The New Suffolk Waterfront, a family-friendly destination for fun and community, is now offering Kids’ Activities on Wednesday nights
Whether you’re there to watch the Wednesday Night Races or to attend a thoughtfully designed children’s workshop, the New Suffolk Waterfront is one of the North Fork’s best nooks for family-friendly fun and community.
“The Waterfront has been the hub of New Suffolk for more than two centuries. Its views of Peconic Bay and Cutchogue Harbor, its historical ties to US Naval Submarine history, aquaculture, sailing, and recreation all serve to make it a popular, yet still somewhat ‘under the radar’ destination for North Forkers and Long Islanders in general,” shared Nancy Liberman, Board Chair of the New Suffolk Waterfront Fund, the organization that holds and protects the 2.5-acre parcel that comprises the New Suffolk Waterfront, including community gardens, Steamboat Wharf, a 13-slip marina and transient dock, a native plant meadow, and the historic Galley Ho restaurant building, which is the current home of Minnow at The Galley Ho.
“The New Suffolk Waterfront is indicative of the true spirit of the North Fork: welcoming, friendly, and committed to conservation, education, and connection to the land and water. Historically, it's been a place to gather, to explore, to create, and to nurture,” added Nancy.
And for years our crew has been doing just that as we watch the Wednesday Night Races — a weekly regatta where a mix of seasoned sailors and newcomers partake in an informal sailboat race around Robins Island through Peconic Bay Sailing Association. There, we spill onto the Waterfront wharf and lawn, armed with blankets and picnic dinners, to gather with friends and family.
“Wednesday Night sailboat races have been an integral part of the community of New Suffolk for over a century,” explained Nancy. “Although we don't provide direct support to the races themselves, we have always been an informal and de facto venue for gathering and viewing the start and finish of each race.
This year, the New Suffolk Waterfront Fund, whose focus is education, conservation, and community involvement, actively invites families with children to discover and partake in the Wednesday night tradition, providing child-friendly educational activities from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. each week through August 26. This weekly Kids’ Activities hour offers free supervised play with games, art, music, conservation, and maritime activities for kids grades K-6.
The Waterfront’s family-friendly efforts don’t stop there. Nancy shared about the upcoming kid-friendly and child-centric offerings that the New Suffolk Waterfront Fund has in store this summer.
“We also provide community educational experiences focused on the natural environment and history of the Waterfront, and partner with outside organizations by providing a unique venue for hosting small, educational events for all ages. Families can engage in a wide variety of activities at the Waterfront, whether it's Wednesday night sailing races, our Summer Friday lecture series, or fishing and seining workshops for kids and adults,” Nancy told us. “We have a seining workshop for kids coming up on July 22, as well as fishing lessons in mid-August. We are hosting a kids' Garden Art workshop on August 15, highlighting our native planting efforts in the front meadow. We also provide an excellent launch point for small paddle craft for exploration of the creeks surrounding Cutchogue Harbor, as well as a convenient docking point for boaters looking to discover a unique area of the North Fork.”
The New Suffolk Waterfront Fund is always looking for new volunteers and active community members to help continue the legacy of the Waterfront and to shape the future of the organization. Reach out to nswfevents@gmail.com to get involved or learn more.