Last chance this season to let Fido play on Fire Island beaches

The Fire Island National Seashore invites you and your dog to come by for a day of play on the sand this weekend. Credit: NPS-Fire Island National Seashore
If you and your dog are looking to romp around on the beach, the folks at the Fire Island National Seashore are inviting you both to come by for a day of play on the sand.
The first Saturday of every month is National Play Outside Day, which comes up next on March 6. When it comes to the beaches of the Fire Island National Seashore — which runs from the eastern end of the Robert Moses State Park to Moriches Inlet — a summer closure of oceanfront beach access for pets goes into effect on March 15, and stays in place until Labor Day weekend.
The closure is put into place to protect nesting shorebirds, but as the first week of March is outside that deadline, families can bring their dogs down and take advantage of what forecasters are predicting will be a sunny Saturday.
"As an owner of my own fur baby, there is no better way to enjoy the outdoors than walking the shoreline with your companion on a bright sunny day," says Fire Island National Seashore Superintendent Alexcy Romero. "Come out and enjoy the day with your pet this weekend!"
MORE INFO Fire Island National Seashore Wilderness Visitor Center, at the southern end of the William Floyd Pkwy, Shirley; 631-687-4750, nps.gov. The event hours are officially 10 to 11 a.m., but pets are welcome all day. Dogs must be kept on a leash six feet or shorter at all times; register in advance at FIIS_information@nps.gov as space is limited to ensure social distancing. Free; participants must follow CDC and local COVID protocols.