An Eventful Weekend in Oyster Bay, June 4 and 5

Food, art, sailing and music. No, it’s not the OysterFest. The hamlet’s waterfront and growing arts community are featured in dual events on the weekend of June 4th and 5th. Beginning with the first annual Oyster Bay Day Arts Festival, jointly organized by the Oyster Bay Main Street Association and the Chamber of Commerce, a juried art contest will begin Saturday with exhibits throughout the Hamlet. The event dovetails with the Waterfront Center’s Bay Day celebration on Sunday. The celebration features live music, food, an “anything that floats” race, free sails on Sonars and the newly restored Christeen, America’s oldest surviving oyster sloop.

The art festival exhibits work from three categories of entrants from noon to 4 pm on Saturday. An open air exhibit of work from adult entrants will take place on the street on lower Audrey Avenue “near the gazebo”, artwork from children from 8-11 years will be hosted by Not Just Art at 183 South Street, and ages 12-17 will be hosted by Think Long Island First at 36 Audrey Avenue.

The hosts will conduct a competition of first, second and third prizes for children and young adults. The adult competition consists of best landscape, portrait, nude and still life in addition to a sculpture and photography division. In addition to the juried contests, visitors will be encouraged to vote for their favorite in a “people’s choice” award.

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony that is open to the public on Sunday at 5 pm immediately following the Waterfront’s Bay Day festivities. The awards ceremony will take place along with a viewing of art work at The Artists Club Gallery at 27 Berry Hill Road.

"These celebrations focus on the quaint charm of the historic downtown and natural beauty of the waterfront which make Oyster Bay special" said Tracy Dellomo, a Main Street board member and one of the organizers of the event.

Anyone interested in Bay Day Festivities can contact the Waterfront Center.

Spend a Day in Oyster Bay, Attractions open Friday-Sunday, 10am-4pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day

The Oyster Bay Railroad Museum is pleased to announce the "Spend A Day In Oyster Bay" tourist program, which will run from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10AM to 4PM. Whether arriving by train, boat or automobile, tourists will be able to spend an enjoyable day in one of the most picturesque and historic areas on the north shore of Long Island. The program's goal is to market and promote the area historical, cultural, and retail establishments, thereby making Oyster Bay a destination for families, tourists, and visitors.

The "Spend A Day" program is featured in the Long Island Rail Road 2011 "Long Island Getaways" package which includes discounted round trip rail fare and local ground transport provided by Oyster Ride's minivans. The van loop includes the major attractions: Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, Planting Fields Arboretum/Coe Hall, Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt Bird Sanctuary and Young's Memorial Cemetery. Also included is the use of "electronic wands" for a self-guided audio walking tour to the many historical attractions in the downtown, including the Oyster Bay Historical Society/Earle Wightman House, Raynham Hall Museum, Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park, and the Waterfront Center.

Tourists will begin their day at the Railroad Museum's Visitor Center, located a 102 Audrey Ave. Here they will receive a complimentary gift bag, a "Spend A Day" value package which includes discount coupons to participating restaurants and retail merchants, historical locations, and area maps.

The program, a long-held goal of many organizations to capitalize on the potential of Oyster Bay as a viable historical destination, is a collaborative effort of the Railroad Museum, Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce, Oyster Bay Main Street Association, LIRR, and the organizations mentioned above. For more information, visit the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum's website at www.obrm.org., or call 516-558-7036 .

ZAGAT Long Island Restaurant for 2011/2012 has Rave Reviews for Oyster Bay

This just in, the 2011/12 Long Island Restaurants (Zagat Survey: Long Island Restaurants) had the following reviews for these restaurants, all located in downtown Oyster Bay. Quotation marks used below are as they appear in the printed guide. Special recognition to Wild Honey which was singled out for their "Prix Fixe Dinner Deals" in the "$26-$30" price range.

Canterbury Ales Oyster Bar & Grill
American/Seafood
46 Audrey Avenue

You can "learn about Oyster Bay history" in the "vibrant", "pubby" surroundings of this rustic American with "walls covered in artifacts" and "photos of Teddy Roosevelt" (who "lived up the road at Sagamore Hill"); the "classic tavern fare" satisfies with "fresh local seafood" and "fantastic" beers, and the staff is full of "warmth"; P.S. it's a "bargain" Monday-Tuesday when all bottles of wine are half price with dinner.

Jack Halyards American Bar & Grill
American/Seafood
62 South Street

"A refreshing change" from "its previous life as Fiddleheads", this "new kid on the block" in Oyster Bay services "inventive", "seafood-oriented" American fare in a "fixed-up" space with a nautical theme and a "neighborhood feel"; add an "attentive staff", "affordable" tabs and live music three nights per week, and most "can't wait to go back."

Wild Honey Dining & Wine
American
1 East Main Street

"Eclectic, flavorful" New American dishes "deliver a wallop" at this "delightful", upscale twosome: a "romantic little hideaway" with sidewalk seating and "SoHo" flair in Oyster Bay, and its "teeny-tiny" but "wonderful" Port Washington "sequel"; both benefit from "pleasant" service, and though they can get "hectic" and quite "noisy at times", they're still a top choice for "date night."

Congratulations to all of our reviewed restaurants. Get a copy of the 2011/12 Long Island Restaurants (Zagat Survey: Long Island Restaurants)
yourself and be sure to explore and support these culinary gems on Long Island, right here in downtown Oyster Bay. For a complete listing of restaurants, view the "Dining" section of our website.

Sagamore Hill Announces Memorial Day Weekend Activities

Oyster Bay, NY: On Memorial Day, May 30th, the Sagamore Hill Band will conduct a special performance at 2:00pm on the front porch of Theodore Roosevelt’s Home. The Sagamore Hill Band will perform patriotic music along with a special performance of the Golden Star in honor of Quentin Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt’s youngest son, who died in combat July 14, 1918. The Golden Star was composed by John Philip Sousa in March 1919, and was dedicated to Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt and other Gold Star mothers of the First World War. This is a free event with no reservations required. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets.

In addition, a special Memorial Day weekend program will be offered titled the Roosevelt Family and their Sacrifices during the First World War. This free program will be presented by Park Ranger Scott Gurney inside the Farm Shed adjacent to the Visitor Center. The program will be presented on Saturday, May 28th and Sunday, May 29th at 2:00PM. This program will also be presented on Monday, May 30th at 1:00pm.

Summer Schedule: On Memorial Day weekend Sagamore Hill moves to its summer schedule: Open seven days per week. Tours of the home are offered on the top of the hour from 10 to 4 and are limited to fourteen persons. On busy days, especially weekends, tours often sell out by early afternoon. We encourage visitors interested in touring the home to arrive early to purchase tickets and experience other attractions on the site including the Theodore Roosevelt Museum at Old Orchard and the site’s nature trail. Tour tickets are $5.00 each and are sold on a first-come-first-served basis each day beginning at 9 AM. Ticket reservations are not accepted. The grounds of Sagamore Hill are open year round from sunrise to sunset.

For further information, visit our website at www.nps.gov/sahi, or call 516-922-4788. Be sure to follow us on Twitter for updates at http://twitter.com/SagamoreHillNHS and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sagamore-Hill-National-Historic-Site/127271867334480.

Visit the "Secret Gardens" of Long Island's Gold Coast

The "Secret Gardens" of the Gold Coast Open to Visitors During Oyster Bay's First Garden Tour


The Hay Barn at Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park

Have you ever wanted to see what lies behind the hedgerows of the homes of the famed Gold Coast? You will have the opportunity to do just that, during The Oyster Bay Main Street Association's first ever Garden Tour scheduled for Wednesday, June 15, 2011 from 10:00 am- 4:00 pm. This one-day event will allow you to step beyond the front gates into some of Nassau County's finest home gardens.

You will be led into fanciful gardens, cultivated and tended lovingly by the proud homeowners who have generously agreed to allow public access. Tours of the four selected gardens will be limited to ticket holders and will be led by private hosts.

Suzy Bales, author of 14 books, will be signing her latest book titled "Garden Bouquets and Beyond". Her book signing will be in her garden (which is one of the gardens on the tour) as well as at the tour luncheon, and will benefit the Oyster Bay Main Street Association. Suzy is a former columnist for Better Homes and Gardens, Newsday and The New York Times.

The Garden Tour will be followed by a luncheon catered by Periwinkles Cafe located at the Hay Barn on the grounds of the Planting Fields State Historic Park in Oyster Bay. The luncheon will also feature a lecture by the park's director, Vincent Simeone. The day will conclude with a post-lunch tour of the Planting Fields Rose Garden.

A limited number of tickets are currently available through the Oyster Bay Main Street Association's website, at www.oysterbaymainstreet.org. The cost is $75 per person and includes the guided tours, lunch and lecture. Previously purchased tickets will be issued to participants on the day of the event only, at the starting point of the tour, the Oyster Bay Long Island Railroad parking lot. An additional parking fee of $8 for the Planting Fields State Historic Park is not included in the ticket price.

All proceeds will benefit the Oyster Bay Main Street Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing and promoting a thriving downtown district while preserving the historic integrity of Oyster Bay. For more information and other upcoming events sponsored by the OBMSA please view our website at www.oysterbaymainstreet.org.