Thanks to the Montauk Historical Society (www.montaukhistoricalsociety.org), the Montauk Point Lighthouse will be host to a plethora of programs this month. These programs include entertainment, crafts, and education about our surrounds and the creatures that share them with us. Unless otherwise stated, these programs are Family Friendly and FREE with your admission to the Lighthouse! The Montauk Point Lighthouse is located at 2000 Montauk Highway, Montauk, NY.
July 8 @ 2pm: Exploring Long Island’s Underwater World. Join the “Fish Guy,” Chris Paparo, for an underwater journey through Long Island’s vibrant marine life. Discover stunning photographs and videos showcasing local fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and a variety of fascinating invertebrates. Along the way, you’ll learn intriguing facts about these creatures, many of which you might encounter on a fishing trip or a walk along the beach. This presentation is perfect for anyone who loves and appreciates the ocean.
Chris Paparo spent over three decades immersing himself in Long Island’s natural wonders. His journey as a wildlife photographer, writer, and lecturer is driven by a passion to raise public awareness about the island’s rich biodiversity. With a Bachelor of Science in Marine Science from Long Island University/Southampton, he currently manages the Marine Sciences Center at Stony Brook University’s Southampton campus. As an award-winning member of both the Outdoor Writers Association of America and the New York State Outdoor Writers Association, he contributes as a freelance writer to various outdoor publications. While his primary focus is on marine life, he embrace all facets of the natural world in his work.
Join him on his adventures by following @fishguyphotos on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, and Twitter, or visit my website at www.fishguyphotos.com.
July 9 @ 11am & 12:40pm: Up-Cycle Art with Laura O’Shaughnessy Swan. Join the Oceans Institute with Laura O’Shaughnessy-Swan as she guides you in creating a unique, beautiful piece of repurposed art! You will learn about marine debris plastics and the important role we all play in reducing our use of plastic.
Admittance is limited to 20 participants per session, one session per participant, and doors will close promptly FIVE minutes after the session begins (please reserve a spot at https://montaukhistoricalsociety.org/event/up-cycle-art-with-laura-oshaughnessy-swan-8). *All ages welcome. Young artists 10 years and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
For more information about Stewards of the Sea, go to: https://stewardsofthesea.com/
July 12 @ 7pm: Kevin Hart: Acting My Age. Emmy & Grammy-nominated Kevin Hart was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he launched his career as a comedian during an amateur night at a local comedy club. Over the years Hart has become Hollywood’s box-office powerhouse, opening eleven films at number one at the box office and grossing more than in $4.23 billion global revenue. In 2024 Kevin received the Kennedy Center’s annual Mark Twain Prize for American Comedy, the award’s 25th recipient and the youngest honoree to date.
Hart, known for his impressive work ethic, is also the chairman of Hartbeat, a global, multi-platform media company that creates entertainment at the intersection of comedy and culture, with a mission to keep the world laughing together. This next-generation media company unites best-in-class TV & film production capabilities with an expansive distribution network, along with its marketing, sales, experiential, branded content, digital and social capabilities. Hart is also the Founder of HartBeat Ventures.
As someone who “fell in love with the idea of comedy,” Hart continues to develop, star, and produce feature films, television, and podcasts via Hartbeat for his various partners which include Netflix, Peacock, Sirius XM and Audible. In 2024, Hart starred and was the Executive Producer of Peacock’s drama series Fight Night.
Purchase your tickets on Murmrr’s website: https://wl.seetickets.us/event/kevin-hart-acting-my-age/650756?afflky=MurmrrPresents
July 15 @ 2pm: The Eye in the Sky: Surveying Atlantic Menhaden & Their Predators with Drones and Satellites. Atlantic menhaden are a surface-schooling planktivorous fish found in the waters spanning the East Coast. Their two main roles are essential to our coastal ecology: to eat and to be eaten. Menhaden filter our waters by consuming phytoplankton and detritus thus becoming an energetically rich prey item for anything and everything living in or around our coastal waters. Using multi-year survey data from drones and satellites we looked at when, where, and how many menhaden are schooling in Long Island waters as well as who is consuming them. An imaging technique called photogrammetry was used to look at morphology characteristics of schools and their predators.
Dean Hernandez is a M.S. student at Stony Brook University in the Acoustic Laboratory for Ecological Studies. For the past three years, alongside Dr. Joseph Warren, he has studied the spatial and temporal distribution of Atlantic menhaden and their predators on Long Island’s south shore by implementing photogrammetric techniques to better understand menhaden abundance, school and predator morphology, and predator-prey dynamics.
July 20 @ 6am: 29th Annual Sprint Lighthouse Triathlon. One of the best finish lines around! Swim a 1/2 mile starting at Gin Beach. Bike 14 miles through Montauk and around Gosman’s Dock to the lighthouse, and finish with a 5K run through wide, closed, paved roads and up the hill to the lighthouse. For more information and to register, go to: https://www.trisignup.com/Race/NY/Montauk/LighthouseTriathlon.
July 22 @ 2pm: Cruising the Island: Long Island’s Maritime Heritage. We can’t ignore that Long Island is forever influenced by the waters surrounding it. The waters have helped create who we are today as a culture and the land we live on. In this program, we will take a wandering tour of some of Long Island’s maritime history. From oysters to shipwrecks to pirates, the marine environment has shaped Long Island. Join us in exploring Long Island’s maritime traditions!
Dr. Tara Rider is a senior lecturer at Stony Brook University in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences with a multidisciplinary background in history, marine studies, and sustainability. Her research focuses on how nature, gender, and race are entwined with questions of power, culture, and identity.
July 24 @ 12 & 1:30pm: Quogue Wildlife Refuge: Birds of Prey. Meet friends from the Quogue Wildlife Refuge at the Montauk Point Lighthouse! Get up close and personal with Birds of Prey at noon and 1:30 pm. Fun, educational and entertaining for the whole family!
July 29 @ 2pm: Bay Scallops: An Iconic Long Island Species. Long Island has a robust history associated with its aquaculture industry, with a very special interest in bay scallops. Bay scallops are not only a delicious delicacy, but also an important species to the local ecosystem. In this lecture, we will discuss the biology, the history, and the importance of the bay scallop fishery on Long Island, as it relates to the Peconic Bays.
Marissa Velasquez is the acting Natural Resources Program Manager for the Peconic Estuary Partnership. Her previous work has involved restoration sciences in relation to aquaculture and shellfish biology. With a scientific diving background, Marissa has observed the changes to the local ecosystem first hand and its impacts on the shellfish fisheries. She looks forward to her continued involvement with PEP to address issues as they relate to the Peconic Bays and its watershed.