Mattituck, Long Island
I know that we are now heading into the official Holiday Season for this year, but I figured I would take an old post from way back that introduces the summer season here on Long Island. If anything, for those of you who dread the winter months, this will give you something to look forward to! I hope you enjoy!
You may not find one of the Beatles in Mattituck but you will find strawberry fields and a place full of people who are obsessed with these scrumptious, juicy delights. Annually the hamlet of Mattituck hosts the Strawberry Festival, which is the official “unofficial” start of the summer season on the North Fork.
Usually held during the early to middle part of June, the festival is complete with live music, carnival rides, craft booths and its very own crowning of the Strawberry Queen. Fresh strawberries ripe for the picking lure locals and visitors alike to U-pick farms and roadside stands by the thousands.
The roughly nine square miles of Mattituck is situated in the heart of North Fork Wine Country. The hamlet derived its name from a Native American word meaning “great creek.” Today, Mattituck Creek and Inlet make up the only harbor on the north shore of Long Island on the Sound, East of Port Jefferson. The waterway is a boon for sailors, boaters and fisherman.
Those seeking a little adventure might be interested in researching the legend that places the infamous pirate, Captain Kidd in the area. According to legend, he buried his treasure somewhere near the Sound. Although Mattituck only has a population of about 4,800 residents the town has produced other notable people such as Greg Sacks, Nextel Cup Series-NASCAR driver, born in 1952, and James Aldrich, noted poet and journalist, born in 1810.
Where better to begin your time in the heart of wine country than in the heart of Mattituck, Love Lane. How will you know you have reached your destination? Simply look for the wooden street sign painted red and shaped like a heart. The thriving main street, Love Lane, was once a dirt road where courting young couples and lovers rode their carriages on a romantic tree lined path toward Mattituck Inlet.
When you find yourself stuck in the rut that can be the brutally long winter months this year, add the Strawberry Festival to your bucket list and give yourself something to look forward to!
Leave a Reply