‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ grand marshal announced

Ken Dobbins has been officially selected as this year’s “It’s a Wonderful Life in Patchogue” grand marshal.

The second annual event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 12 and Sunday, Dec. 13 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the Village of Patchogue. The event will include live re-enactments from the film at various downtown locations, 1940s atmosphere including vintage cars, characters, carolers, newies and photo ops, as well as dining and shops for the holidays.

Last year’s GM was the owner of Blum’s, Marc Siegel.

ABOUT KEN DOBBINS

Dobbins was born in Queens on Aug. 22, 1962. He graduated from Sachem High School in 1980 and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree at St Joseph’s College in Patchogue, majoring in special education with a minor in English. He later earned a master’s degree at Stony Brook University in special education.
Dobbins began his career in 1989 as a Resource Room teacher at Sachem High School, eventually teaching Special Education English. He retired from Sachem back in 2019.

Dobbins has also been very involved with community theater, by doing shows at Airport Playhouse in Bohemia. Since then, he has performed in many productions across Long Island at theaters such as Hofstra USA, CM (Creative Ministries), James Street Players, Star Playhouse, Clare Rose Playhouse and countless others. He has performed in roles such as Jesus in “Godspell,” Riff in “West Side Story,” Bobby in “A Chorus Line,” Joe/Josephine in “Sugar,” Buffalo Bill in “Silence,” several burlesque shows, and the list goes on and on.

He has also directed a couple of community theater productions and served as vice president at James Street Players,

He bought his current home back in 1997 and has proudly been a part of the Patchogue community for close to 30 years.

“Anyone who knows him is aware of how he can make friends anywhere. You can walk down a street in Patchogue Village, or different town, a different state, a different country, at an airport, or even in a plane for that matter; and all of a sudden, you will hear someone shout out ‘Ken’… and there is someone who recognizes him! No lie… it happens all the time!” said Karen Turnquist.
The idea for the event, according to Steven Muñoz, Amazing Olive, was inspired by the Port Jefferson Dickens Festival. After speaking with David Kennedy, former chamber executive director, he said they began searching for someone who could help get their idea off the ground, when in came Dobbins into his shop.

“It was as if Clarence, our guardian angel from ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ had somehow found his way to The Amazing Olive on the very same day we began planning this event,” he said of his needed theater knowledge.

After retiring, Dobbins was excited to get involved and give back to the community. He then took the lead as recruiting actors for the scenes and helped create the script alongside his friends, Mary Ann Cafiero and Karen Turnquist.

“Together, they helped turn our idea into a unique experience, one that would bring people into downtown Patchogue to shop, dine, enjoy the holiday spirit, and, at the same time, raise money for the Patchogue Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of the Pat-Med Library,” Muñoz said.

This is now Dobbins’s third year volunteering to help make “It’s a Wonderful Life in Patchogue.”

“It is truly an honor to have him serve as this year’s grand marshal for ‘It’s a Wonderful Life in Patchogue,’” he added.