‘Tis the season of decked halls, mulled wine and ugly sweater parties.
And as the holidays approach, the North Fork offers no shortage of events to get into the festive spirit.
Here are 23 holiday happenings — from Santa arriving by helicopter in Cutchogue to a shellfish celebration in Greenport to a Thanksgiving 5K Turkey Trot so you can burn calories while giving back — to keep you busy through December.
Events are still being planned, so if you know of any great ones that we missed, tell us in the comment section below.
1. Wreath Workshop at Jamesport Vineyards
Join the Roses and Rice team for a fun workshop at Jamesport Vineyards Nov. 20.
The class, which begins at 6 p.m., focuses on making a holiday wreath out of grape vines and other natural materials.
The class is $65, which includes materials, light snacks and a glass of wine. Call (631) 653-4910 or email [email protected] for more information.
2. Eat, Drink and Be Sparkling
Sparkling Pointe in Southold is hosting a weekly holiday food and wine pairing series this season. On Saturdays from Nov. 14 through Dec. 19, take a break from your holiday shopping with decadent treats served alongside a glass of bubbly.
One week will feature sushi from Stirling Sake in Greenport paired with a glass of NV Topaz Imperial Brut Rosé. Another will feature truffles from the Petulant Wino in Greenport paired with Sparkling Pointe’s 2006 Brut Seduction.
For the full listings, prices and reservations, visit SparklingPointe.com.
3. East End Arts Holiday Boutique
The seasonal boutique, which opened Nov. 14, includes hundreds of beautifully handcrafted, locally made items, including ornaments, jewelry, knits, crafts, books and toys. All three of the galleries are filled from top to bottom with artistic and exclusive items.
The boutique runs Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through December 23.
East End Arts is located at 133 E. Main Street. Visit EastEndArts.org for more info.
4. Let’s Turkey Trot
The 10th annual Mattituck-Cutchogue Teachers Association Thanksgiving Day 5K Turkey Trot kicks off 9 a.m. Nov. 26 at Mattituck High School. Proceeds will benefit Brendan House (a community group home on Sound Avenue), the Wounded Warrior Project and the MCTA Senior Scholarship to be awarded in June 2016.
The entrance fee is $25 for those who sign up by Nov. 19. The student 5K fee is $15. The fee to sign up the day of the race is $30 and $20, respectively.
Visit mufsd.com for a mail-in registration form. Those forms must be post-marked by Nov. 19.
Mattituck High School is located at 15125 Main Road in Mattituck.
5. Holidays at Hallockville
Let this three-day Country Parlor Holiday Folk Art and Gift Show at Hallock Museum Farm be your antidote to Black Friday craziness.
Shop a selection of seasonal and home decor from the finest local artists and craftspeople, including handmade folk art, baskets, ornaments, dolls, tree trimmings, soaps, preserves and jams, gift baskets, hand-woven scarves, woodcarvings, decoys and more. Admission is free.
The event runs Friday, Nov. 27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 28 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Hallockville Museum Farm is located at 6038 Sound Avenue in Riverhead.
Visit hallockville.com for more info.
6. Southold Historical Society Candlelight Tour
All buildings on the grounds of the Southold Historical Society Campus will be decorated for the holiday season Friday, Nov. 27 and open to the public. Farm and home craft demonstrations will take place in the various buildings, strolling musicians will be on the grounds, Santa will be visiting and refreshments will be served.
The tour runs from 3 to 6 p.m. and the tree lighting will be held at 5 p.m.
For more information, visit Southoldhistoricalsociety.org
7. Take the Plunge
Get ready to shiver on Nov. 28, with a frigid dip in the waters off Shelter Island. It’s all for a good cause, of course.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Shelter Island Public Library, the annual Shelter Island Turkey Plunge benefits the library.
Participants can either register online or at the library (37 N. Ferry Road). Download your participant registration packet here. Organizers ask that you raise a minimum of $25 for a plunge.
Arrive at Crescent Beach (Sunset Beach parking lot) after 10 a.m. to check in.
Costumes will also be judged for creativity.
8. The Beach Plum Shop
Visit the Beach Plum Shop in Orient for unique gifts, North Fork art, traditional crafts, ornaments and more.
The store will be open Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 28 through Dec. 13 at the Old Point Schoolhouse (1555 Village Lane.)
For more information call 631-323-2480.
9. Shellabration Returns
This walking tour, which offers inexpensive tastes of North Fork shellfish dishes and Long Island wine, is one of our favorite events of the year.
A $15 wristband nets you $5 small plates and $3 pours at participating Greenport restaurants. You also receive a pint of Greenport Harbor Brewing Co.’s Harbor Ale and a raw bar plate when you pick up your wristband.
The event runs Saturday, Dec. 5 and Sunday Dec. 6 from noon to 4 p.m.
Visit shellabration.li for more info.
10. A Wooden Wonderland
The fifth annual Wooden Wonderland holiday show and sale features handmade carvings, holiday gifts and unique wooden items made by Long Island craftsmen. There will be carving and woodworking demonstrations as well.
The event runs from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5 at the Suffolk County Historical Society Campus (300 W. Main Street, Riverhead.)
Admission is free. Visit Suffolkcountyhistoricalsociety.org for more information.
11. Menorah Lighting
North Fork Reform Synagogue and Cutchogue-New Suffolk Historical Society celebrate the lighting of the Chanukah Menorah at 4 p.m. Dec. 5. All are invited back to the synagogue across the street in the home it shares with Cutchogue Presbyterian Church.
Bring your own menorah and enjoy light refreshments. Barbara Sheryll leads the group in songs of the season and a brief explanation of the holiday history.
The lighting will take place at the Cutchogue Village Green located on Main Road, just west of Cases Lane.
Visit Northforkreformsynagogue.org for more information.
12. Pets Pose with Santa
Bring your pet dog, cat, rabbit, horse or guinea pig to take a free photo with Old Saint Nick at Talmage Farm Agway in Riverhead Dec. 5.
You will be emailed a digital copy of the photo and all pets are welcome and get a special treat.
The event runs from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Talmage Farm is located at 1122 Osborn Ave. in Riverhead.
Visit talamagefarm.com/events for more info.
13. Santacon is Coming to Town
Riverhead’s second SantaCon Pub Crawl is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5.
SantaCon is a holiday-themed pub crawl in which participants dress up as Santa Claus, then travel from bar to bar in one particular area.
This year the festivities will begin on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 1 p.m. Tickets are already on sale and will again cost $10 for a bracelet that will give each reveler access to all the participating bar and restaurant specials and activities. Those bracelets can be purchased in advance online from the Suffolk Theater. While Santa Claus costumes are encouraged, they are not required for the event. Bracelets will also be sold at participating bars and restaurants on the day of the event.
All proceeds from this year’s Riverhead SantaCon will benefit a local charity to be announced.
For more information or to purchase your bracelets to this year’s SantaCon, please visit suffolktheater.com.
14. Railroad Museum Open House
Santa will arrive at the Railroad Museum of Long Island in Greenport at noon Saturday, Dec. 5 and Sunday, Dec. 6 with gifts and goodies. Refreshments are served and the gift shop is open.
The event will take place at the museum at 440 4th Street from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. those two days.
It will also take place at the Railroad Museum of Long Island Restoration and Visitors Center located at 416 Griffing Avenue in Riverhead Saturday, Dec. 12 and Sunday, Dec. 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will also be a raffle for a Lionel Polar Express toy train set. Admission is free.
For more information visit rmli.org.
15. Cutchogue Holiday House Tour
This self-guided tour includes festive Cutchogue B&Bs and a stop at Castello di Borghese and 8 Hands Farm. Each location pairs with a local winery, restaurant or business to offer wine tastings, hors d’oeuvres and desserts for guests.
The event ends at the Cutchogue-New Suffolk Historical Society with Christmas carols, lighting of the tree and refreshments.
Tickets are $75 and the tour runs from noon to 4 p.m. Call 631-735-9024 to order or visit sanninovineyard.com.
Proceeds will benefit the Cutchogue-New Suffolk Historical Council.
16. ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Radio Play
North Fork Community Theatre will present a 1940s-style radio play based on ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Saturday, Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 6 at 2:30 p.m. Five actors will portray more than 30 characters. Tickets are $15. For more info call 631-298-6328 or visit NFCT.com.
North Fork Community Theatre is located at 12700 Old Sound Ave. in Mattituck
17. The Festival of Lights at Wölffer
Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack will host its annual “Lighting of the Vines” when 15,000 LED lights will illuminate the vineyard Saturday, Dec. 5.
There will also be a silent auction of holiday wreaths designed by local artists and business owners. All proceeds from the sales benefit Fighting Chance, a charity offering free cancer counseling across the East End of Long Island.
There will be a band playing holiday jazz, hors d’ouevres and plenty of Wölffer wine.
The event runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Tickets are $75 for those age seven and older and $35 for those six and under.
Visit Wölffer.com for more info.
18. A Santa Parade in Riverhead
The Riverhead Lions Club hosts its annual Christmas parade on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m.
The parade starts on West Main Street and ends on Osborn Ave. Children may visit with Santa at parade’s end and have their picture taken with the big man in red.
19. Christmas Dinner with “Grandma”
Learn to make an Italian pasta dinner the old-fashioned way at Diliberto Winery in Jamesport.
The event, which is set for multiple dates in December, features a pasta demonstration, three-course homemade meal paired with Diliberto wines, live Italian music and Christmas favorites, holiday gifts and more.
Open dates are Dec. 6 and Dec. 20 (Dec. 13 is sold out).
Tickets are $65 and can purchased by visiting dilibertowinery.com.
Diliberto is located at 250 Manor Lane in Jamesport.
20. Orient House Tour
Visit old and new homes in Orient decorated for the season during the annual Oysterponds Historical Society Holiday House Tour on Saturday, Dec. 12 from noon to 4 p.m.
Tickets are $25 for historical society members and $30 for the general public, and can be purchased the day of the event at the Orient Congregational Church starting at 11:30 a.m. For event information call 631-323-2480.
21. Christmas in Cutchogue
There will be a magic show at the Cutchogue Firehouse followed by Santa’s arrival by helicopter. Visit with Santa at Cutchogue-New Suffolk Library for photos; children will receive small gifts. The event, which takes place at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, is sponsored by the North Fork Chamber of Commerce.
Visit northforkchamber.org for more info.
22. Brunch with Santa and the Fishes
The Long Island Aquarium is hosting its annual “Brunch with Santa” on Sunday, Dec. 13.
The cost is $26.95 for kids (ages 3 to 12) and $42.95 for adults and includes brunch and all-day admission to the aquarium. Guests will also have the chance to make a holiday keepsake.
Bring your own camera to capture a family portrait with Santa.
Reservations are required and can be made by calling 631-208-9200, ext. 426.
Visit LIAquarium.com for more info.
23. Bolshoi Ballet of Moscow
Peconic Landing Community Center will screen the Bolshoi Ballet performance of “Jewels,” shown live in HD on Sunday, Dec. 20 at 3 p.m.
This opulent triptych was inspired by Balanchine’s visit to the famous jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels on New York’s Fifth Avenue and celebrates the cities and dance schools of Paris, New York and St. Petersburg that had forged his style.
Admission is $20. RSVP to www.peconiclanding.ticketleap.com. Peconic Landing Community Center is located at 1500 Brecknock Road, Greenport.
