close with community helper vehicles. I know this free, two-hour community event is going to be the highlight of his month!