The first Friday in May is coming up, and for the first — sorry, we couldn’t resist — time since 2020, First Fridays are back in full force on Love Lane!
The popular free monthly community event, which closes off Love Lane for live music and vendors on the first Friday of each month from May to October, returns on May 3. The series is hosted by the Mattituck Chamber of Commerce and local businesses — including several not from Love Lane — are extremely excited, according to Chamber president Terry McShane, who gave Northforker a preview of what to expect this year.
“This is something people have been asking about,” says McShane, who notes that the chamber held a test run last year with an October one-shot. “The response was great. It was such a positive event and people really enjoyed it.”
The original plan was to do four First Fridays this year, but local businesses were so enthusiastic that the Chamber decided to go with six.
This year, guests can look forward to lobster roll sliders from Love Lane Kitchen, empanadas from Goodfood, beer from Eastern Front Brewing Co., doughnuts from NoFoDoCo, pizzas from Lombardi’s Love Lane Kitchen and cheese fondue and wine from the Village Cheese Shop.
“What’s better than a cup of cheese? I mean, come on!” exclaims McShane.
McShane says that the food offerings will be more diverse this year, even if he’s not sure what all the businesses have planned. “Ammirati’s — god knows what they’re doing, but they’re doing something,” he jokes. “Greg [Ammirati, owner] will figure it out last-minute and come up with something great.”
His goal was to keep First Fridays hyper-local.
“I’m trying not to bring people who are ‘professional food vendors’ in,” he says. I don’t want food trucks from up-island. We encourage everyone to come [from all over], but as far as businesses go, we want to support local businesses, which is what a chamber is supposed to do!” Other participating businesses include the new Pookaberry Cafe and Braun Seafood.
The May band will be Points East, and McShane says that four bands are lined up so far. Among the other bands lined up are GUNK, an all-new girl funk band made up entirely of teachers that recently made their debut at Eastern Front Brewing Co.
So head to Mattituck on May 3 for First Fridays on Love Lane from 6–9 p.m. The road will be closed from Pike Street to Main Road, but parking is available in municipal lots around the area.
“It’s almost like a block party. People really respond to it,” says McShane.
Visit First Fridays on Love Lane on Facebook for more.
