Now entering its 11th year, the nonprofit North Fork TV Festival has evolved into a must-attend gathering of television writers, independent creators and industry professionals. Founded by Noah Doyle and Jonathan Shafter, the event has grown to offer a platform, in a bucolic North Fork setting, for emerging talent to meet actors, showrunners, producers and others within the television and streaming industry.
The two-day festival, which takes place Oct. 21 and 22 this year, is based at the Sound View Greenport (58775 Sound Ave., Greenport, 631-477-1910) and offers programming such as panel discussions, networking luncheons and receptions and one-on-one meetings where independent artists can pitch their shows to television executives. New shows will also be screened to the public.
The North Fork TV Festival relies on grant funding, sponsors and donors to run its programming. Over the years, events have been held at various local venues like Borghese Vineyard, Claudio’s and Greenport Harbor Brewing Company.
Next year, the festival plans to center itself in Greenport Village. “Returning to Greenport Village proper is a top priority and very exciting for us; it’s what we’re working towards in 2027,” says Samantha Ross, the festival’s head of branding and marketing. “We want to be doing as much as we can for our local businesses and our community — providing programming and cultural events that people will be interested in so [they] can come out and have a good time.”
Last year, the festival introduced one-on-one discussions called “In Talks With…,” an intimate series patterned after the popular Inside the Actors Studio hosted by the late James Lipton. Six notable television actors participated in the conversations: Christopher Briney from The Summer I Turned Pretty, Anna Chlumsky from Veep, Richard Kind from Only Murders in the Building, Jenn Lyon of Justified, Tramell Tillman of Severance and Susan Kelechi Watson of This Is Us, each offering insights into their professional work. The festival plans to continue the popular discussions this year.
Three acting awards will be presented during event: Breakout Performance, Rising Star and the Canopy Award, the last of which honors “those who champion diverse storytelling with persistence, integrity and inclusivity,” according to festival founder Doyle. In 2025, Tramell Tillman was awarded the Breakout Performance award; Christopher Briney received the Rising Star award, and Christopher Meloni of Law & Order: Organized Crime won the Canopy award.
“We did introduce the Breakout Performance award last year, which Tramell Tillman won,” says Ross. “He went on to win an Emmy.” After the festival’s Canopy Award winner is selected this month, a VIP dinner will be held at Noah’s restaurant in Greenport in the actor’s honor.
But well-known voices aren’t the only focus of the festival, as a pilot and script competition for independents in all genres has become quite popular, with over 120 entries submitted. Script readers and judges from within the industry select standout work, with the winning pilots screened at the festival.
“Over the years, we’ve gotten great content,” says Ross. “We’ve had winners go on to win Oscars.”
Another popular program organizers hope to bring back this year is “Behind the Pitch,” which Ross describes as “speed-dating for pitching.” Creators, writers or directors can apply for 15-minute sessions in front of television executives and decisionmakers to guide them and bring their projects to the next level.
“Giving artists pathways into the industry that they wouldn’t ordinarily have is a top priority of the festival,” Ross notes.
Tickets are available for individual sessions and screenings for $20 each and for the Canopy Award Dinner for $250. Gold VIP passes are $2,000 each and provide all-access to all festival events, panels and screenings, use of a dedicated concierge service, reserved seating at a VIP dinner with industry professionals and additional benefits.
For more information and to reserve tickets and passes, visit the festival’s website at northfork.tv.
