Out east, vineyard operators note little change in visitors

On the North Fork, where train service is sparse — and particularly so on weekends — vineyard employees said early Saturday afternoon there were no significant changes in business because of the strike, though some reported being either busier or slower than usual.

At Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard, a few more visitors than expected arrived without reservations, general manager Steven Kelly said Saturday afternoon. He said the loss of train service may have led some local residents to skip trips into the city and stay on the East End instead. While relatively few visitors rely on the train, Kelly said he is concerned about increased traffic affecting wine tour buses that travel across the region.

“I don't think it's hurting us. We won’t know the first weekend; people have already planned to come,” Kelly said. “We are getting more people showing up, so maybe people stayed who weren’t going to the city.”

At Ev&Em Vineyards in Laurel, general manager Kristen Curcie said the tasting room was slightly busier than expected. She also expressed concern that heavier traffic could deter visitors from western Long Island if the strike continues into Memorial Day weekend.

“The traffic, if [the strike] drags on, is going to become horrendous, and it will become a bit of a problem going into our busiest weekend that kicks off the [summer] season,” said Curcie, who is also president of Long Island Wine Country, a wine industry group.