11 minute read
It’s in Queens: Spring is in full bloom
IT’S IN QUEENS
By Rob MacKay, Director Public Relations, Marketing & Tourism, Queens Economic Development Corporation
It’s April, and plants are growing. The days are longer. Youngsters are falling in love. And hopefully, the Easter bunny will be hopping around Queens for a few days. But that’s not everything.
This month, the borough also hosts film festivals, Latin dance, live concerts, theater, and bubbles. (Thousands of bubbles.) Please read on the find out about the wonderful things that are about to happen in Queens.
Underground International Black History Month Film Festival April 8 - April 9 from 11 - 6 p.m.
Two days of shorts, documentaries, music videos, and other films with a red carpet.
King Manor Museum, 150-03 Jamaica Ave.
David Krakauer and his Acoustic Klezmer Quartet April 9 @ 4 p.m.
Musica Reginae presents one of the most important and influential proponents of new Jewish music and Klezmer’s new wave. Krakauer plays acoustic versions of his original compositions mixed with classic tunes from the traditional Klezmer repertoire.
The Church-in-the-Gardens, 50 Ascan Ave., Forest Hills.
Free First Friday April 1 from 11 - 6 p.m.
Admission is free on the first Friday of every month. However, visits must be scheduled in advance due to Covid-safety protocols.
The Noguchi Museum, 9-01 33rd Rd., Long Island City.
Latin Culture and Dance Festival April 8 - April 10 Barnyard Egg Hunt April 9 - 16 @ 4 p.m.
Youngsters search for goodies as part of a time-honored spring tradition on two separate days (April 9 and April 16). Hayrides, local vendors, and animal petting, too. BYOB (Bring Your Own Basket.)
Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Glen Oaks.
Three days of dynamic performances celebrating Latin culture through song, dance, comedy, and fantastic music.
Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
CrossCurrent Contemporary Dance Festival April 10 @ 2 p.m.
Produced by Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, this eighth annual celebration demonstrates the vibrancy and diversity of the
Crazy Talented Asians and Friends return to Flushing Town Hall on April 23rd
B-The Underwater Bubble Show comes to Queens College’s Colden Auditorium on April 24th
Asian American dance scene in the New York metropolitan area.
Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
Botanical Immigrants Tour April 10 @ 11 a.m.
As part of the Monthly Walking Tour Series, staffers lead an exploration of the global origins of local plants and how they’re used in different cultures.
Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing.
Monthly Jazz Jam April 13 @ 7 p.m.
On the second Wednesday of the month, musicians hone skills and jam with peers. The house band is led by saxophonist Carol Sudhalter. Don’t play? Listen!
Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
Crazy Talented Asians and Friends: An Evening of Live Comedy April 23 @ 8 p.m.
Led by NYC-born actor/writer Otter Lee, this troupe presents an evening of stand-up routines, sketches, and wacky stories about triumphing over the COVID quarantine.
Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
Tumbleweed April 23 @ 8 p.m.
The New American Voices 2020 Virtual Reading Series lets playwrights present developing works to audiences that provide feedback to foster discussions in fun, interactive ways. This night’s play is Marus Scott’s “Tumbleweed,” which explores beauty standards, interracial marriage, parenting, and other themes as young Willow’s natural hair stirs up heated controversy in the household.
Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
B-The Underwater Bubble Show April 24 @ 3 p.m.
Inspired by such fairy tales as “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Peter Pan,” this performance includes colorful costumes, laser technology, optical illusions, and soap bubble tornadoes. Audiences enjoy dance, puppetry, juggling, contortionism, sand art, and a little bit of magic.
Queens College’s Colden Auditorium, 153-49 Reeves Ave., Flushing.
Walking Tour of Ridgewood April 24 @ 2 p.m.
Adrienne Onofri, author of “Walking Queens,” leads a tour of Ridgewood with emphasis on history, landmarks, demographics, and food.
Meet at 55-27 Myrtle Ave.
QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES
82ND STREET PARTNERSHIP
37-06 82nd Street, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Executive Director: Leslie Ramos 718.335.9421 82ndstreet.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $224,000 with more than 200 businesses under its umbrella. The district is on 82nd Street from 37th Avenue to Baxter Avenue. The board meets quarterly with the annual meeting in June.
ASIAN AMERICAN FEDERATION
120 Wall Street, 9th Fl., New York, NY 10005 aafederation.org QUICK GLANCE: The Asian American Federation’s mission is to raise the influence and well-being of the pan-Asian American community through research, policy advocacy, public awareness and organizational development. Established in 1989, the Federation is a panAsian non-profit organization representing a network of community service agencies in the Northeast. These agencies work in the fields of health & human services, education, economic development, civic participation, and social justice.
BAYSIDE VILLAGE BID
213-33 39th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11361 Executive Director: Christine Siletti 718.423.2434 info@baysidevillagebid.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $218,000 and over 350 members. Founded in 2007, the BID includes commercial property owners and residents on Bell Boulevard between 35th Avenue and Northern Boulevard, as well as a block east and west on 41st Avenue.
BAYSIDE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
41-16 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361 President: Ed Probst Vice President: Judith Limpert 718.229.2277 info@baysideba.com baysideba.com QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1997, the Bayside Business Association services all of Bayside business to address issues and concerns those businesses have with regards to running their businesses.
ACCOMPANY CAPITAL (FORMERLY BCNA)
78-27 37 Ave., Ste. 1 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Business Development: Tshering Gurung 347.730.6468 tgurung@accompanycapital.org QUICK GLANCE: Accompany Capital is an award-winning Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Small Business Administration (SBA) micro lender that provides small and micro business owners in New York City with low-cost loans, access to business training & technical assistance, and oneon-one counseling. Accompany Capital has disbursed over $34 million in loans and assisted over 10,000 immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs in New York City since its founding as Business Center for New Americans (BCNA) in 1997, as well as provided workshops and one-on-one advice on business management and marketing to over 10,000 businesses.
BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK (BOC, INC.)
85 S. Oxford Street #2 Brooklyn, NY 11217 718.624.9115 bocnet.org QUICK GLANCE: Business Outreach Center Network’s mission is to improve the economic prospects of traditionally underserved groups, with a focus on low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs and their communities, and thereby create genuinely brighter futures. At the heart of our mission is the belief that whatever their differences, people and communities share a common goal: to achieve economic stability and growth. Working in partnership with culturally diverse individuals and organizations in support of this shared goal is the hallmark of BOC.
CHHAYA CDC
37-43 77th Street, #2 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 718.478.3848 chhayacdc.org QUICK GLANCE: Core to our strategy is organizing and advocating for systemic changes that remove the barriers to well-being, housing stability, and economic mobility for our communities. For over 20 years, Chhaya has served tens of thousands of individuals and led the charge on key policy issues for immigrants, such as basement legalization, language access, tenants’ rights, and more.
217 Park Row, 2nd Floor, Suite 9 New York, NY 10038 chinatownpartnership.org QUICK GLANCE: Chinatown Partnership, led by Wellington Chen, was formed in 2006 as new start-up from grounds up to bring residents, business owners and community groups together to rebuild Chinatown following 9/11, and to preserve the neighborhood’s unique culture while ensuring its vitality in the future through strategic positioning. With the highly popular Weekend Walks street festive series, Mid-Autumn Festival, One Day in NYC, annual Beautification/Earth Day, East West Parade with Little Italy, Double Valentine’s Day to promote the softer side of Chinatown and the Jewelry District and all the cafes, eateries in the area. Explore Chinatown marketing initiative, Lunar Stages outdoor film screenings, and Taste of Chinatown street events, Chinatown Partnership helps promote the area as a special destination to live, work, and visit.
FOREST HILLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
PO Box 751123, Forest Hills, NY 11375 President: Leslie Brown 718.268.6565 FHChamber11375@gmail.com FHChamber@aol.com QUICK GLANCE: Re-formed in 1995, the group has over 225 members. Chamber meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month at 9 a.m. at the West Side Tennis Club, 1 Tennis Place, in Forest Hills.
GATEWAY JFK
Executive Director: Scott Grimm-Lyon 516.730.3400 info@GatewayJFK.org GatewayJFK.org QUICK GLANCE: Formerly the Greater JFK Industrial BID and founded in 2016, the group seeks to provide support to the off-airport air cargo and services district through supplemental services and improvements, technical and professional services for its members, and advocacy and administration.
GREATER FLUSHING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
39-01 Main Street, Suite 511, Flushing NY 11354 Executive Director: John Choe john@flushingchamber.nyc 646.783.8985 flushingchamber.nyc QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 2014 and representing over 200 businesses.
GREATER JAMAICA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
90-04 161st Street, Jamaica, NY 11432 President: Hope Knight 718.291.0282 gjdc.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1967, the group has 75 members. GJDC’s work expands economic opportunity and improves quality of life for the ethnically and economically diverse residents of Jamaica and for the region at large, which benefits from rational, well-planned, and sustainable metropolitan growth.
QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES
84-01 Jamaica Avenue, Woodhaven NY 11421 718.805.0202 gwdcbid@hotmail.com woodhavenbid.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $257,000 with more than 350 businesses under its umbrella on Jamaica Avenue from Dexter Court to 100th Street. They are providing free benches for store owners along Jamaica Avenue. They also provide 2.5 and 5 percent home improvement loans.
JAMAICA CENTER BID
161-10 Jamaica Avenue, Suite 419 Jamaica, NY 11432 Executive Director: Jennifer Furioli 718.526.2422 jamaica.nyc @JamCenterBID (Twitter) @jamcenterbid (Instagram) @Jamaica Center BID (Facebook) QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1979, the Jamaica Center BID serves over 400 businesses on Jamaica Avenue between Sutphin Boulevard and 169th Street. With a budget of over $1 million, the BID’s goal is to promote and maintain Downtown Jamaica as a thriving business hub and an enjoyable destination to shop, work, live and visit.
JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
P.O. Box 300687, Jamaica, NY 11430 Executive Director: Clorinda Antonucci President: Al DePhillips Vice President: Joseph Morra JFKCoCExec@gmail.com jfkairportchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1978, the group has over 200 members. The chamber was chartered in 1978 by a group of business people in and around JFK Airport. It is the only airport in the nation to have its own Chamber of Commerce. The chamber seeks to create an environment in which members of the business community can work together to enhance the growth, well being and economic development of the airport community and its aviation industry.
LONG ISLAND CITY PARTNERSHIP
President: Elizabeth Lusskin 718.786.5300 longislandcityqueens.com QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1979, the Long Island City Partnership advocates for economic development that benefits LIC’s industrial, commercial, cultural and residential sectors. The goal is to attract new businesses to the neighborhood, retain those already here, welcome new residents and visitors, and promote a vibrant and authentic mixed-use community. The LIC Partnership operates the LIC Business Improvement District and the LIC Industrial Business Zone.
MASPETH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
P.O. Box 780265, Maspeth, NY 11378 President: David Daraio 718.335.1300 maspethchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1953, they have 120 members and a budget of $115,000.
MASPETH INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (MIBA)
BOC: 96-11 40th Road, Corona, NY 11368 Coordinator: Quincy Ely-Cate 718.205.3773 qelycate@bocnet.org mibanyc.org QUICK GLANCE: Covering roughly 600 businesses with 30 active members, the Maspeth Industrial Business Association provides a collective voice in advocating the needs and interests of industrial and manufacturing businesses in Maspeth. They help companies in the Maspeth Industrial District in developing workforce, accessing tax credits, obtaining financing, navigating government regulations and, in some cases, finding real estate.
MIDDLE VILLAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
79-47 Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village, NY 11379 President: Salvatore Crifasi 718.894.8700 Sal@Crifasi.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $8,000 with 35 businesses under its umbrella. Formed in 1929. MVCC meets annually and focuses on the Metropolitan Avenue shopping district between 69 and 80th streets. The mission is to improve the area and assist local businesses if they have any concerns or needs.
MURRAY HILL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF NY
P.O. Box 1897 New York, NY 10156 212.886.5867 murrayhillnyc.org QUICK GLANCE: Murray Hill is a unique residential neighborhood in midtown Manhattan. While there is no formal boundary for the neighborhood, the area served by The Murray Hill Neighborhood Association and its sister organization the Manhattan East Community Association (MECA) extends from Fifth Avenue eastward to the East River and from 42nd Street down to 26th Street (encompassing the 10016 postal code).
MYRTLE AVENUE BID
62-14 Myrtle Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385 Executive Director: Ted Renz 718.366.3806 QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $500,000 with over 300 retail and service businesses under its purview. Board meetings are held four times a year with the annual meeting in June. The district includes Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood between Fresh Pond Road and Wyckoff Avenue. Program support is provided by the Ridgewood LDC.
QUEENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
12-55 Queens Boulevard, Room 309 Kew Gardens, NY 11424 Executive Director: Seth Bornstein 718.263.0546 queensny.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $1.5 million and a resource for over 2,000 businesses in the borough of Queens. Register online for upcoming virtual events, including:
ROCKAWAY BUSINESS ALLIANCE
info@rockawaybusinessalliance.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $40,000 and a resource for over 200 businesses. The Rockaway Business Alliance was founded in 2012 after Hurricane Sandy. RBA’s vision is to create business corridors that are clean, safe, and welcoming, with shopping, dining, attractions, and engagement for the local community and the visitors drawn to Rockaway’s beaches and open spaces.
ROCKAWAY DEVELOPMENT & REVITALIZATION CORPORATION
1920 Mott Avenue, Far Rockaway, NY 11691 President: Kevin Alexander 718.327.5300 www.rdrc.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1978, the Rockaway Development & Revitalization Corporation (RDRC) was established to promote the revitalization of the Rockaway’s economic base and neighborhoods by creating long-standing partnerships with city and state agencies.
ROCKAWAY EAST MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION (REMA4US)
1032 Beach 20th Street Far Rockaway, NY 11691 rema4us.org QUICK GLANCE: REMA 4 US, Inc. seeks to engage in economic development and revitalization in the Rockaway Peninsula. To strengthen
