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As Spring approaches and the weather gets warmer, people start searching for more family-friendly events to attend. All across Long Island, the month of March is dedicated to family-friendly, or adult, St. Patrick’s Day events. Here’s a list, made up just for you, listing some St. Patrick’s Day parades or events to check out in Suffolk County, NY. March 3rd, 2019 at 1:30- 4:30 pm: Stony Brook Village Center $15 adults, $10 seniors, and children under 12 years of age 97 Main Street, Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s Education and Cultural Center Mulvihill-Lynch School of Dance Irish soda bread competition March 8th, 2019 from 7:00 pm- 11:00 pm (Adult event): Luck of the Irish Friends of St. Patrick Party Fundraiser Casino Night $75 admission per person (All proceeds benefit Rocky Point/Miller Place Parade) 5720 Route 25A Casino night, DJ, games, buffet, open bar March 9th, 2019 at 12:00 pm: 52nd Annual Westhampton Beach St. Patrick’s Parade Oneck Lane and Mill Road 11:00am-dark: Children’s Carnival Proceeds go to the Westhampton Beach Parade March 10th at 11:00 am: 29th Annual Bayport, Blue Point St. Patrick’s Day South Snedecor Avenue, Bayport, NY, 11705 Honoring Blue Point and Bayport Fire Department March 16th at 12:00 pm: Irish Pirates St. Patrick’s Day Workshop at the Whaling Museum 279 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor, 11724 Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor $12 children, $6 adults Make pirate hats or eye patches Come dressed in your best pirate outfits! March 16th, 2019 at 1:00 pm: 35th Annual St. James Chamber of Commerce St. Patrick’s Day Parade Free admission Woodlawn & Lake Avenue to St. James Gazebo Marching band, antique cars and more! Competition Automotive Group is delighted to announce that we will be participating in this year’s 35th Annual St. James Chamber of Commerce St. Patrick’s Day Parade! March 16th, 2019 at 11:30: Competition Auto Group Event March 17th at 1:00 pm: 69th Annual Miller Place/ Rocky Point St. Patrick’s Day Parade Miller Place, Route 25A & Harrison Avenue, 11764 March 17th from 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm: 31st Annual Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade Finley Middle School, Forest Avenue, Glen Cove, 11542 Pipers, Vintage cars, costumes, face painters, and fire & police units Family-friendly post-parade party at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall at the end of the parade route. March 24th at 12:00 pm: 57th Annual Montauk St. Patrick’s Day Parade Edgemere Road, Montauk, NY, 11554 10:00 am on the green, the Montauk Chamber of Commerce will be serving hot soup in a St. Patty’s Day souvenir mug. All soup will be made and donated by local restaurants

While fuel prices may be dropping, drivers are still spending a huge portion of their budgets on filling up their tanks. On average, the price of gas has dropped 50 cents since the beginning of summer, but with a bit of forethought and common sense, drivers can still watch their fuel bills fall almost immediately. Making some of these habits commonplace can help you to keep fuel costs at bay when the prices inevitably skyrocket again. Take it easy on the pedal Adhere to your vehicle’s fuel type Watch the weight you carry in your car Reduce drag Inflate your tires to the correct pressure at least once a month Stick to the motor oil recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer Keep your gas cap fully sealed Avoid prolonged idling (prolonged idling can use up to an entire gallon of gas within an hour) Refuel in the morning instead of at night Replace your air filter frequently Use your cruise control when possible Be sensible when using your vehicle’s air conditioning unit Avoid rapid braking and acceleration Minimize the number of intersections you encounter Replace your spark plugs when necessary Drive at or below the speed limit Pulse and glide: Accelerate quickly to your desired speed, coast until the vehicle slows, and repeat as needed. Regular engine checkups Corroded battery cables cause the alternator to work harder, using more gas. Come into one of our Competitive Automotive shops to have them cleaned as a matter of course with each engine check up Keep your windows rolled up to reduce drag Come in for regular oil changes Maintain a safe following distance (being too close will cause you to brake more and accelerate more to keep that unnecessary and dangerously small gap)

*Source: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Drive-Clean-Rebate New York State is offering huge incentives for New York residents who are buying electric vehicles. While you might think all plug-in hybrids and fully electric models are all bland and boring, you have to check out the selection that BMW offers. The various BMW models that qualify bring some of the most impressive horsepower, efficiency, and capabilities when you compare them to any other vehicle. BMW has not relaxed its standard of performance just because these are electric vehicles, they have gone out of their way to prove that not all electric vehicles are the same. The Drive Clean Rebate offers a rebate of up to 2,000 dollars, on top of the current Federal Tax Credit of 7,500 dollars. After choosing which model you want and finding the dealership to buy it from, you are eligible for the rebate. Choosing a BMW from Competition BMW of Smithtown in Saint James, NY means you will be choosing an impressive vehicle that you may qualify for a rebate for. Full-Electric Models BMW i3 BMW i8 Plug-in Hybrid Models 330e iPerformance 530e iPerformance 740e iPerformance X5 xDrive40e iPerformance Our dealership works hard to make sure you have access to any vehicle that will meet the needs of your life. Our diverse selection ensures you have the greatest chance of this, even by offering sedans, sports cars, and SUVs as electric vehicles, we are making sure the unique needs of everyone that comes through our doors can be met. Click here to view our Electric Vehicles for sale on Long Island!