Socrates Sculpture Park is getting ready for a major seawall reconstruction project that will begin in the coming days and continue through the winter. The project will be managed by NYC Parks and intends to rebuild the stone area along the Park’s shoreline to pre-Superstorm Sandy levels. Much of the north lawn and coastline will be closed during construction. The project is an important step in protecting the Park and surrounding neighborhood from flooding while strengthening Socrates’ long-standing commitment to land stewardship, habitat restoration, and climate resilience. Founded on what was once an abandoned landfill and illegal dumpsite, Socrates has transformed the land through decades of community care, art, horticulture, and environmental restoration. Read more about the shoreline reconstruction project here: https://socratessculpturepark.org/a-communal-creative-act/?blm_aid=287745

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While the Old Astoria Neighborhood Association is supporting Community Board 1’s conditional approval of the tennis enclosure, we feel it is important that everybody be aware of what those conditions are — and you will see that they reflect almost all of the issues being raised by opponents of the enclosure. In its April 23, 2026 letter to NYC Parks, the Community Board asked that: No more than eight to ten of the fourteen courts be enclosed The remaining courts stay at standard City permit rates, not under the operator’s control Weekly days and times be set aside for free or reduced-rate public play The structure be strictly seasonal, with no year-round installation The contract mandate termination if the seasonal requirement is circumvented The Board review the contract before it is signed Noise be monitored and not exceed 85 decibels Power come from the electrical grid, not generators Restroom access be resolved for winter operation All fourteen courts be resurfaced on a regular schedule, not only the enclosed ones, and any lighting be designed so as not to negatively impact the surrounding community (while not part of the Board’s ask, new lighting on all fourteen courts should be included if needed) The facility and surrounding area be kept clean and maintained The proposal include food and beverage service Local hiring be prioritized The operation not create an undue burden for nearby residents The Board also identified damage to the park’s trees as a serious concern. NYC Parks has not yet presented a contract with a selected operator. When it does, OANA will review it against every one of these conditions. Our support was extended on this basis and no other: if the final agreement does not meet these conditions, OANA will reassess our support. Read the Community Board’s April 23rd,...

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Green Space in LIC is hosting several performances and events throughout September, including a pop-up performance at the 9th Annual Queens United International Party in Sunnyside. Queens United International Party On Saturday, September 19, Dance Entropy will present a pop-up performance of Clepsydra as part of the 9th Annual Queens United International Party (QUIP). The day-long festival will feature global music, dance, food trucks, and other activities. Clepsydra will be performed at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Sunnyside Gardens Park, located at 48-21 39th Ave. Get tickets here. Skimming the Surface® On Wednesday, September 23, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Green Space will host Skimming the Surface®, a movement healing workshop for adults. The workshops use somatic-based expressive movement exercises and are designed for adults working through different forms of trauma and stress. The workshop is pay-what-you-can, with advance RSVP required. Get tickets here. Fertile Ground On Sunday, September 27 at 7 p.m., Green Space will present Fertile Ground, featuring works-in-progress by Allie Linn, Aubrey Mailloux, Faythe Kelly, FishFranklin, Laura Espitia/Heather Lake, and Liron Kichler. Green Space is also available for rehearsals, classes, performances, independent productions, photo and video shoots, and special events. Rental rates start at $10 per hour. For tickets, registration, and additional information, visit DanceEntropy.org or GreenSpaceStudio.org. Learn more here.

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The Hallets Playground Alliance will host its 4th Annual Fall Harvest Costume Festival and Community Health & Wellness Fair on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Hallets Cove Playground in Astoria. The free community event will take place from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM at 30-02 Vernon Boulevard and will bring neighbors together for an afternoon of activities, entertainment, community resources, and seasonal fun. The festival will feature music, arts and crafts, carnival-style table-top games, hayrides, seasonal treats and refreshments, costume parades, constituent services, and more. Organizers anticipate connecting more than 200 local residents with community resources and services. Event Details Saturday, October 24, 2026 12:00 PM–4:00 PM Hallets Cove Playground 30-02 Vernon Boulevard Astoria, NY 11102 The event is free and open to the community. For more information, contact Aiysha Mayfield, Special Events Coordinator, at Aiyshamayfield518@gmail.com or 347-319-9004. Hope to see you there!

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Join your neighbors for Gather on Vernon, a free community street festival celebrating the Astoria waterfront on Saturday, September 26, from 12–5 PM. The afternoon will bring together local vendors, makers, food, activities, community organizations, and live music along Vernon Boulevard and the waterfront. It’s a chance to meet neighbors, support local businesses and creators, and enjoy the waterfront together. The festival will be followed by Socrates Sculpture Park’s outdoor cinema program, making for a full afternoon and evening of community events. Gather on VernonSaturday, September 2612–5 PMVernon Blvd & 30th DriveFree and all ages welcome Come out, bring the family, and gather on Vernon!

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Outdoor Cinema is back at Socrates Sculpture Park this September! They will be opening with a two-night pilot program presented in partnership with Rooftop Films. The beloved film series returns on September 12 and September 26, bringing movies, music, food, and community gatherings to the Astoria waterfront. The series opens Saturday, September 12, with BOUCHRA, an animated film by artists Meriem Bennani and Orian Barki. Set between Casablanca and New York, the film follows a Moroccan filmmaker living in New York as she reflects on family, love, sexuality, and life between cultures. The evening will include a pre-screening DJ set by Moroccan-born, New York-based artist and composer Bergsonist, introductory remarks from the filmmakers, and Moroccan food from Queens-based food truck Amazigh. On Saturday, September 26, Outdoor Cinema continues with Jean-Michel Basquiat, a new documentary exploring the life and work of the influential New York artist. The film draws on family memories, archival imagery, and previously unseen works to explore Basquiat and the creative communities that surrounded him. A special ambient set by New York artist and musician L’Rain will precede the screening, with food from a Haitian food truck. Cinema Kids This year also introduces Cinema Kids, a new partnership with Château Le Woof and the New York International Children’s Film Festival. On the mornings of each Outdoor Cinema event, families can head across the street to Château Le Woof for programs of short films recommended for children ages 10 and up. On September 12, Native Stories will explore the varied lives of young Indigenous people through stories spanning the past, present, and future. On September 26, ¡HOLA CINE! will showcase Latinx stories from across the Americas, featuring short films about family, perseverance, imagination, and a little bit of magic. Movie Schedule Outdoor Cinema: BOUCHRA Saturday, September 12 6–10 p.m....

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Join OANA and Friends of Whitey Ford Field for a night under the stars with NYC Parks’ Movies Under the Stars: Footloose! Bring a towel or blanket to sit on, pack some snacks, and enjoy this classic movie outdoors with neighbors and friends. Whitey Ford Field September 11 | 7:30–9:30 PM Free admission Rain date: TBD Hope to see you there!

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Join friends and community at Château le Woof for a Labor Day Cookout. September 7th @ 12:00 PM Château le Woof 31-01 Vernon Blvd, Astoria, NY 11106 Hope to see you there!

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Socrates Sculpture Park will host Party in the Park: Trio Under the Triboro on Saturday, September 19, from 12–5 p.m. This event celebrates Socrates Sculpture Park’s 40th anniversary, along with the 50th anniversaries of Franklin Furnace and Materials for the Arts. Co-presented by all three Queens-based arts organizations, the free waterfront festival will feature live performance, music, and public engagement. Curated by Francheska Alcantara, Performaxxing will feature artistic, based and time-based performances exploring what happens when we push the self to its maximum. Featured artists include Itala Aguilera, Crackhead Barney, Jake Brush with Candystore and Mikes Feswick, Stephanie Hewett, Kara Lynch, zavé martohardjono, Reed Rushes, Sandy Williams IV, and Coco Villa. Saturday, September 19, 2026 12–5 p.m. Socrates Sculpture Park Free admission RSVP for free tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/party-in-the-park-trio-under-the-triboro-tickets-1999541980891?aff=oddtdtcreator

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A vacant lot just east of the Hallets Point peninsula is at the center of a new rezoning application that could bring significant new housing to the neighborhood. Developer Saima Choudhri has filed plans with DCP to transform a roughly 20,000-square-foot site at 28-03 8th Street into a mixed-use complex. The site sits between 28th Avenue and Astoria Blvd and includes a large lot along 8th Street. The developer is seeking to demap a 7,500-square-foot section of the 28th Avenue right-of-way to make the project viable. The property was purchased in 2016 for $5.4 million. If approved, the project would include a 9-story building with 128 apartments, approximately 96,000 square feet of residential space, and a 6,000-square-foot community facility on the ground floor. Between 32 and 39 units would be affordable, targeting households earning 60–80% of Area Median Income (AMI). As the application moves through public review, we encourage our readers to stay informed and weigh in on the proposal.

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