Grind

On Wednesday at 10 a.m. the Montauk Historical Society's executive director, Mia Certic, will discuss the fascinating story of Leisurama during a two-mile excursion through the Culloden Shores neighborhood.

The weather forecast looks pleasant for New Year's Day, with clouds giving way to sun and a high temperature around 51 degrees — why not go for a hike?

The temperature is predicted to be 51 degrees here on New Year's Day, virtually balmy when compared to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so expect big turnouts for the New Year's Day ocean plunges at East Hampton Village's Main Beach at 1 p.m. and at the Beach Lane road end in Wainscott at 2:30.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday that the state is now accepting applications for another round of Excelsior Scholarships, in which students from families with federal adjusted gross incomes up to $125,000 can earn up to a full scholarship to study at a public college in New York.

Confused by the New Jersey return address on the envelope accompanying your 2023 East Hampton Town property tax bill? You're not alone.

A special Christmas Eve ice-skating session will feature a visit from the big man himself, Santa Claus, at Buckskill Winter Club in East Hampton on Saturday.

The East Hampton Historical Farm Museum will celebrate Christmas, Bonacker-style, on Wednesday afternoon.

The Bridgehampton School will host a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday in the auditorium.

Repairs and upgrades are underway at the Y.M.C.A. East Hampton RECenter, its executive director, Molly Tuzil, announced this week.

Sunday is the first night of Hanukkah and the community is invited to a menorah lighting on the Hook Mill Green at 3:30 p.m. The second candle will be kindled on Monday at 5 p.m. There will be Hanukkah songs and treats for children both nights, and more fun planned throughout the week.

Ashawagh Hall in Springs will host an Artist and Artisan Holiday Market of handmade creations by local residents on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 to 5.

The Noyac Civic Council, the Town of Southampton Parks and Recreation Department, and the Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program will lead a Long Beach shoreline restoration planting on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon.

Santa Claus will make his rounds around the South Fork this weekend, bringing holiday cheer to kids and adults alike.

This time of year, there are lots of opportunities for giving. Toys for Tots, food for food pantries, and now warm clothing for soldiers about to endure a Ukraine winter on the frontlines.

The Firefighters Association of the State of New York wants New Yorkers to hear "sleigh bells jingling, not fire alarms ringing" this holiday season, and so it has published a list of safety tips for holiday revelry at home.

Update, Dec. 3, 8 a.m.: The East Hampton Village Santa Parade has been canceled due to high winds and anticipated rain. A decisiion about the tree lighting at 4:30 p.m. on the Hook Mill Green will be made at noon and posted on the village's website and Facebook page.

The annual lighting of the windmill at the Stony Brook Southampton campus will take place Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. Visitors can tour the windmill, which has been recently refurbished with new blades, and take advantage of children's crafts, refreshments, caroling, and a photo booth.

After the lighting, there will be a lecture titled "Wild Long Island" at Chancellors Hall given by Christopher Paparo, the manager of the campus's Marine Sciences Center.

East Hampton Town will hold an in-person and virtual seminar on electrifying the home on Wednesday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at LTV Studios in Wainscott. 

At the Riverhead office of Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr., a "safe transaction zone" has been set up for people who are buying or selling goods from online marketplaces and need a well-lit, secure place to pick up or drop off those items.

From peaceful sunshine over the water to powerful, crashing waves, the beauty of the beach is once again at the heart of Alex Feleppa's latest surf calendar.

The holiday season arrives at the Montauk Lighthouse this weekend starting on Saturday with the annual Lighting of the Light from 4 to 7 p.m.

There will be a free Covid-19 vaccine clinic next Thursday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church on James Lane in East Hampton, offering bivalent Covid-19 booster shots by appointment from 3 to 7 p.m.

The East Hampton Trails Preservation Society will host a cranberry picking hike in the Walking Dunes on Monday at 1 p.m. Participants will learn about the history and ecology of the Walking Dunes, and have been advised to take a plastic bag for any remaining cranberries in the bog.

It's not too early to stock up on treats for the December holidays, right? Right. The Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons will kick off its annual bake sale and holiday market on Saturday, featuring traditional pastries and gifts.

Two local institutions have begun collecting toys for children in need — the first of what are sure to be many to come this holiday season.

The Amagansett Library is hosting a toy drive through Dec. 7. New toys, games, puzzles, and art supplies for children can be taken to the library, with all donations given to Hamptons Community Outreach for distribution. More information can be had by emailing [email protected]. 

Charity-minded residents have an opportunity over the next month to contribute to the Retreat's annual Adopt-a-Family program, which collects gifts and gift cards for families in need during the holiday season.

Starting Monday, the Southampton Town Police Department and Stony Brook Southampton Hospital will be collecting donations of winter coats, gloves, hats, and scarves to help provide warmth to those in need.

The Bridgehampton Museum will host a reading called "Ocean Road: The Story of the Circassian," involving new research by Peter Walsh, a museum trustee, on Saturday at 4 p.m.

The Springs Presbyterian Church's annual Chowdah Chowdown, a fund-raiser for the Springs Food Pantry, will happen at the church on Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each $40 ticket feeds two people and includes two 16-ounce portions of hot chowder selected from a offerings made by long roster of local chefs, a 16-ounce beer from Springs Brewery, and crackers, utensils, and napkins.

The Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt will be taking a full frost moon hike through the field behind the South Fork Natural History Museum on Wednesday at 5:20 p.m.