Big Arrests, Little Learners & Lots of Local Cheer

Issue #271

Author

Brian Grant
November 19, 2025

Good Morning,

It's a full week around town with festive cheer, community spirit, and a few headlines that hit close to home. We have the return of Patchogue’s beloved Christmas Parade along with serious police updates and heartwarming safety lessons for little ones. Plus, a new way to stay connected with everything local, right from your phone.

-Brian Grant, managing editor, writer

Local Pulse

🚓 Three employees at smoke shops in the greater Patchogue area were arrested for selling tobacco and vape products to individuals under 21, following police compliance checks. The arrests were made after community complaints, and all three are due in court on Dec. 5. [Patch]

⚖️ A 44-year-old Honduran national has been charged with sexually abusing three young girls at a Medford T.J. Maxx across separate incidents this year. Surveillance footage reportedly captured him groping the children and acting inappropriately in the store; he’s now being held on $950,000 bond. [Daily Voice]

🧸 Kindergartners at Sylvan Avenue Elementary in Bayport learned safety and first-aid skills while treating their stuffed animals during Stony Brook Children’s Hospital’s Teddy Bear Clinic. The hands-on event included helmet demos, car-safety skits, and basic medical practice to show how everyday habits can prevent injuries. Patch

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Community Highlights

  • The Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce is hosting its next Member Meeting on November 25 from 6–8 PM at Arooga’s, offering networking, updates, and camaraderie in a casual setting. [Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce]

  • The Kris Kringle Fund is hosting a Live Sing-Along Brunch with Santa & Friends on November 29 at the Blue Point Fire Department, featuring a full buffet, music, photos with Santa, and a toy drive.

  • The stars of Napoleon Dynamite are hosting a special 20th anniversary screening and live event featuring a Q&A, improv, and audience participation on April 25 at the Patchogue Theatre. [Patchogue Theatre]

  • BUGONIA is now playing at the Plaza Cinema & Media Arts Center through November 20—a dark, timely thriller from Yorgos Lanthimos about two conspiracy theorists who kidnap a CEO they believe is an alien. Plaza Cinema

  • Enjoy a festive morning with Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, December 6 from 10AM–12PM at the Bellport Community Center. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by contacting Bellport Village Hall. Don’t forget to bring an unwrapped toy to donate! Village of Bellport

  • The Village of Patchogue is celebrating its 63rd Annual Christmas Parade on Saturday, November 29 at 6 PM, featuring “Christmas Past on Main Street” with Santa’s helpers and a chance to send holiday greetings to service members. [Village of Patchogue]

  • ⛸️ Holiday Spectacular on Ice returns to Gateway Playhouse from November 28 to January 4, transforming the stage into a dazzling ice rink for a one-of-a-kind winter celebration. With festive music, stunning figure skating, and show-stopping performances, it’s the “coolest” family-friendly tradition of the season. [Gateway Playhouse]

  • The Bay Area Chorus of BAFFA will perform a free concert, Gifts of Music, featuring works by Bach, Copland, and holiday favorites on Sunday, November 23 at 4 PM at the United Methodist Church of Patchogue. [Bay Area Friends of the Fine Arts]

  • The Patchogue River Christmas Boat Parade returns for its 30th year on November 23 at 5 PM, lighting up the waterfront with a “Rock Star Christmas” theme and dazzling, decked-out boats. [Patchogue River Christmas Boat Parade]

  • Take a peaceful virtual stroll through downtown Patchogue in this 4K walking tour by Walking with Genny, showcasing the charm and walkability of one of Long Island’s most inviting villages.

Community Highlights

Patchogue’s 63rd Annual Parade Honors a Heartwarming Tradition


This November, the Village of Patchogue will once again come alive with holiday cheer as it hosts its 63rd Annual Christmas Parade on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at 6:00 PM. Themed Christmas Past, the event is a tribute not only to the season’s nostalgia but to the long-standing community tradition that began in 1962.

That first parade, organized by the Patchogue Village Recreation Department and the Merchants Division of the Chamber of Commerce, drew an estimated 20,000 residents. Santa Claus was welcomed with fanfare, music, and joy as he made his way down West Main Street and stopped at Four Corners for the inaugural village Christmas lighting ceremony. Children received candy from Santa, and Mayor Robert T. Waldbauer presented him with the Key to the Village, expressing hopes that “his spirit of joy and thanksgiving will provide our children with a pleasant memory of Christmas, 1962.”

More than six decades later, the spirit remains unchanged. This year’s parade will follow the same cherished route. Starting at West Avenue and heading east on Main Street to Route 112. Children are encouraged to bring letters for Santa, collected by his helpers along the route and sent straight to the North Pole. Letters to servicemembers are also welcome.

“Mexico; Past & Present” Exhibition at MoCA L.I.

This winter, the Patchogue Arts Council • Museum of Contemporary Art Long Island will showcase Mexico; Past & Present, a dynamic solo exhibition by Kelynn Z. Alder. Curated by John Cino, the show opens December 13 and runs through February 15, 2026 at MoCA L.I. in Patchogue. Alder’s pieces reflect her Mexican-American heritage, combining ancestral imagery with contemporary symbols and pop iconography in what she calls a “Mestiza mix.”

The work celebrates living traditions such as Día de los Muertos and Lacandón Balché rituals, encouraging viewers to see heritage not as history, but as a vibrant, ongoing practice. “Through image-making, I strive to connect my ancestors’ past with the present,” Alder shares.

The opening reception will take place on Saturday, December 13 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, with food provided by RUTA OAXACA. A special event, Coffee with a Curator, featuring a conversation between Alder and curator John Cino, will be held on January 24, 2026, in person and via Zoom.

A companion exhibition, ICONS, opens December 18 at Gallery @ SEPA Mujer, further exploring Alder’s work.

All events are free and open to the public.
📍 More info at PAC • MoCA L.I.

Local Sports

🏈 Bayport-Blue Point will face top-seeded Babylon in the Division IV championship game this Friday at 4:00 PM at Stony Brook University.

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