#WeeklyColumn | Aug. 10 to Aug. 16 | It’s In Queens!
BY QEDC It's In Queens
John Tuturro, the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, Alfred Hitchcock, General Patton, and Lawrence of Arabia are the big names this week. But lesser-known monikers – i.e. the spicy Rafa Reyes, the sassy Brianna Thomas, the helpful Guandong Li, the knowledgeable David Gary, and the creative Janice Rosario – also provide tremendous entertainment.
Aug. 11, Asian American International Film Festival, 8 pm (+ Aug. 12 at 8 pm). This 40th annual festival offers the best, most recent achievements in Asian/Asian-American cinema. Free. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
Aug. 11, Lawrence of Arabia, Aug. 13. The annual See It Big! Series screens this seven-Oscar classic about a former British officer whose 1916 expedition to Cairo leads him to side with the Arabs against the Turks, eventually organizing his own guerrilla army. (Times: Aug. 11 at 7 pm; Aug. 12 at 2 pm; and Aug. 13 at 6 pm.) $15. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District.
Aug. 11, Classic Hitchcock Film Fridays, dusk. Watch North by Northwest, a 1959 movie about mistaken identity. An innocent man is pursued by agents of a mysterious organization trying to prevent him from blocking their plan to smuggle microfilm containing government secrets. Free. Rufus King Park, vicinity of Jamaica Avenue at 153rd Street, Jamaica.
Aug. 11, In-Sight Dance Company, 7 pm. A local troupe presents its latest work, The Emperor’s New Clothes. Free. Sunnyside Community Services, 43-31 39th St., Sunnyside.
Aug. 12, Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, Aug. 13. More than 180 teams (roughly 2,500 participants) will compete in this 27th annual extravaganza. The rowers will paddle colorful, custom-made teak boats with ornate, carved dragon heads. Each team has 18 paddlers, a drummer, and a person who steers. Don’t forget the traditional lion and dragon dances. Meadow Lake, Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Aug. 12, Brianna Thomas, 2 pm. Sometimes sassy while at other times coy, Thomas is known for her multi-tonal voice that can communicate a wide array of moods and feelings. She performs as part of the annual Hot Jazz/Cool Garden series. $20. Louis Armstrong House Museum, 34-56 107th St., Corona.
Aug. 12, Oye Corona: La Vida Es Bonita, 2 pm. Queens Museum presents a four-hour street party with live music, workout time, art, dance performances, and workshops. Free. Vicinity of 39th Avenue and 108th Street, Corona.
Aug. 12, Dance at Socrates, 4 pm. Norte Maar presents this multi-week, cross-disciplinary, collaborative project. Liam Francis and konverjdans with Janice Rosario present on this day. Free. Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Blvd., LIC.
Aug. 12, Patton, 7 pm (+ Aug. 13 at 2 pm). The annual See It Big! Series screens this biographical war classic about a transcendental general. $15. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District.
Aug. 12, British Dependency, 6 pm. This Reggae group performs as part of the SummerSounds series presented by Kupferberg Center for the Arts and the NYC Parks Department. Free. Hunters Point South Park, 4-10 Center Blvd., LIC.
Aug. 13, Walk with a Doctor, 9:30 am. Join Guandong Li, an internist with a specialty in anti-obesity, and City Council Member Daniel Dromm for a 30-minute stroll. Dr. Li will offer a seminar on weight loss and exercise. Free. Meet at Community Health Center, 81-03 Baxter Ave., Elmhurst.
Aug. 13, The Worldview of a Moderate Federalist: The Politics of Rufus King, 2 pm. Historian David Gary lectures on how King viewed the world and the Federalist Party. Free. King Manor Museum, King Park, vicinity of Jamaica Avenue and 153rd Street, Jamaica.
Aug. 15, High and Mighty Brass Band, 7 pm. New Orleans style jazz as part of the Live at the Gantries series. Free. Gantry Plaza State Park, 4-09 47th Rd., LIC.
Aug. 16, John Turturro Visit and Screening, dusk. The Queens-raised actor discusses and watches his film, Romance & Cigarettes, which takes the audience through the streets of a Queens neighborhood in an absurdist musical with wacky characters. Free. Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Blvd., LIC.
Aug. 16, Rock-A-Way Ba-by for Sun-Set, 6 pm. The official Queens historian, Jack Eichenbaum, leads a tour on and off the Rockaway boardwalk. Meet at Thai Rock, 375 Beach 92nd St., and end at The Wharf, 416 116th St., for sunset views and drinks and/or bar food. $20.
Continuing from last week:
Through Aug. 13, Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema. This inaugural event screens more than 100 short- and feature-length works from all genres with filmmaker Q&A sessions and industry panels. Main venue is Kew Gardens Cinemas, 81-05 Lefferts Blvd.
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Top image: Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival; bottom image: Queens Museum