Northport Journal

06/07/2026

The 65th Annual Art and Music Festival is taking place in Northport Village Park until 3pm today. Stop by to see artwork and performances by NEN district students throughout the day.

06/05/2026

The calendar is filling up, and quickly. Check out our Happenings section for so much of what's going on around town, from Pints for Pride (tonight!) and the farmers' market (tomorrow!) to art shows, a Knicks watch party, festival, pancake eating contest, family fun night and more. New listings (like summer music in the park) added weekly. Don't miss a good time: bookmark our Happenings page and check back often!

https://northportjournal.com/happenings

06/05/2026

Heffernan spoke about how, in the past, most proms weren’t safe spaces for the q***r community. For decades, the high school prom was considered a heteronormative rite of passage. It was standard practice for schools to restrict prom ticket sales to mixed-gender couples only – a student could not purchase a “couple’s ticket” with someone of the same s*x. Dress codes were also enforced, preventing many gender-nonconforming and trans students from expressing themselves in a way that felt genuine, even if they managed to attend.

By the late 1990s and 2000s, Long Island schools began to see growing resistance to anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes, driven in large part by the rise of GSAs in Nassau and Suffolk County high schools. The Northport GSA students know Pride Prom will offer a safe space for their classmates; it is the latest expression of a movement that has expanded opportunities for LGBTQ+ teens to attend prom authentically, alongside the people they choose and without fear of harassment.

Other Pride proms have been held across Long Island in the past (the LGBT Network had theirs on May 29) but travel often made them inaccessible.

Heffernan thought it would be nice to have something closer to the Northport/East Northport community just for teens, alongside Pridefest, which is more of a family event, she said. So she reached out, via the YDA, to allies in other schools, including Huntington, South Huntington, Harborfields and Commack. She also connected with people in the Half Hollow Hills, Copiague and Hicksville school districts. She researched what clubs were active, and networked.

Dell’Aquila was immediately on board and has helped with the prom’s planning and organization, securing donations to help make the event a success. Community members have pitched in to provide food, photography and decorations.

“I’m really excited, especially to have kids from other schools coming to visit us,” Heffernan said. Oftentimes, GSAs are small groups, a space for people who are already familiar with one another, she said: “Maybe you want to branch out or reach out socially, and feel part of an even larger community.”

Pride Prom, she said, was created for that.

“We have the great privilege of offering an event that’s free, that also maybe gives you the chance to meet people you haven’t met already, and form new connections and new friendships. And I just think that’s very important.”

This Saturday, June 6, the Northport High School GSA will host the school’s first-ever Pride Prom, a celebratory event where Long Island teenagers from vario...

06/02/2026

Not every community can claim a theater that regularly brings Broadway-caliber productions to its downtown. Fewer still can offer the variety audiences have experienced at the John W. Engeman Theater over the past year. From the music of Johnny Cash in Ring of Fire and the holiday tradition of A Christmas Carol to the uplifting story of Come From Away and the powerhouse vocals of The Bodyguard, the theater has consistently transported audiences to different worlds without ever leaving Main Street.

Now, the Engeman takes theatergoers even further back in time with Camelot, the classic musical inspired by the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Running through June 28, the production offers a mix of romance, loyalty, political idealism and betrayal, making for an entertaining and distinctly different experience from anything else the theater has staged this season.

Click for the full writeup and to purchase tickets.

Not every community can claim a theater that regularly brings Broadway-caliber productions to its downtown.

06/01/2026

A mandate requiring newly purchased school buses to be electric has been delayed by five years, providing a sigh of relief to state lawmakers and school officials who have voiced concerns over infrastructure needs, vehicle costs and operational reliability since the mandate was established four years ago.

A mandate requiring newly purchased school buses to be electric has been delayed by five years, providing a sigh of relief to state lawmakers and school offi...

05/29/2026

The Northport Historical Society and Museum’s annual garden tour is arriving earlier in the season this year, offering visitors the rare opportunity to experience a different array of blooms, textures and vibrant late-spring landscapes at their peak.

With the theme “America 250,” this year’s tour pays homage to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, celebrating the beauty, ingenuity and enduring spirit of America through six exceptional private gardens in and around Northport.

Guests will enjoy an exclusive self-guided journey through a collection of horticultural showcases, each reflecting the creativity and vision of their homeowners. Highlights include a garden at a historic estate; a thoughtfully curated native plant garden and flourishing vegetable garden; sculptures and artistic installations; elegant water features; serene outdoor retreats; and beautiful roses in peak bloom.

Each property offers its own distinct personality and design aesthetic, creating a one-of-a-kind experience for garden lovers, history enthusiasts and admirers of extraordinary outdoor spaces. Click through for tickets and more information.

The Northport Historical Society and Museum’s annual garden tour is arriving earlier in the season this year, offering visitors the rare opportunity to exper...

05/27/2026

Northport Pridefest has announced its lineup of events for Pride Month 2026, with celebrations taking place throughout Northport Village in the weeks leading up to the annual Pridefest in the Park. The group, which recently received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, aims to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride, history and diversity while promoting education, equality and community connection through events, outreach and access to resources.

Click through for more information.

Northport Pridefest has announced its lineup of events for Pride Month 2026, with celebrations taking place throughout Northport Village in the weeks leading...

05/26/2026

Legislator Stephanie Bontempi recognized during a ceremony last week East Northport resident Karen Steinhaus as the 2026 Senior Citizen of the Year for the 18th Legislative District.

Steinhaus was born and raised in Centerport alongside her four younger sisters. With a father deeply involved in politics, she learned early the importance of civic engagement, community responsibility and giving back, according to a press release provided by Bontempi’s office.

After a long and successful career at Verizon, Steinhaus has embraced retirement as an opportunity to further strengthen the community she loves. She has dedicated more than 42 years to volunteer service, contributing to numerous local organizations that have enriched and supported the East Northport community, the press release said. Her involvement includes serving as a Cub Scout den leader, volunteering with the Telcom Pioneers Chapter 85 Paumanok, working on the research committee for AWARE Drug and Alcohol Community Coalition and serving as both a neighborhood activist and Park Steward for the Town of Huntington.

Click through for more...

Legislator Stephanie Bontempi recognized during a ceremony last week East Northport resident Karen Steinhaus as the 2026 Senior Citizen of the Year for the 1...

05/24/2026

FINAL UPDATE: The Northport Village parade is still on and beginning at 10am. The East Northport parade is canceled. A ceremony at John J. Walsh Memorial Park will still take place at 12:15pm.

Highlighted below are Memorial Day parades and services that are scheduled to take place in Northport and East Northport. The weather forecast is currently calling for rain on Monday; check the Northport Journal page for updates.

The Northport Memorial Day parade and services will be held on Monday, May 25 at 10am on Main Street in Northport Village. The line of march will be led by American Legion Post 694 and post commander Bill McKenna. It will begin at the Brosnan building on Laurel Avenue, with a procession that includes 12 wreath placements along Main Street, and continue into Northport Village Park for a post-wreath laying ceremony.

In East Northport, an annual Memorial Day parade hosted by Knights of Columbus #6893 and Fr. Thomas A. Judge will begin on Monday, May 25. The parade will begin at 12:15pm at the IGA parking lot on Larkfield Road and Clay Pitts, and head to the John J. Walsh Memorial Park, adjacent to the Northport-East Northport Library.

Stay tuned for updates!

Highlighted below are Memorial Day parades and services that are scheduled to take place in Northport and East Northport.

05/22/2026

The Northport Rotary Club is currently accepting books for its annual book drive, which lasts until the end of May. Via the drive, community members are invited to support Hindi’s Libraries, a local nonprofit organization that has transformed loss into a growing mission to bring books and literacy resources to children around the world.

The Northport Rotary Club is currently accepting books for its annual book drive, which lasts until the end of May.