June 2009 Calendar of Events on Long Island

Ongoing

• Every Thursday night at Wolffer Estate Vineyard, from 5 to 7:30 p.m., enjoy live music. Buy wine by the glass, and savor complimentary cheeses to go with your drinks. The events are held in the Tuscan-style tasting room at Wolffer Vineyard, 129 Sagg Road, Sagaponack. No reservations necessary and no cover charge. Call (631) 537-5106, extension 25 for more information or to learn which music group is playing when you visit.
  
  
• Nassau County Museum of Art's Sculpture Park features 50+ sculptures by Botero, Calder and more, displayed outdoors on the museum's sprawling property. The Nassau County Museum of Art, One Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor. Call (516) 484-9337 or visit the Nassau County Museum of Art.

Ongoing through the end of the year

• First Fridays Every first Friday of the month, the Heckscher Museum of Art, Two Prime Avenue, Huntington, offers free admission after 5 p.m. From 7 to 8:30 p.m., you'll enjoy live musical entertainment and light refreshments.Call (631) 351-3260 or visit Heckscher Museum of Art.

Monday, June 1

• A five-week Smoking Cessation Program will be held at the South Nassau Communities Hospital, One Healthy Way, Oceanside. The program will be in the hospital's conference center, and starts on Monday, June 1 at 6:40 p.m. For more information and to register, call South Nassau's Community Education Program at (516) 377-5333.

Four Tuesdays, starting June 2

• Learn to paint while enjoying the great outdoors. Rock Hall Museum, 199 Broadway, Lawrence, will hold a Watercolor Workshop in the Garden on four Tuesdays: June 2, 9, 16 and 23 for adults. The classes are held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Rain dates are the Thursdays following each class. The workshop will be taught by Mary Ann Heinzen, a watercolor artist with 25 years of experience. The fee is $90 per person, $80 for members and seniors. Materials are not included. Call for supply list. For more information, go to Rock Hall Museum or call (516) 239-1157.

Thursday, June 4

• Sit back and listen to the excellent fingerstyle guitar playing and singing of Long Island resident Phil Minissale. Come to the 2008-2009 season's final performance at the Patchogue Theatre's Live in the Lobby series on 71 Main Street, Patchogue, for an enjoyable evening of acoustic folk and blues songs. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $10.To buy tickets or for more information, go to Live in the Lobby or call (631) 207-1313.

Saturday, June 6

• New York State BBQ champion Clint Cantwell will give a demo class at the Viking Cooking School's culinary theater, 835 Franklin Avenue, Garden City from noon to 2 p.m. This is part of the ongoing Long Island Chef Series. The cost is $10 per person. For more information, call (516) 877-1010 or visit Viking Cooking School.
  
  
• The Art League of Long Island will present paintings by Sabine Blohm at the Bryant Library, 2 Paper Mill Road, Roslyn, from June 6 through July 24. For more information, visit The Art League of Long Island or call (631) 462-5400.

Saturday, June 6 & Sunday, June 7

• Bring the whole family to Benner's Farm's Strawberry Festival. The 15-acre farm also features farm animals that the kids can pet and feed, including sheep, goats and rabbits. Benner's Farm is located at 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, East Setauket. Go to the Benner's farm website or call (631) 689-8172 for more information.
  
  
• The Freeport Nautical Festival, June 6-7 from noon to 10 p.m. both days. Admission is free. This family-oriented festival will be held on Freeport's famous Nautical Mile, which will be closed to traffic both days. (There will be parking at the Hempstead Town Marina at the southern end of Guy Lombardo Avenue and also at the Freeport LIRR Station. Shuttle buses will be available to and from to the Nautical Mile.)

Sunday, June 7

• The Ridder MiniArtMuseum for Children will have a new exhibit, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Based on Lewis Carroll's children's classic, this exhibit will feature an enchanted garden, giant chess board, the Queen's croquet ground and more. A stage will allow visitors to act as character in Alice's world. Museum walls will exhibit artist Max Hergenrother’s pen and ink illustrations. At 3 p.m. on the opening day, The Mad Hatter's Tea Party will include cupcakes, juice, balloons and art activities. Free with museum admission. Ridder MiniArtMuseum at the Nassau County Museum of Art, One Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor.

Sunday June 7

Bring the whole family to the 21st Annual Festival Day in Smithtown. The fun starts at 9 a.m. on Main Street, which will be closed to traffic until 5 p.m. Craft and street vendors will be on hand, and there will be a food court and music. Admission is free for both children and adults. Call (631) 979-8069 for more information.

The 19th Annual Port Washington HarborFest will feature food, music, hand-made crafts for sale and more. Take the kids for a ride on a Wells Fargo Stagecoach, relax on a cruise on the bay, check out the environmental section, watch a model boat regatta and more. The festival is held on the Town Dock in Port Washington. Info at HarborFest 2009

Sunday, June 4

• The Chamber Players International’s Musical Cuisine series will present its fifth concert and brunch this season at the DeSeversky Conference Center on the campus of New York Institute of Technology, Northern Boulevard in Old Westbury. The program begins with a champagne brunch buffet at noon, followed by a concert of compositions by Mendelssohn and Beethoven at 1:30 p.m. Admission is $60 per person. Reservations are required. For more information or to reserve, call the Chamber Players International toll-free at (877) 444-4488.