Bring your blankets or chairs and food for a picnic dinner on the front lawn at the historic Deepwells Farm County Park, located on Route 25A and Moriches Road in St. James. Then, enjoy a movie at dusk for free, sponsored by the St. James Chamber of Commerce. Movies are shown using their state of the art video and sound system. Join them for their next family movie night on Sept. 2 at 8 p.m. for a viewing of Disney’s “Tangled.” Rain date is Sept. 9. Deepwells Farm is managed by the Deepwells Farm Historical Society, a group of local volunteers contracted by the county to provide programs and …

Among Smithtown’s many parks to visit is Caleb Smith State Park Preserve. Located on West Jericho Turnpike, this park stretches across 543 acres of land that not only protects the local plant and wildlife, but allows you to go hiking along nature trails, bird watching, fly fishing and to participate in a variety of programs at their nature museum. The nature museum is in the Smith Family home built in 1751. It showcases natural history exhibits including a Great Blue Heron, Red Fox, Flying Squirrel and River Otter. The programs offered include Tiny Tots for ages three to five years old, Fun …

If you haven’t caught the excitement already, the Friends of the Smithtown Special Library District are holding the 2011 Dennis Cannataro Family Summer Concert Series Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. until Aug. 25 at the Branch Shopping Plaza on East Main Street. The seventh annual Smithtown Library concert series, coordinated by Dave Berner, has been renamed the Dennis Cannataro Family Summer Concert Series in honor of Suffolk County Legislator Lynne Nowick’s brother who passed away earlier this year. The next shows include performances by the Eagles Tribute Band, Desert Highway on Aug. 11, the …

Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace, located on Route 111 in Smithtown, is more than your average supermarket – it carries high end groceries and features foods such as freshly prepared pasta, chicken, eggplant and seafood dishes, family-sized pizzas and more. Founded in June 2005, Giuseppe’s of Smithtown offers an extensive deli selection, a vast display of meats and cheeses, fresh seafood and sushi as well as handmade goodies from their bakery and coffee shop. Uncle Giuseppe’s offers a unque supermarket experience, from choosing from dozens of homemade pastas and sauces, to watching their sushi …

With the temperature soaring above 100 degrees throughout Long Island lately, local residents are looking for ways to keep cool this summer, making it the perfect time for parents to take the kids to splash around at the Smithtown Landing Country Club municipal pool on Landing Avenue. The club has three pools patrolled by nine lifeguards and also offers swimming lessons in the morning. The pool is open to the public from 11:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends until Sept. 5. According to the Town of Smithtown website, with a daily two year permit card, you pay …

Garage sale signs can be seen throughout Smithtown just about every weekend this summer, making it the prime time for sellers to get rid of old junk and for others to go treasure hunting. A great way for families to make some extra cash as well as clean out the attic, basement and storage room is to rummage through old belongings to see what can be parted with. Garage sale items usually include everything from books and movies to furniture and household knickknacks to tools and appliances to toys and board games. On the other hand, garage saling is fun for everyone from early birds in hopes …

Among the many summer camps offered in Smithtown is one provied by the Knox School, located on Long Beach Road in Saint James, featuring their Summer Adventures day camp for kindergarten through tenth grade. The camp offers flexible scheduling and various activities five days a week starting June 27 through August 12 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Campers are invited to participate in all the exciting daily activities and choose the days and weeks they wish to attend. These activities include arts and crafts, basketball, chess, dance, deck hockey, drama, fine arts, kayaking, music, orienteering, …

Blydenburgh Lake, also called Stump Pond, is located within Blydenburgh County Park on Veterans Memorial Highway in Smithtown. At the headwaters of the Nissequogue River, the lake is popular for its picturesque scenery while row boating and freshwater fishing. From Memorial Day to Labor Day the park offers boat rentals at their southern entrance. Fishing for pumpkinseed sunfish, large-mouth bass, perch and bluegill is permitted between sunrise and sunset, according to the park’s website. New York State freshwater fishing laws apply. This 627 acre park is open year-round to Suffolk County …

Each year Main Street gets closed off to vehicles and lined with hundreds of vendors for locals to peruse through for Smithtown Festival Day. There is something for everyone during the annual event, from inflatable tents and rides for kids to vendors selling sporting goods for Father's Day, a food court, live music, not-for-profit organizations and much more. Highlights from the 2011 festival include the students of Rock N Roll U, collectively known as Rock N Roll University Superstars, playing the live music of Eric Clapton, Metallica and more; a packed tent for the Smithtown Residents for a…

The Smithtown Township Arts Council, located on Route 25A in Saint James, hosts “Pop to Picasso,” an art class currently underway that will end June 15. The Tuesday class is for children ages seven to nine years old, and the Wednesday class is for children nine to 11 years old. During the class, children will learn about art history and use the styles and techniques learned as inspiration for their own projects. Pop to Picasso is just one course of many the Smithtown Township Arts Council, a nonprofit organization that provides a venue for artists and hosts a variety of art exhibits, classes …

The Dragon Tiger Kung Fu Center, located on Maple Avenue in Smithtown, offers a variety of martial arts classes for men, women and children taught by Master instructor Sifu Dr. Jan L. Miller. The classes are adesigned to achieve “mind-body-spirit integration.” Miller, who was nominated into the Kung Fu Hall of Fame in 1983 for “Instructor of the Year,” according to the center’s website, teaches instructional and private lessons in Five Animal Shaolin Kung Fu, Sun Tai Chi Chuan, law enforcement training, women’s self-defense and weight loss programs, to name a few. Opened 30 years, the Dragon …

A month since the proposed school budget was adopted by the Board of Education, the time for parents and taxpayers to vote is just 24 hours away. May 17 marks the date that you, a Smithtown resident, have the opportnity to vote "yes" or "no" on the proposed budget as well as decide who you want to sit on the board, where three seats are open to five candidates, and a transportation referrendum that will increase the distances children will have to live to get bus service. The board adopted the proposed $212.4 million budget on Tuesday, April 12. The proposed budget comes with a 4.92 percent …

Sweetbriar Nature Center, located on Eckernkamp Drive in Smithtown, is a not-for-profit organization devoted to wildlife rehabilitation and natural science education. The nature center is seeking volunteers interested in lending a hand in their formal gardens, the butterfly garden and more. The nature preserve is located on 54 acres of garden, woodland, field and wetland habitats neighboring the Nissequogue River and is successful in part due to the hard work and commitment of over 150 volunteers, according to the nature center’s website. If you enjoy the outdoors, a family atmosphere and …

The Smithtown Special Library District is providing ways to get or stay in shape with the summer approaching, specifically at the newly renovated Commack branch with “Zumba for Everyone,” a weekly class that takes place Wednesday evenings throughout May. Zumba classes help you to sculpt and tone your body while shaking your hips and moving your feet to high-energy Latin-inspired beats. Locals ages 16 and up are invited to join this dance-fitness craze that fuses exotic rhythms with easy to follow dance moves. Whether you’ve done it before or you’re just beginning, the effective calorie-…

While bowling is a popular activity for family, friends and couples, AMF Smithtown Lanes on Landing Avenue offers more than shoes, bowling balls and pins. At selected times AMF turns down the house lights but turns on the neon’s and black lights, turns up the music, and takes bowling to the Xtreme. Xtreme Bowling takes place from 7 p.m. to 1 p.m. every Friday and Saturday. Bowlers can enjoy the escapade of lights with heart-pounding popular music and wild bowling challenges, which is far different than the typical bowling experience. AMF also sells foods labeled Xtreme to go with your Xtreme …

While most dogs live leisurely lives, some dogs perform challenging tasks for their masters as guide dogs. Guide dogs perform an invaluable service to people with disabilities, safely guiding their masters while improving their quality of life. If you have the time to care for a puppy, you can help at the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind in Smithtown and play a part in the training process. The Guide Dog Foundation has helped the blind since 1946, and operates entirely off of donations. Guide dogs come from the homes of families who volunteer to raise puppies. After an application process …

There’s nothing like the rush of energy and excitement you get while watching a live performance. Luckily, several Smithtown hot spots support the local music scene, so you can experience this each week. There are many local bars and restaurants that feature the hottest acts in the area all week long for your listening entertainment, including Katie’s of Smithtown, Blacksmith Tavern and Napper Tandy’s Irish Pub, to name a few. Katie’s on Main Street features an open jam weekly on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. and Live Music Wednesdays at 9 p.m. They also offer daily drink specials to enjoy while …

With warmer weather and longer days approaching, paddling along a stunning stretch through a pristine river passageway may sound like the ideal afternoon. Why not make it a reality? Kayaking down the Nissequogue River with friends and family is the perfect combination of fun, exercise and appreciation for unspoiled nature – but don’t forget to go with the flow. Launch your own canoe or rent one at the Nissequogue River State Park. Local kayakers have been renting canoes from Bob’s Canoe Rental in Smithtown, owned by Bob Koliner, since 1977. For about $50, you can have a mini family vacation. …

With more daylight and warmer temps heralding the approach of spring, it's definitely time for a Sunday drive. But what if you could drive around in a car you don't own ... or two? The stretch of Jericho Turnpike between Route 347 and Terry Road is a haven for car dealerships, making it the only place you'd need to visit to check out the specs and handling of myriad automobiles for sale in the United States. On the used car front, Autohaus offers a good assortment of European imports, while Toyota and Lexus both have locations selling pre-owned rides. But when it comes to new cars, just about…

If you're like the bulk of Smithtown residents, this latest bout of snow mostly likely put you over the edge when it comes to your tolerance of winter. But in the spirit of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em," this week's suggestion for 100 things is all about embracing the cold. Red Mango is the latest craze in frozen treats, the idea of former Berkeley biz school alum Daniel Kim who brought the concept to the United States from South Korea. The Texas-based chain sells all-natural frozen yogurt loaded with probiotics that is then made into parfaits, smoothies, hot chocolate chillers and …