Proud of its fine downtown shopping district, the historic village of Patchogue in Brookhaven Township is situated on the Great South Bay. The city serves as a center of education, healthcare, and commerce for surrounding small communities. Still, it retrains a "hometown touch." The local chamber of commerce and other civic and fraternal organizations play a major role in promoting a high quality of life. The Patchogue Theatre, gloriously returned to its former 1921 glory as a vaudeville house, now offers on of the most elegant performance centers on the East Coast. Patchogue's picturesque shorefront and riverfront areas combine with extensive city recreation programs for quality leisure activities.