This weekend, it’s gonna be May!
As we gear up for these lasts few weeks before Memorial Day hits, we here at Southforker know that y’all are making the most out of the remainder of the off-season. This weekend is a great opportunity to keep that vibe going as plenty of Hamptons haunts are offering exceptional, yet totally chill action for all to enjoy.
As always, our cultural institutions are leading the charge for offering up good, clean, and unique fun across the South Fork. This is your friendly reminder — that although the Hamptons gets extra ritzy, glitzy and ditzy in the summer — most of our beloved locales are open year-round, so pay ’em a visit and don’t forget to donate if you can.
Peruse through photography as art in Southampton
Slattery Gallery (30A Jobs Lane, Southampton, 934-222-0122) presents “Photography in Focus,” a group photography exhibition showcasing works by Michele Dragonetti, Michael Dweck, Formento & Formento, Man Ray, Jean Pagliuso, Mark Seidenfeld, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Bert Stern and Kiki Smith. Ranging from fashion and portraiture to conceptual and fine art photography, the works collectively reflect the evolving language of the photographic image. Exhibition will be on view through Monday, June 22.
See an anticipated sequel, celebrate a screen legend
Everybody, gird your loins! “The Devil Wears Prada 2” hits the big screen, making it’s premiere on Friday, May 1, nationwide. But, here in the Hamptons, you can catch the highly anticipated sequel a day earlier (score!), with screenings starting this afternoon at the Southampton Playhouse (43 Hill St., 631-339-9069) and Sag Harbor Cinema (90 Main St., 631-725-0010). In Southampton, screenings start at 3 p.m., while in Sag Harbor they start at 4:45 p.m. Additionally, starting Friday, May 1, it’s the second annual Gary Cooper Film Festival at the Playhouse, showcasing some of the late actor’s most iconic roles and featuring talks with his daughter, Maria Cooper Janis. The festival will continue through the weekend. Over in Sag Harbor, “Power to the People: John and Yoko Live in NYC” screens on Sunday, May 3, at 1 p.m., chronicling the only two full-length concerts Lennon did after leaving The Beatles and the last two full-length concerts that he and Yoko ever performed together.
Do Derby Day right
Navy Beach (16 Navy Road, 631-668-6868) in Montauk celebrates the Kentucky Derby from May 1 to May 3 with drink specials sure to please spectators and sippers alike. Classic Derby drinks on offer include a Pimm’s Cup and Mint Juleps, for 20 bucks each. Sagaponack Farm Distillery (369 Sagg Road, 631-537-7300) will screen the race on Saturday (May 2) with live music from Winston Irie from 6 to 8 p.m. Wear a hat and wine a prize!
Jam out in Sag Harbor
Latin Jazz Night is at the Masonic Temple (200 Main St.) in Sag Harbor Friday night beginning at 7 p.m. Presented by The Jam Session, performers will include pianist Gary Fisher, percussionist Carly Maldonado, trumpet player Michael Cruse, saxophonist Oscar Feldman, bassist Essiet Essiet, and drummer Claes Brondal, who aslo serves as the evening’s MC. Guests may also enjoy a dinner offering from Tapovana Lunch Box, which starts at 6:30 p.m. Suggested admission is $20, but you can pay what you can. For more information, click here.
Attend the annual Airing of the Quilts at Duck Creek
The Arts Center at Duck Creek in Springs (127 Squaw Road, 631- hosts their fourth annual Airing of the Quilts this Saturday, May 2, from noon to 5 p.m. A cherished tradition, airing of the quilts symbolizes the arrival of spring (which who wouldn’t want to do that after this monster of a winter!?) and, at Duck Creek at least, celebrates the community’s vast creativity and connectedness. From 10:30 a.m. to noon, participants are invited to come and hang their quilts for all to see and from noon to 5, guests are welcome to walk the grounds and view them. Starting at noon, there’ll be a Bridgehampton Marimba Performance, with a Cyanotype Quilt square workshop following at 12:30 p.m. There’s slated to be an array of quilts, from new ones to old ones, including three years of community quilts specifically made for this event. All are welcome to participate. Rain date is Sunday, May 3.
Celebrate (and hopefully, adopt) pets on National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
The Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons hosts a Pet Celebration Day this Saturday, May 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at their 124 Daniels Hole Road location in East Hampton. Event highlights will include music, crafts, a scavenger hunt, goodies from local vendors, free nail clipping and microchipping (for the dogs, not the humans, to be clear), low-cost vaccines, a doggie agility course, and of course, plenty of opportunities to adopt a new furry friend. And in Southampton, the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation, fresh off their recently completed renovation at their Hampton Bays location (102 Old Riverhead Road West, Hampton Bays), is also hosting an adoption open-house on Saturday, May 2, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., where you can learn about fostering, volunteering, get in on the thoroughly adorable mini-dog parade and… maybe even go home with a new furry friend.
Pile in for Pachanga at Bay Street
Organización Latino Americana (OLA) of Eastern Long Island announces the return of its beloved annual celebration, Pachanga, on Saturday, May 2, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Bay Street Theater and Sag Harbor Center for the Arts (1 Long Wharf, 631-725-9500). This year’s Pachanga, themed “One Community / Una Comunidad,” invites community members from across the East End to come together in a vibrant, welcoming space to celebrate Latin culture through music, dance and shared joy. Headlining the evening is La Herencia, known for their electrifying performances and “Golden Age of Salsa” sound. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door.
Join OLA at Bay Street Theater for a night of salsa music and good times; meet Australian artist Emily Persson at Grenning Gallery’s latest exhibition. (Left photo courtesy of Bay Street Theater; right photo courtesy of Grenning Gallery)
Meet (and celebrate!) an artist from Down Under at Grenning Gallery
On Saturday, May 2, the Grenning Gallery (26 Main St., Sag Harbor, 631-725-8469) hosts the first solo exhibition for Australian artist Emily Persson, who’ll be traveling over 10,000 miles to attend the opening. Beloved for her signature palette-knife impasto applied to traditional subjects, Persson brings a fresh eye to the lush East End landscapes, a great departure from the typically arid climate of her homeland. Saturday’s opening reception starts at 5:30 p.m. and continues through 7 p.m. Show will be up through Memorial Day weekend.
See silent film come alive through jazz in Southampton
This Sunday, May 3, is the Silent Film Jazz Jam, marking the season finale of the “East Meets West Jazz Jam Session,” an off-season initiative spearheaded by the education and entertainment nonprofit, East End Jazz. This community event sees music lovers, musicians and vocalists uniting together to create and collaborate with silent film clips, a medium where musical choices are paramount. Set for the Southampton Cultural Center (25 Pond Lane, 631-287-4377) from 2 to 4 p.m. and free to attend.
Make it to Amagansett for Matcha & Mahjong
Sett Coffee is hosting Matcha & Mahjong with Hamptons Mahj on Sunday, May 3 from 2 to 4 p.m. The beginner-friendly experience includes an intro to Mahjong, NMJL 2026 Card and rules + guided play. Cost is $75 per person, and includes drinks, pastries, mimosas and a full lesson. Limited space is available to register please visit hamptonsmahj.co
