Mattituck First Fridays returns with new changes on Love Lane
Love Lane’s First Fridays returned with more vendors, more food trucks and a raised stage, aiming to pull more people downtown for music, shopping and dinner.
Love Lane turned pedestrian again Friday night as Mattituck’s First Fridays came back with a bigger setup, more vendors and food trucks, and a raised stage meant to give crowds a clearer view of the bands. The first-Friday series runs from 6 to 9 p.m. through October, and each event closes Love Lane to car traffic so the street can function as a walkable downtown gathering place.
That change is about more than atmosphere. The Mattituck Chamber of Commerce sponsors the series because it keeps people in the business district long enough to browse, eat and shop, instead of treating Love Lane as a quick stop on the way through the North Fork. In a small commercial corridor where foot traffic can shape an entire evening, the monthly format gives restaurants, retail shops and service businesses a regular boost at the start of the weekend.
Melissa Principi, the chamber’s vice president and a real estate broker with Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Cutchogue, has described First Fridays as a place where families, friends and local businesses come together. Lauren Lombardi of Lombardi’s Love Lane Market said the event has grown over the years and continues to introduce new customers to the store. Her market sits on one of the most visible stretches of Love Lane, where the event’s crowd flow can matter just as much as the music.
The 2026 lineup is built around a different act each month, with Bubba Jam Band in May, Audawind in June, Lil Sumpin Sumpin in July, GUNK in August, Who Are Those Guys in September and MJT in October. Organizers also added more vendors and more food trucks this season, a sign that they are trying to broaden the draw beyond a single stage and make the street feel like a full evening destination.
The formula has deep roots. The chamber’s First Fridays series reportedly ran every May through October beginning in 2014, then paused during the pandemic. When it returned in October 2023 as a one-night comeback, it drew a couple hundred people. By the time the 2025 season closed, more than 30 local businesses and organizations were involved, with kid activities, food and drink vendors, and live music turning Love Lane into a broad community showcase.
For Mattituck, that mix of commerce and celebration is the point. First Fridays has become a recurring summer ritual that helps define downtown life on the North Fork, and this year’s changes are designed to keep the crowd coming back.
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