Leprechauns and shamrocks are fine and dandy, but if you’re really looking for a memorable St. Patrick’s Day fête, Aid to the Developmentally Disabled (ADD) is once again adding a remarkable nautical twist to its St. Paddy’s Day soiree.
ADD will host its fourth annual Shamrock Shindig on Thursday, March 15 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead, where the event’s beloved Shark Tank Showdown will take center stage, along with Strawberry Fields, a renowned Beatles Tribute Band, Irish fare, passed hors d’oeuvres, an exciting $5,000 Lucky Pirate Century Raffle, a car raffle to win a lease on a Chevy Cruze, a Chinese auction, and more.
“This year we are particularly excited to host the band, Strawberry Fields,” shared Melissa Martin, Aid to the Developmentally Disabled Development Manager. “They are a Beatles tribute band with look-alike performers, who dress and sound just like the original Fab 4. They will most certainly create a festive atmosphere amid the ambiance of the tanks at the Long Island Aquarium.”
Strawberry Fields, who have been putting Beatles fans into a frenzy for over a decade, play with vintage musical instruments that commemorate Beatlemania.
If you’ve never been, and are wondering what exactly is a Shark Tank Showdown, leading up to the festive affair, a select group of daring supporters will raise funds in the hopes of being the top fundraisers – which grants them the rare opportunity to get inside a cage and submerge into the middle of circling sharks in the Aquarium’s 120,000 gallon Lost City of Atlantis Shark Exhibit.
“This year, we are also eager to share that we have three special Shark Tank divers: Earl Garrison of Commercial Cleaning LI and a fundraising committee member with ADD; Anthony Sannino of Sannino Vineyard on the North Fork; and Adam Lovett of aMano in Mattituck, A Lure Chowder House & Oysteria in Southold, Plated Simply Catering and the new restaurant coming soon – King Fish,” Martin added. “They have already sparked a community of pledges and are sure to add a great deal of fun to the evening.”
Aid to the Developmentally Disabled was founded in 1984 with the mission of “providing the optimum level of quality rehabilitative services to all individuals living within their residential program.” The organization offers “a healthy, safe, and homelike environment, in which individuals may achieve the greatest level of independence possible.” Proceeds from the Shamrock Shindig will aid programs, services and community engagement efforts for the more than 160 people that reside at ADD’s residential and supported homes.
Tickets to the Shamrock Shindig are $65 for adults and $25 for children.
Long Island Aquarium is located at 431 East Main Street in Riverhead. For more information, call 631-727-6220 ext. 203 or visit www.addny.org.