#WeeklyColumn | July 12 to July 18 | It’s In Queens!
BY QEDC It's In Queens
Spiders, graft, funky dawgz, and salad allergies are about to descend on Queens this week. But don’t worry, they’re friendly – and they’ll mix with plenty of outdoor concerts, a few film festivals, dance, and an annual walking tour.
July 12, Jazz in the Park, 6:30 pm. Saxophonist Eric Wyatt, a seasoned performer, brings his commanding tone for a night of smooth jazz as part of an ongoing series. Free. Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Blvd., LIC.
July 12, Very Be Careful, 7 pm. This SummerStage celebration of Latin American music and culture features an all-Colombian lineup. Very Be Careful plays vallenato. There’s also the dance music collective Systema Solar with an opening DJ set from El Freaky. Free. Queensbridge Park, 41st Avenue and Vernon Boulevard, LIC.
July 13, Boulevard Film Festival, July 15. This third annual event screens 25 films, each one followed by a Q&A session. Comedies, shorts, documentaries, dramas, and a closing party. Five sessions over three days at Thalía Spanish Theatre, 41-17 Greenpoint Ave., and Sanger Hall, 48-20 Skillman Ave., Sunnyside.
July 13, The Other Side of Everything, July 22. The U.S. theatrical premiere of the Serbian film that won Best Documentary at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Showtimes are July 13, 7:30 pm; July 14, 4 pm and 6:30 pm, July 15, 4 pm and 6:30 pm; July 18, 3 pm; July 19 at 3 pm; July 20 at 5 pm; July 21 at 4 pm; and July 22 at 4 pm. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District.
July 14, The Colors of Frida, 10 am & noon. This bilingual, one-woman show combines storytelling, music, visual arts, puppets, and audience participation for young audiences to tell the story of a famous Mexican artist. $14/$8 for children. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
July 14, Hot Jazz/Cool Garden: Byron Stripling, 2 pm. This highly acclaimed and versatile musician earned his stripes as lead trumpeter with the Count Basie Orchestra. $20 with red beans-and-rice dish and sweet tea. Louis Armstrong House Museum, 34-56 107th St., Corona.
July 14, The New World of the Number 7 Train, 10 am to 5:30 pm. Official Queens historian Jack Eichenbaum leads a series of six walks and connecting rides along the 7 train, focusing on its affect on surrounding neighborhoods since beginning service in 1914. Route includes Hudson Yards, LIC, Woodside, Jackson Heights, Corona, and Flushing. $49 and register via jaconet@aol.com.
July 14, Spend the Day Dancing, noon. The internationally famous troupe Jessica Lang Dance is now based in Queens. Enjoy a free Creative Moment class and a game of Freeze Dance intended to open children’s imaginations through engagement with music and creative movement exploration. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
July 14, Ayazamana, 7:45 pm. More than 30 artists take the audience on an imaginary trip through Ecuador via traditional dances and celebrations, accompanied by live music. Frank Sinatra School of the Arts Theatre, 35-12 35th Ave., Astoria.
July 14, Queensboro Dance Festival, 2 pm. Outdoor performances as part of an ongoing, series. On this day, it’s Dugal Dance Projects, The Kingdom Dance Company, Mala and Dancers, DIPR…the company, Dancing Fish, and Vissi Dance Theater. Free. The Unisphere, Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
July 14, Allergic to Salad, 11 am. Hands-on cooking with farm-fresh ingredients. This class is designed for families, and all ages are welcome. $20. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Glen Oaks.
July 14, Graft, 7 pm. A local rock-n-roll band plays two sets of covers and original songs. Free. Sunnyside Reformed Church, 48th Street and Skillman Avenue, Sunnyside.
July 14, Cinema Saturdays: Street Games, 1 pm. As people from all over the globe settled in NYC in the early 1900s, one thread the children could share was the games they played in the streets. This film looks back at when things were a bit simpler and creativity was a prerequisite to play. Free. Greater Astoria Historical Society, 35-20 Broadway, LIC.
July 15, Queens Craft Brigade Market, noon to 5 pm. Artwork, fashion, food, jewelry, crafts, and more. All vendors are from Queens and curated to maintain a diverse atmosphere. Rocco Moretto VFW Hall, 31-35 31st St., Astoria.
July 15, Sundays on the Lawn: Las Llamadas with Favela Candombe Ensemble, 1:30 pm. This new outdoor program presents internationally renowned bands and musicians at 3 pm, after free art-making classes and lawn games at 1:30 pm. Las Llamadas plays Uruguayan-African music. Queens Museum, NYC Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
July 15, Funky Dawgz Brass Band, 3:30 pm. This band engulfs the spirit and traditions of New Orleans with R&B, original music, hip hop, funk, and today’s top hits with a brass twist. Queens Botanical Gardens, 43-50 Main St., Flushing.
July 17, Lindsay Lou, 7 pm. A fantastic Americana/Folk/Bluegrass ensemble performs as part of the two-month Live at the Gantries series. Free. Gantry Plaza State Park, Center Boulevard and 48th Avenue, LIC.
July 18, Irish Heritage Night, 6 pm. McManus Irish Dance and the Hunters Point Parks Conservancy present bagpipes, dance, traditional music and song, and Gaelic sport demos. Free. LIC Landing by Coffeed, 52-10 Center Blvd., LIC.
July 18, It’s All About Spiders, 1 pm. The second weekly Garden Creativi-Tea workshop involves making imaginary, fuzzy spiders and building a giant, colorful web. Workshops continue on Wednesdays until Aug. 8. $4. Voelker Orth Museum, 149-19 38th Ave., Flushing.
Image: Funky Dawgz Brass Band
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