One of the greatest ever Cuban musicians comes to Queens. He’ll be able to enjoy apple blossoms, free comics, tea, poetry, comedy, and meditation.
May 2, Jane’s Walk Queens, May 4. With such themes as architecture, culture, demographics, history, and nature, volunteers lead strolls all around New York City. Twenty-nine excursions are in Queens, including Astoria, Baisley Pond Park, Elmhurst, Flushing, Jackson Heights, Liberty Park, Long Island City, Richmond Hill, and Sunnyside.
May 2, 14th Annual Panorama Challenge, 6 pm. The City Reliquary Museum returns to host the 14th Annual Panorama Challenge. Teams compete to win the largest NYC-themed trivia game. Queens Museum, NYC Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
May 2, Tres Espermatozoides, May 18. In Spanish with English supertitles, this play takes a humorous look at the challenges that modern women face. Rocío, Ángela, and Carlota are lonely and frustrated due the fact that none is a mother. What if they all got pregnant by the same man and formed their own family? Shows are on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Sundays at 4 pm. Thalia Spanish Theatre, 41-17 Greenpoint Ave., Sunnyside.
May 2, Latin Culture & Dance Fiesta, May 4. Three days of music, storytelling, and culture through concerts, theater, and film screenings. The lineup includes musical comedy “Señor Bolero,” Argentine folkloric band CEIBO, and “Rumpelstiltskin.” Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
May 2, Open Worlds 2025, Nov. 2. An accessible, 15,500-square-foot, climate-controlled, WiFi-enabled community resource is open to all who are looking to convene, find creative inspiration, learn, and experience new media technologies. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District.
May 2, Free First Friday, 11 am. Admission is free on the first Friday of every month. (Reservations are highly recommended.) The Noguchi Museum, 9-01 33rd Rd., Long Island City.
May 3, Apple Blossom Children’s Carnival, May 11. Events include a Merry Go Round in the orchard, carnival rides, hayrides, midway games, food vendors, and farm animals. From 11 am to 6 pm on May 3-4 and May 10-11. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Glen Oaks.
May 3, Brandee Younger, 8 pm. Harp virtuoso Brandee Younger brings her genre-defying sound that fuses Classical, Funk, Jazz, and Soul. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
May 3, Hello Kitty Café Truck, 10 am. To celebrate Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary, a mobile unit will pop up with desserts, merchandise, shirts, and plenty of pink (of course). The Shops at Skyview, 40-24 College Point Blvd., Flushing.
May 3, Señor Bolero: El Musical, May 4. Set in 1950s New York, this musical comedy counts on 16 artists who perform 30 iconic boleros, as the plot involves love in a bankrupt bar. Shows are on May 3 at 8 pm and May 4 at 3 pm. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
May 3, Free Comic Book Day, 9 am. A comics giveaway until 5 pm. Spineworks Comics NYC, 74-10 69th Rd., Middle Village.
May 3, Bloodlines Interwoven, 7:30 pm. Composer and instrumentalist Kaoru Watanabe offers traditional Japanese music woven together with elements of Jazz, Improvisation, and Experimental Music. The Church-in-the-Gardens, 50 Ascan Ave., Forest Hills.
May 3, Edwardian Pre-Mother’s Day Tea, 1 pm. A spot of tea, light refreshments, and parlor games to celebrate Mother’s Day and King Manor’s 125th year as a museum. King Manor Museum, 150-03 Jamaica Ave.
May 3, Asian American Pacific Island Heritage Concert, 4 pm. Music by harmonic virtuoso Jia Yi He and world class pianist Naoko Aita. The Center at Maple Grove, 127-15 Kew Gardens Rd.
May 3, Celebrating Asian American Music and Culture, 4 pm. Oriented toward children, this musical workshop looks at Asian composers and musicians. Learn about instruments and sounds of the East and how they influenced the West. The Church-in-the-Gardens, 50 Ascan Ave., Forest Hills.
May 3, AlterWork Studios, 5 pm. The grand opening of an open access art and community center whose mission is to be a major resource for contemporary artists while helping them create new work and advance their careers by offering them access to affordable workspace, tools, classes, workshops, and public exposure. AlterWork Studios, 40-20 22nd St., Long Island City.
May 3, Impressions of Spring: Plant Rubbing and Printing Workshop, 1:30 pm. Artist Hui-yi Chen teaches a traditional Chinese rubbing and printing technique to create botanical compositions on fabric. Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing.
May 3, Book Talk, 10 am. Spanish journalist Francisco Reyero presents on “And Bernardo de Gálvez Entered Washington,” his book about Bernardo de Gálvez, a Spanish hero of the American Revolution. George Washington acknowledged that the exploits of the then governor of Spanish Louisiana, a domain that extended from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada, were a decisive factor in the success of the American Revolution. The Center at Maple Grove, 127-15 Kew Gardens Rd.
May 4, Viva el Cinco de Mayo 2025, 3 pm. Mexican music and dance with lively rhythms, colorful costumes, and inspiring choreography. The lineup features world-renowned ensembles, including Tlen Huicani from Veracruz, Mariachi Real De Mexico, and Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Nueva York, along with special guests José Adán Pérez and Alexander Ponce. Queens College, Colden Auditorium, 153-49 Reeves Ave., Flushing.
May 4, Fertile Ground, 7 pm. Now in its 19th season, Fertile Ground showcases six dance makers each monthly program with a post-performance discussion moderated by Green Space Artistic Advisory Board Member Chris Ferris. The month’s lineup features Alexandra Berger & Allen Fogelsanger, Alexandra Bilodeau, Elinor Kleber Diggs, Sabina Fritz, Zev Haworth, and Meicen Liu. Green Space, 37-24 24th St., Ste. 211, Long Island City.
May 4, Spring Bird Walks, 9:30 am. Join NYC Birds Alliance experts for a guided tour. Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing.
May 4, Poets of Queens, 5 pm. Poets Peter Burzynski, Rob Ostrom, Tiffany Troy, and Vaughn Watson share new work. QED, 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria.
May 4, Chosen Fam: A Work In Progress, 8 pm. Comedian Natan Badalov (Adult Swim, NYComedy Festival) tackles empathy, family, and the Middle East. The Queens-bred funnyman offers this show every first Sunday for five months. Tootles & French, 36-15 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria.
May 6, Sunset Meditation with Mindful Astoria, Aug. 26. To run on Tuesdays from 7 pm to 8 pm, sessions are designed for all experience levels and practices include mindful breathing, mindful movement, and loving-kindness meditation. Bring a yoga mat, blanket, or cushion. Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City.
May 7, Anna Sperber: Beacons, May 10. Anna Sperber offers an evening-length dance that continues her investigations into the tension between clarity and wildness, mapping the intersections between desire and care. Tim Bendernagel, Owen Prum, and Zo Williams play with collective safety: bounding through space like rotating satellites avoiding collision and tethering each other’s weight against imminent collapse. Shows are at 7 pm, Wednesday through Saturday. The Chocolate Factory Theater, 38-33 24th St., Long Island City.
May 8, Chucho Valdés: Irakere 50, 8 pm. NEA Jazz Master Chucho Valdés has won seven Grammys and seven Latin Grammys over his 60-year career. The Cuban pianist, composer, and arranger performs with the Cuban band Irakere and guest vocalist Emilio Frias. Queens College, Colden Auditorium, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing.
May 8, The Roving Artist: Visual Voyage, June 30. Bonnie Astor’s sketches and photographs are inspired by her travels – from Marrakech to Victoria Falls. The opening reception is on May 8 from 6 pm to 8 pm. The Local NY, 13-02 44th Ave., Long Island City.
May 8, Thursday Night Jazz Presents: Harish Raghavan, 8 pm. Bass player Harish Raghavan combines aspects of Indian classical music and Jazz. Jamaica Performing Arts Center, 153-10 Jamaica Ave.
May 8, Stella Plays Mozart, 7:30 pm. A night of Classical music, including Mozart’s “Violin Concerto No. 3,” featuring virtuoso Stella Chen, the ensemble’s artist-in-residence. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
Top image: Viva el Cinco de Mayo 2025 on May 4;
Bottom image: Chucho Valdés: Irakere 50 on May 8