The Great South Bay Music Festival is celebrating its 15th year of its annual, four-day music festival from July 20th – 23rd at Shorefront Park in Patchogue. The festival is also celebrating its 2nd year of their sun safety policy, which aims to help protect attendees and staff from ultraviolet (UV) overexposure during this mid-July festival.
UV radiation from the sun is the primary cause of skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the United States. Almost 500 Suffolk County residents are diagnosed annually with melanoma, higher than any other county in New York State. Stony Brook Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention in Action (CPiA) program supports Long Island organizations and businesses with high outdoor exposure to adopt policies that reduce UV exposure and promote sun safety.
Jim Faith, festival founder and organizer, knew that sun safety at the festival was a “no-brainer.” Faith began working with Stony Brook Cancer Center’s CPiA program in early 2022 to plan their sun safety policy, which was piloted at last year’s festival.
“We were honored to adopt a sun safety policy for the festival,” says Faith, reflecting on the pilot policy. “We were able to raise awareness [about skin cancer] while simultaneously targeting the very people who were being affected by the sun’s harmful UV rays.”
As a cancer survivor himself, Faith is a committed supporter of the fight against cancer. One dollar from each ticket sale will be donated to Stony Brook Cancer Center’s innovative novel-therapy research programs, as the festival has done in years past. This year, Stony Brook Medicine will be the festival’s exclusive healthcare partner and will provide EMTs on site for medical needs.
The festival’s sun safety policy includes free sunscreen, with over 10,000 sunscreen samples distributed at last year’s festival. Standing sunscreen dispensers were also stationed throughout the festival grounds to help attendees stay sun safe throughout the day. But that doesn’t mean to leave your sunscreen at home if attending the festival! The festival’s website was updated to encourage attendees to bring sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and clothing to cover up – all proven strategies to reduce UV overexposure.
Festival staff received free sun safety swag bags, with clip-on sunscreen bottles, UV protective sunglasses, and information on staying sun safe while working. These items were also available for attendees at the Stony Brook Cancer Center table. These same strategies will be in effect again this year.
With temperatures expected to reach the 80’s during this year’s festival, the sun safety policy will once again provide sun protection to over 15,000 attendees and staff. The festival will be held in Patchogue’s Shorefront Park from July 20th – 23rd with over 55 performers including Phil Lesh & Friends, Gov’t Mule, Hot Tuna, Dirty Heads, and more!
If you don’t have your tickets yet, you can use code: SUNSAFE for 10% off at checkout. Visit greatsouthbaymusicfestival.com for festival information and ticket sales.
For more information on Stony Brook Cancer Center’s CPiA program visit takeactionagainstcancer.com
CPiA is supported with funds from Health Research, Inc. and New York State.
About Great South Bay Music Festival:
Celebrating its 15th Anniversary, The Great South Bay Music Festival is Long Island’s longest running, and largest four-day music, art & cultural event. Situated on the magnificent Great South Bay, it features over 55 performers on 4 stages, presenting legends, as well as local emerging artists in classic rock, jazz, jam-band, country, folk, zydeco, hip hop and funk. For handmade arts & craft lovers, and shoppers, Great South Bay’s Artisan Market features a diverse collection of interesting handmade and imported creations. Well known as a family event, The Great South Bay Music Festival is committed to excellence in educational fun for all! Kids will love our KIDZONE – featuring quality, educational fun, children’s entertainment all day, Saturday & Sunday. To learn more, visit greatsouthbaymusicfestival.com
About Stony Brook Cancer Center:
Stony Brook Cancer Center is Suffolk County’s cancer care leader and a leader in education and research. With more than 20,000 inpatient and 70,000 outpatient visits annually, the Cancer Center includes 12 multidisciplinary teams: Breast Cancer; Colorectal Cancer; Gastrointestinal Cancer; Genitourinary Cancer; Gynecologic Cancer; Head and Neck Cancer, and Thyroid Cancer; Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplant; Lung Cancer; Melanoma and Soft Tissue Sarcomas; Neurologic Oncology; Orthopedic Oncology; and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. The cancer program is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.stonybrookmedicine.edu.