Festival Bites: Five Towns College Students Dig Into Great South Bay’s Food Scene
By Grace Bonamico
By Day 3 of the Great South Bay Music Festival in Patchogue, the crowd wasn’t just buzzing about the music. The food, which was fried, fresh, sweet, and spicy made headlines of its own. Between band performances and production duties for the TV and radio broadcasts, Five Towns College students took time to sample the wide-ranging cuisine served up by local food trucks and vendors. Their verdict: a mix of comfort, creativity, and Long Island flavor.
Film and TV major Joey Cicchelli kept it classic with a cheeseburger and fries from Frankies Famous. “I’m loving it right now,” he said. “I think for 16 bucks, getting a full burger and fries and really well done stuff, it’s great. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Seafood made a strong showing with Five Towns students. Mass Communication major Jordani Chacon revisited one standout dish. “This was my second time having it,” she said of the hot and honey shrimp from Lobster Rolls. “It just has a really nice tangy and sweet flavor with a little bit of spice […] If you’re from Long Island, of course, you have to have something with a little bit of seafood, because you know that’s what Long Island’s about.”
Chacon thinks that the Great South Bay Music Festival food court is a great place for festival goers to explore. “Be sure to just try out something new,” Chacon said. “Don’t miss out, especially for this event.”
Max Rappaport, another Mass Communication student, wanted a lobster roll from Lobster Rolls, but opted for the lobster fries instead. “I was going for the lobster roll, but it was outside of my budget,” he said. Rappaport reported that the lobster fries also came loaded with jalapeños, a flavorful sauce, and just the right crunch.
Recent Mass Communication grad Fernando Gomez ‘25 tried something different from the Lobster Rolls- cheese fries topped with filet mignon. His review was mixed. “The cheese was good. The fries were good, but the filet itself was basically cold,” he said. “So I dock a few points off of it, but flavor-wise, it was very good.”
If your hungry for something from Lobster Rolls, follow their Instagram account (@Lobster_Rolls_and_more) for more information.
For those seeking festival staples, Mass Communication alum Jeff Kramer ‘25 ordered a popular dish at Frankies Famous. “I got the sausage and peppers with fries […] and it was really good,” he said. “I always love trying different things here. It’s one of the best parts of this festival, among many parts, and it was pretty fun. Cannot complain, indeed.”
Drinks and desserts are also a big part of the festival dining experience. Mass Communication Senior Isabella Escobar cooled down with a blend of lemonade and tea from Subtle Tea. “I got it because I heard such great things about it,” she said. “I’m a big tea person, so I absolutely enjoyed it. It gives you that really homemade tea flavor […] I feel like I’ve freshly squeezed it myself.”
Film and TV major Isabella Romero sought out something sweet to wrap up her day. “I saw Ralph’s and they had peanut butter cookie dough ice, and I said, ‘Sure, what the heck?’” she said. “And so I went and got it, and I’m the happiest little girl ever.”
Daniel Garcia, a Mass Communication Senior, kept it short and satisfying at G&L Gyro. “I just got a shish kebab from the kebab place,” Garcia said. “And let me tell you, that’s some good shish (kebab).”
After seeing all the delicious foods that my team was eating, I too jumped in the food tasting challenge. I opted to try something new by ordering the arancini rice balls from DAG Concessions/Boston Events. I got three, two were margherita pizza and one was mac and cheese. Honestly, I really liked both flavors. The rice coating was good and crunchy on both. The mac and cheese was nice and flavorful, while the margherita pizza ones were filled with a nice mix of sauce and mozzarella cheese. They even gave me extra sauce on the side. Watch my taste test on the FTC Mass Comm Instagram account.
From seafood to sausage and lemonade to Ralph’s Italian Ices, the festival’s food vendors proved they were just as worthy of the spotlight as the bands on stage. For the hardworking students of Five Towns College, these quick bites became well-earned rewards and a flavorful part of their Great South Bay experience.
