Hello Partners,

Fall celebrates the showing of the colored brilliance leaf foliage! But we also make note all the Chamber’s activities which are many!  Summer season closed with our annual new member wine & cheese reception at the Chamber office.   Well attended and introduced new members to our BOD. September 16th was our 9th Annual Dragon Boat Race Festival.  This year because of a nor’easter we were unable to race, as the harbor had too many white caps.  But not to disappoint our teams we pivoted and had tug-a-war competitions, much to the teams delight!  To point this will be added activity for next year!  

This October in collaboration with PJ BID and in cooperation with the PJ Village the Harvest Festival was expanded for two days. New events included a straw bale maze, pirate scavenger hunt, scary pumpkin walkers and a pie eating contest!  The chowder crawl was brought back and the very popular pet costume parade carried on. Also revived was the East Main Street Scare Crow Walk, with 17 participating businesses creating their own themed scare crow. Additionally for October the Chamber sponsored our self-guided fall Artwalk, with 27 artists, 83 pieces of art and 26 locations, much larger than last year!

We completed yet another round of grants from PSEG. With 6 Chamber business receiving benefits, including lamp posts, PA system and garbage receptacles.  The largest amount awarded went to PJ Village, at their request and were able to plant 5 new trees in upper and lower Port for the cost of $1,750. 

The Chamber also was the recipient of 6 new attractive window box planters that adds a ‘cottage’ feel to our historic building. We have welcomes 23 new members to the Chamber since the summer and have sponsored numerous ribbon cuttings.  For the first time we had a table at Stony brook University CommUniversity Day, well attended and thank you to our volunteers: Heather, John, & Ron for their service!

The holiday season approaches with the 27th Annual Charles Dickens Festival, December 2nd & 3rd and the Festival of Trees for the month of December at the PJ Village Center.  26 theme decorated trees will be joined by Santa’s Workshop all presented on the second floor of the PJ Village Center.  December 22nd the PJ BID will host their second annual tree lighting. This 22 foot tree at the intersections of the Broadways will have Santa assist in its lighting at 7pm. Our Santa Parade is November 26th starting at 3pm coming down Main Street and finishing at the PJV Center where Santa will entertain photo ops for children of all ages!  The Chamber is again sponsoring a ‘window decorating’ contest to help get the business community in the swing of the holiday shopping season and the Village is already decorated with a display of wreathes, garlands, snowflakes!  

Happy Thanksgiving and have gratitude for what you do have!

Be well and safe,

Thank you, 

Mary Joy Pipe, President – Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce

Owner of The East End Shirt Company * Proud Member of our Chamber since 1979

Congratulations to our Chamber Director-Michael Sceiford of Edward Jones for being named to the 2023 Forbes Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors Best in-State ranking by Forbes/SHOOK*Research!  The list is comprised of more than 1,460 financial advisors nationwide, all under age 40.  Michael ranked No. 9 in NYS. 

CONGRATULATIONS!

US News & World Report has ranked Stony Brook University 58th nationally - a rise of nineteen places over last year's rankings! This year's rankings solidify Stony Brook as New York's #1 public university, moving up to 26th nationally among public universities.  

SBU Earns Highest-Ever Ranking from U.S. News & World Report 

Stony Brook ranked #1 among public universities in New York, #26 among public universities in the U.S. and #58 nationally in 2024 Best Colleges 

This follows the New York Times College Access Index, which recently ranked Stony Brook 16th in the nation amongst the most selective universities in economic diversity, with 39% of our student population being Pell Grant recipients. A point that is reflected in the US News ranking, which ranked Stony Brook 12th nationally in social mobility, tying us for 2nd among our AAU peers. 

CommUniversity Day-Success and Thank you!

Thanking the volunteers for their time and talents to be a part of CommUniversity Day.

Your support was reflected in the hundreds of smiling visitors who came to each table with a bit of curiosity and who learned something new in the process. Thanks to the many volunteers who staffed tables and provided overall help for each of their areas!

Based on the giveaways there was a flow of foot traffic, guesstimating 1,500-2,000 attendees!

New Construction Projects:

The new ferry building immediately to the Chamber’s office is moving very well with construction.  Walls are up and roof to follow.  Along with the new restaurant/deli building on the corner of Beach Street and W. Broadway, looking good with the façade completed with hopeful new tenants coming soon!  The ‘Gap’ building’s owner has submitted preliminary site plans into the Villages Building and Planning department,  with a hopeful review to start  the tedious process of building a ‘boutique’ hotel with a roof top restaurant! The Chamber wishes all this new development well for creating more economic vitality of our business community!   

PLEASE JOIN THE CHAMBER AT OUR HOLIDAY COCKTAIL PARTY DECEMBER 19^TH AT DANFORDS BROOKHAVEN ROOM FROM 7-9PM COST $25 COMPLIMENTS OF DANFORDS.  FLYER WITH THIS NEWSLETTER