Fire Island News » Fire Island News & Great South Bay News

Fire Island is home to 17 distinct communities strung along 32 miles of barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great South Bay. Each has developed its own character over generations, shaped by the people who live there, the environment, and the construction constraints of building on an island. The homes that populate these communities reflect all of that. Built among the dunes and trees, they are shaped just as much by the island's conditions as by the architects and builders who designed them.

Behind the Dunes

A New Home in Ocean Bay Park Honors a Fire Island Original

Posted on July 21, 2026

Hundreds of residents from Ocean Beach, Ocean Bay Park and the surrounding area participated in and watched the annual Fourth of July Children’s Wagon Parade as the vehicles used to transport supplies onto the barrier island became the framework for the island’s own version of floats. A total of 67 Fire Island wagons were fitted out as floats; some played music, as each wagon became its own world, often with a roof designed to provide shade from the sun. Wagons named Never Never Land, Firecracker, Spiderman, Candyland, Flower Girl, What about Bob? and The Mermaid passed by. Children, adults, and an occasional dog wore costumes. Organized by the Ocean Beach Community Fund and the Village of Ocean Beach, the parade has become as much of a July Fourth tradition as the fireworks in neighboring communities.

Fourth of July Children’s Wagon Parade Beats the Heat in Ocean Beach

Posted on July 16, 2026

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The Blind Spot: A Family Business in Babylon Village

Posted on June 27, 2026

We're finally walking on sunshine, just in time for Father's Day! The proudest papa around for the big weekend was Chris Yarborough, along with proud mom Ali, mom-mom Patti Nicholson, big brother Chase, and big sis Emerson, as they celebrated the baptism of twins Addison and Bryan. Godparents Monica Miller, Robert Hane, Liz Underwood-Percival, and Dan Percival did a wonderful job keeping the kiddies calm, and Father Frank led a memorable service at the Church on a chilly day filled with warmth, love, and friends from near and far. Addie, Bryan, and Emerson are so adorable and played so nicely with Liz and Dan’s little darling!

Father’s Day the Davis Way

Posted on June 23, 2026

The version of me that emerges each June awakens in the Atlantic Ocean’s salty mist. My first trip to the beach each season resets my brain into summer mode. After months spent away during the winter, I wander through my seasonal stomping grounds, taking note of what’s changed and what somehow never does.

Signs and Rituals Summer Has Begun: Things Locals Notice First on Fire Island

Posted on June 20, 2026

spectacular estate on secluded Water Island is on the market for the asking price of $6.25million.

Behind the Dunes

Famous Designer’s Water Island Mansion Hits Market

Posted on June 10, 2026

Have you ever looked out over the Robert Moses Bridge and wondered what lies below the surface of our waterways? Well, researchers at Stony Brook University in the Frisk-Shipley Laboratory can tell you using something called “acoustic telemetry.” The researchers have granted me access to their data from 2023 to 2025 for their equipment located off Ocean Beach and beneath the Robert Moses Bridge.

Acoustic Telemetry Explores Beneath the Surface of the Shores of Long Island and Beyond

Posted on June 8, 2026

2026 is a mayoral election year for the Incorporated Village of Ocean Beach. With seven candidates vying for four seats on the Ocean Beach Village Board, this is one of the more competitive races in recent memory. The election is scheduled for June 5 at the Ocean Beach Community House from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Meet the Candidates Running for Election to Lead Ocean Beach

Posted on May 27, 2026

In Room 808 at Bay Shore Middle School, Philip M. Carpenter Jr. shaped, influenced, and enriched generations of students for over 36 years, becoming an institution in the Bay Shore community. Carpenter died April 2 at his home in Bay Shore, surrounded by his loved ones. He was 84.

Philip M. Carpenter Jr., beloved educator and philanthropist; dies at 84

Posted on May 25, 2026

Ocean Beach village residents have been closely watching what has become a competitive mayoral and trustee election. However, a surprise came out of left field when the Village Court Justice race heated up in recent weeks, bringing both candidates into a Riverhead courtroom and reopening a perennial question about election law and residents’ legitimacy in the history of this incorporated village on Fire Island.

NYS Supreme Court Dismisses Filing to Remove Ocean Beach Village Justice Court Candidate from the Ballot

Posted on May 19, 2026

From what I’ve seen, South Shore buyers have largely adjusted to the current rate environment. While borrowing costs remain elevated relative to the ultra-low rates of prior years, today’s buyers are demonstrating greater confidence and a willingness to move forward despite lingering uncertainty.

Behind the Dunes

Mortgage rates have dipped slightly compared to last year but remain relatively high. Are South Shore buyers adjusting to this new rate environment, or are many still waiting for rates to drop before making a move?

Posted on April 28, 2026

What appeared to be a structure fire on Fire Island, in the community of Ocean Beach, became apparent at about 3:30 this afternoon, when black, billowing smoke caught the attention of onlookers in the village square and boaters on the Great South Bay. Ocean Beach Fire alarms sounded at approximately 3:15 p.m. Bystanders reported the location as being the bayside of Wilmot Road. The cause at this time is unknown. This is a story in development.

Fire Rages on Fire Island

Posted on April 24, 2026

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