Girl Scouts Debut New ‘Exploremores’ Cookie at Suffolk Cookiepalooza In Bay Shore

BAY SHORE, NY — More than 900 Girl Scouts filled South Shore Mall late Friday night as Girl Scouts of Suffolk County hosted its annual “Cookiepalooza,” officially kicking off the 2026 Girl Scout Cookie Season.

The overnight event ran from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., transforming the mall into a high-energy celebration designed to prepare Girl Scouts for their upcoming cookie sales while building key life skills such as marketing, money management, and customer service.

“They are going to learn about service, inventory, and how to speak to a customer,” said Tammy Severino, president and CEO of Girl Scouts of Suffolk County. “It’s an opportunity for them to learn entrepreneurial skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”

Throughout the evening, Girl Scouts participated in a variety of activities, including a “Girl Scouts Got Talent” showcase featuring original cookie-themed songs, cookie previews, creative snack stations, and hands-on content creation as part of the organization’s “media girls” program.

For many participants, the event helped ease nerves ahead of cookie season.

“Selling cookies is very challenging in the beginning, but once you learn these skills you can get your confidence up,” said Brinleigh Ingwersen of Northport. “You can even make up cheers or chants to ask people to buy cookies. It’s really fun.”

Cookiepalooza also marked the unveiling of the new Exploremores cookie — a rocky road-inspired sandwich cookie featuring chocolate, marshmallow, and toasted almond-flavored crème. The cookie is designed to evoke adventure and will be available nationwide in early 2026.

More information about the cookie season — including online purchasing options — can be found at gssc.us.