Hey South Shore, the green is going up everywhere you look.

Wreaths on pub doors, shamrock flags along Main Streets, and that particular mid-March restlessness that feels less like winter fatigue and more like anticipation. Our community has a full dance card this weekend, from a musical theater opening night in Oakdale to a vineyard afternoon in Sayville, and the kind of live comedy that fills a room with the best kind of noise. The weather is cooperating just enough to make Saturday feel like a reward. Wherever you land this weekend, the South Shore has something worth showing up for.

Opening weekend for one of the most iconic musicals ever staged, and it's happening right here in Oakdale. The Jellicle Ball, "Memory," the sequined costumes, the gravity-defying choreography: CM PAC brings the full production to life with the kind of ambition that reminds you why regional theater matters. This is the show's opening run, which means the energy in the room will be its own thing. Whether you saw it on Broadway decades ago or you're coming in fresh, this is a Saturday night worth dressing up for.

When: Saturday, March 14 | Opening Weekend
Where: CM Performing Arts Center, Oakdale
Price: $$
🎟️ Reserve your seats.

Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley built their following by saying the things every parent thinks but nobody says out loud, and their Flashback Tour brings that same energy to Patchogue Theatre on Friday night. This is a crowd that arrives already warmed up and ready to laugh, which makes for one of those shows where the room becomes part of the experience. The duo has appeared across major platforms and sold out venues nationally, so catching them at a 1,100-seat theater on the South Shore is a genuinely good deal. Grab a drink at intermission and settle in.

When: Friday, March 13 | 8:00 PM
Where: Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts, Patchogue
Price: $$
🎤 Grab your tickets.

Four comedians, one night, and a theme that lands perfectly the day before St. Patrick's Day. The lineup draws from credits at Letterman, Conan, and Comedy Central, which is a serious pedigree for a Saturday night in Bay Shore. The Irish American experience gives the material a specific through-line that makes it more than a typical comedy showcase, and Boulton Center's intimate setup means every seat is a good one. Come for the laughs, stay because none of you want the night to end.

When: Saturday, March 14 | 8:00 PM
Where: Boulton Center for the Arts, Bay Shore
Price: $$
🍺 Get your tickets.

Before he was a prolific TV writer and producer, Shaun Cassidy was the kind of teen idol whose records sold in the millions, and Thursday night's show at Patchogue Theatre is something rarer: a chance to hear the songs alongside the stories behind them. "The Road to Us" is billed as an intimate evening of music and storytelling, which means this is closer to a conversation than a concert. For anyone who grew up with his music, this one carries real weight. For everyone else, it's a reminder that the best career retrospectives always reveal a more interesting person than the poster suggested.

When: Thursday, March 12 | 8:00 PM
Where: Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts, Patchogue
Price: $$+
🎶 Check seat availability.

Patrick McHale brings live Irish music to the vineyard grounds Saturday afternoon, and the setting alone earns this a spot on your weekend list. Loughlin's outdoor space paired with traditional tunes and a glass of something local is exactly the kind of low-key St. Paddy's celebration that doesn't require a parade route or elbow room at a bar. Arrive early to find your spot on the grounds, and let the afternoon go as long as it wants to. It's the kind of event that turns into two hours without anyone noticing.

When: Saturday, March 14 | 1:00 PM
Where: Loughlin Vineyard, Sayville
Price: Free
🍷 Plan your afternoon.

Mo Willems' Caldecott Medal picture book is beloved for a reason: it captures the specific, universal panic of a small child who has lost the one thing that matters most. The stage adaptation runs 75 minutes, is rated G, and opens Sunday morning at 11:00 AM, which makes it a natural anchor for a family outing before lunch. If your kids know Trixie's story, they'll love seeing it come alive. If they don't, this is a fine introduction.

When: Sunday, March 15 | 11:00 AM
Where: CM Performing Arts Center, Oakdale
Price: $$
🐰 Snag your family's seats.

Fantastic Gardens dresses up their heated greenhouse with a full Easter set this Sunday, and the combination of spring botanicals, local vendors, and an actual Easter Bunny makes it one of the better photo opportunities the South Shore offers this time of year. The per-family price keeps it accessible, and the greenhouse setting means weather is never a factor. Bring the kids in their Easter best and come away with a photo worth framing.

When: Sunday, March 15 | 11:00 AM
Where: Fantastic Gardens of Long Island, Patchogue
Price: $
📸 Check out the announcement..

The Children's Program Room at PML is running drop-in First Ladies programming all month, and Saturday is a good day to pop in. No registration required, no time pressure, and the interactive format means kids engage at their own pace. It's the kind of low-stakes Saturday activity that fills a morning nicely between errands or before heading out to the parade.

When: Saturday, March 14 | Drop-in all day
Where: Patchogue-Medford Library, Patchogue
Price: Free
📚 Browse the details.

Traditional Greek dances performed live in honor of Greek American Heritage Month, and the whole family is welcome at no cost. The colorful costumes and the energy of live folk dance make this genuinely engaging for kids, and the 2:00 PM Sunday timing slots in perfectly after Knuffle Bunny if you want to make a full afternoon of it in Patchogue.

When: Sunday, March 15 | 2:00 PM
Where: Patchogue-Medford Library, Patchoguelip
Price: Free
🇬🇷 View the library listing.

Four Loughlin wines paired with a seasonal Irish cheese selection from SAYville Cheese, on a Friday night at one of the South Shore's most charming vineyard settings. The Irish theme gives it a St. Patrick's Day hook without any of the green beer energy, and the intimacy of a tasting room keeps the conversation going naturally. This is the kind of date night that costs less than a restaurant but feels like more of an occasion. Book before it fills up, because evenings like this don't stay open long.

When: Friday, March 13 | 7:00 PM
Where: Loughlin Vineyard, Sayville
Price: $$+
🧀 Reserve your tasting.

Music bingo with a St. Patrick's Day twist, Sunday morning at the Brew House, and yes, the Bloody Marys are part of the point. It's the rare Sunday activity that feels festive without committing to another late night, and Oakdale Brew House runs these well. A solid way to close out the holiday weekend with good people and something to argue about at your table.

When: Sunday, March 15 | 11:00 AM
Where: Oakdale Brew House, Oakdale
Price: Free
🍻 Lock in your spot.

Stereo Garden turns Friday night into a full Latin dance floor with reggaeton, dembow, and merengue from 9:00 PM on. The crowd here comes to move, and the energy builds quickly once the night gets going. If your Friday ends early somewhere else, this is the place to finish it right.

When: Friday, March 13 | 9:00 PM
Where: Stereo Garden, Patchogue
Price: $$
💃 Check the venue.

Colombian food done right, with a rainforest vibe and plates built to share.

Walk in and you're not on Long Island anymore. Blue neon lights line the ceiling, tropical plants hang down from above, and the whole room feels like a rainforest somewhere outside Bogota. Sabor a Colombia just opened their first Suffolk County location after building a serious following in Levittown and Franklin Square, and the energy inside says they brought everything with them. It's the kind of place that makes you pause at the door for a second just to take it all in.

We started with the rellenitas, crispy green plantain cups loaded with shredded beef, fresh guacamole, and pico de gallo. For dinner, I ordered the Bandeja Sabor a Colombia: carne asada, white rice, beans, maduros, chicharron, chorizo, egg, and aguacate, all on one plate. My wife had the Parrillada, a full spread of churrasco, chicken, pork loin, shrimp, chorizo, morcilla, papa, yuca, rice and beans on the side. Both plates were massive. The kind of portions where you look at the table and laugh a little before picking up your fork. Plan to take some home.

The head chef brings over 20 years of Colombian kitchen experience and it shows in every dish. Live music on Sundays, karaoke on Thursdays, and Friday and Saturday nights run until 2 AM. With three locations across Long Island, this is not a place people are still discovering. But if you haven't been yet, the Central Islip spot is the closest one to our community and it's worth the trip any night of the week.

📍 20 N Research Place, Central Islip | Follow Sabor a Colombia on Instagram

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