Saturday: Literary landmark, street festival
SOUTHAMPTON
Windmill to be literary landmark
Long before there was a college on the property, the 300-year-old windmill at what is now Stony Brook Southampton was simply a building on an old estate. And during one summer more than half a century ago, it was rented out as the home to a promising playwright — Tennessee Williams.
Saturday, July 13, the windmill, already a historic landmark, will be dedicated as a literary landmark by the American Library Association’s United for Libraries division, in a way that should appeal to literary scholars.
At 3:45 p.m., there will be a reading at the windmill of “At Stanley’s Place,” a one-act satire of Tennessee Williams written by faculty member and author Frederic Tuten, followed by a cherry soda reception hosted by director Nick Mangano, author and playwright Roger Rosenblatt and poet Grace Schulman.
Cherry soda and its symbolism has been debated by literary scholars for decades, ever since the drink was written into a scene in 1947 by Tennessee Williams in the play “A Streetcar Named Desire.”
There will also be a free reading of William’s works at 7:30 p.m. in the campus’ Avram Theater. — MITCHELL FREEDMAN
HUNTINGTON STATION
Festival to feature music, food, games
Huntington Station plans to have its street festival Saturday, July 13, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event will feature live music, local food and crafts vendors along with free children’s games and activities.
The event, on Depot Road between New York Avenue and Pulaski Road, is being hosted by Renaissance Downtowns, the master developer selected to revitalize the area, and the Huntington Station Business Improvement District.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Source the Station and Renaissance to say ‘thank you’ to the community at large, while celebrating the diverse assets that Huntington Station has to offer,” said Erika Forland, community liaison for Source the Station. “We will have local bands, local vendors and local food establishments all participating to create a fun, family oriented day for everyone to enjoy.”
Organizers said the event is to celebrate the area’s downtown revitalization efforts. In addition, Renaissance Downtowns and Source the Station will provide information about upcoming job and training opportunities that will result from the redevelopment efforts.
Huntington Business Improvement District president Keith Barret said the ability to attract people from across Long Island to the area for amusement and fun “is evidence that great things not only can happen in the Station, but are already well underway.” — DEBORAH S. MORRIS
