On Friday, May 29 at 8 p.m. in Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Boulevard, the Queens Jazz Orchestra with Special Guest Wycliffe Gordon performs music by Queens’ own – Goodman, Armstrong, Terry and Adderly and the world premiere of Gordon’s “Cyber swing – Jazz in the Digital Age.” Tickets are $40, members pay $32. Call the box office at 718-463-7700 Ext. 222 or visit www.FlushingTownHall.org to purchase tickets or for more information.
WONDERFUL WEEKEND EVENTS
Through Sunday, May 31, the 31st season tour of the not-for-profit Big Apple Circus: “Play On!” is under the air-conditioned big top in Cunningham Park, Union Turnpike and 196th Street. See jugglers, and clowns, acrobats on horseback, wire and trapeze, from Europe, Asia and America. No seat more than 50 feet from the ring! Two shows daily: Thursday and Friday at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday at 12:30 and 4:30 p.m. Tickets from $15 to $45 are available at 888-541-3750, www.bigapplecircus.org or at the box office, open Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For groups of 15 people or more, for wheelchair accessible seating and for additional information, please call the Ticket Info Line at 800-922-3772.
On Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31 at 1 p.m. join the Urban Park Rangers for a guided tour of historic Fort Totten. Learn about the history of Willets Point and explore the 19th century fortress designed by Robert E. Lee. Meet at the Visitor Center, Ordnance and Lee Roads in Fort Totten Park. Call 718-352-1769 for more information.
Saturdays and Sundays noon to 5 p.m. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Boulevard, hosts a Student Art Exhibition in partnership with J.H.S. 231 the Magnetech 2000 School. These students recently completed a visual arts residency with the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts. Suggested donation $5; call the box office at 718-463-7700 Ext. 222 or visit www.FlushingTownHall.org for more information.
Saturdays and Sundays noon to 6 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Museum of the Moving Image, at 35th Avenue and 37th Street in Astoria, free exhibitions (suggested donation $5) include Behind the Screen, the main exhibition which reveals the inner workings and secrets of filmmaking, and shows in Tut’s Fever Movie Palace. Call 718-777-6820 or visit their web site, www.movingimage.us, for more information.
FRIDAY
On Friday, May 29 at noon., Central Library will present To Buy or Not to Buy? Homeownership in Today’s Market. Undecided on whether to buy a home in today’s market? Learn how to avoid mortgage scams and become more knowledgeable about the mortgage process and what you need to do to get started on the path to sustainable homeownership. Appointments for housing and credit counseling will be available. The library is located at 89-11 Merrick Boulevard. For more information, call 718-990-0700.
On Friday, May 29 at 1 p.m., Peninsula Library will present Workshop on Nutrition. Join the library for this workshop on nutrition for adults. The library is located at 92-25 Rockaway Beach Boulevard. For more information, call 718-634-1110.
On Friday, May 29 at 3:30 p.m., Woodside Library will present The 7 Basic Steps to Getting Organized. Forest Huguenin, Professional Organizer, shares tips on how to de-clutter your home or business and become more organized. This seminar provides tips on how to get started, deciding what to toss, keeping an orderly space and more. The library is located at 54-22 Skillman Avenue. For more information, call 718-429-4700.
SATURDAY
On Saturday, May 30 at 3 p.m., Woodhaven Library will present Caribbean and American Rhythms. The sounds of the Caribbean and soulful rhythm and blues combine in this program featuring the music of Harry Belafonte, Bob Marley, Otis Redding and more. The library is located at 85-41 Forest Parkway. For more information, call 718-849-1010.
On Saturday, May 30 at 3 p.m., Queens Village Library will present The Kalavant Center of Music and Dance. The Kalavant Center for Music and Dance is a nonprofit cultural organization comprised of highly accomplished and emerging artists dedicated to promoting and preserving traditional music and dance of Southeast Asia, with special emphasis on Indian classical music. The library is located at 94-11 217th Street. For more information, call 718-776-6800.
Save the date: On Saturday, June 6 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Dana Krohn, Medicare Rights Center Part D Appeals Associate will give a free seminar on recent changes in the law and how they affect New York’s EPIC program, the “doughnut hole” and other concerns at Flushing House dining hall, 38-20 Bowne Street in Flushing. Call Robert Salant, director of community affairs at 347-532-3025 or 718-762-3198 to R.S.V.P. or email rsalant@uam.org, or visit their web site at www.flushinghouse.com.
On Saturday, May 30 at 9 a.m. an instructor will lead Hatha yoga exercises in Little Bay Park. Classes meet in the roller hockey rink near 212th Street/Bell Boulevard/Cross Island Parkway service road. Please bring your own mats and/or towels. Classes are free; you must sign a waiver form, so get there a little early. Sponsored by Hot Yoga Paradise and Queens County Savings Bank. Call 718-352-4793 for more information.
On Saturday, May 30 from 9:30 to 10:30 a. m. and from 11 a.m. to noon, rain or shine, free Kripalu Yoga taught by Monique Schubert. Suitable for all experience levels; participants should bring a mat or towel. At Socrates Sculpture Park, Broadway at Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City. Call 718-956-1819 or visit www.socratessculpturepark.org for more information.
On Saturday, May 30 at noon and 1:30 p.m. the Long Island Children’s Museum, at 11 Davis Avenue in Garden City hosts the Long Island Comedy Festival’s “Kids ‘n’ Comedy” stand-up by kids, to benefit Ronald McDonald House of Long Island. Tickets are $15 per person. For information, call the box office at 516-224-5868 or visit www.LIComedyFest.com.
On Saturday, May 23 from noon to 1:30 p.m., rain or shine, free Capoeira in the Park, taught by Professor Abar. Classes are designed for all experience levels. Participants should wear comfortable clothing. At Socrates Sculpture Park, Broadway at Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City. Call 718-956-1819 or visit www.socratessculpturepark.org for more information.
On Saturday, May 30 at 12:30 p.m., Queens Art Express kicks off with Queens poet Kahlil Almustafa and students from I.S. 145 The Joseph Pulitzer School in Jackson Heights will be performing, “Queens In Love with Literature” at the Queens Botanical Garden, located at 43-50 Main Street in Flushing. For more information, visit the garden website at www.queensbotanical.org or www.queenscouncilarts.com/artexpress.
On Saturday, May 30 from 2 to 3 p.m. take a Ride with Samara Kupferberg. Design your own carnival ride or make an amazing abstraction using pipe cleaners, wire, and a variety of fabulous yarns and ribbons, at Socrates Sculpture Park, Broadway at Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City. Participants work with a new artist each week, exploring diverse and innovative art mediums. Call 718-956-1819 or visit www.socratessculpturepark.org for more information.
On Saturday, May 30 at 6 p.m. Crossing Art at Queens Crossing, 136-20 38th Avenue in Flushing, participates in Queens Art Express with a tour of Artists at work on fiberglass bovines for the Flushing CowParade and two Exhibitions. “Rece$$” examines why the economy collapses. “Erasing Borders” features Indo-American artists. Email info@crossingart.com for more information.
SUNDAY
On Sunday, May 31, from 10 to 11 a.m., rain or shine, free Pilates in the Park, taught by Courtnie Vitali. Participants will leave feeling empowered and stress free. At Socrates Sculpture Park, Broadway at Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City. Call 718-956-1819 or visit www.socratessculpturepark.org for more information.
On Sunday May 31 from 11 a.m. to noon, rain or shine, free Tai Chi in the Park, led by members of the Taoist Tai Chi Society Classes are designed for all experience levels. Participants should wear comfortable clothing. At Socrates Sculpture Park, Broadway at Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City. Call 718-956-1819 or visit www.socratessculpturepark.org for more information.
On Sunday, May 31 at noon, Queens Art Express is also at The Dean Project, 45-43 21st Street, at the Court Square #7 train stop in Long Island City. Greg Stewart: Garden Carts Performance-based Work. Experience a mini-shelter with a green roof. For more information, visit www.queenscouncilarts.com/artexpress.
On Sunday, May 31 at 3 p.m., Central Library will present Despecho. Colombian singer Lucia Pulido has one of the richest voices on the international Latin American musical scene today. She has mined the musical traditions of her native Colombia and other Latin American countries in an ongoing search for a distinct, experimental style. The library is located at 89-11 Merrick Boulevard. For more information, call 718-990-0700.
On Sunday, May 31 at 4 p.m. the free Summer Sundays in the Park presents Grammy-nominated musician Hector Martignon performing Latin Jazz and Asiko afropop at Travers Park athletic field, 34th Avenue between 77th and 78th Streets in Jackson Heights.
On Sunday, May 31 departing at 4 p.m., the Great Neck Community Fund Casino Dinner Cruise leaves the town dock in North Hempstead for a fundraising cruise along the Gold Coast aboard the 120 foot Luxury Yacht Skyline Princess, with dinner, games, music and dancing. Visit www.gnucf.org or call 516-482-8101 for more information.
On Sunday, May 31 at 4 p.m. Queens Art Express continues at the Sculpture Center, 44-19 Purves Street in Long Island City (#7 train Court Square stop) with Exhibition: University of Trash. The center was founded by artists in 1928. For more information, visit www.queenscouncilarts.com/artexpress.
On Sunday, May 31 at 4 p.m. the Queens Symphony Orchestra Young Soloist Competition Final will have finalists perform a recital at the Taiwan Center, 137-44 Northern Boulevard, between Main Street and Union Street in Flushing. Winners will be announced after the performance. Tickets are $10 at the door and can be purchased in advance by calling the orchestra’s box office at 718-326-4455, Ext. 20, or online at www.queenssymphony.org.
PERFORMANCES
On Thursday, May 28 at 8 p.m., the LaGuardia Performance Arts Center presents AVANTANGO. Argentine bassist Pablo Aslan’s ensemble stretches the boundaries between tango and jazz at the Little Theatre at 47th Avenue and Van Dam Street in Long Island City. Free General Admission. Reserve by email to RSVP-LPAC@lagcc.cuny.edu. For information on other cultural events, go to www.laguardiaperformingarts.com.
ODDS AND ENDS
On Monday, June 1, at 1 p.m. Irma Wesley’s art program will discuss the old buildings of “Fifth Avenue” at the Queens Community House Kew Gardens Center, 80-02 Kew Gardens Road, Suite 202. For more information, call 718 268-5960, or visit their web site at www.queenscommunityhouse.org.
On Monday, June 1 at 5:30 p.m., Queens Village Library will present Pathway to U.S. Citizenship: Becoming a U.S. Citizen and Building Your Civic Knowledge. Topics to be discussed will be Are you ready to be a U.S. citizen?/ Introduction to American history. The library is located at 94-11 217th Street. For more information, call 718-776-6800.
On Monday, June 1 at 5:30 p.m., Forest Hills Library will present Recovery, Inc. Join this self-help group assisting individuals with anxiety issues. The library is located at 108-19 71st Avenue. For more information, call 718-268-7934.
On Tuesday, June 2 at 5 p.m., Hollis Library will present Learn How to Protect Your Identity Online. Gain knowledge about popular online scams, and how hackers use the Internet to steal your personal information from any computer you use. The library is located at 202-05 Hillside Avenue. For more information, call 718-465-7355.
Tuesdays at 6 p.m. (except in July and August,) The Bayview Bridge Club, a not-for-profit organization of bridge players, meets at Church of the Resurrection, 100-17 32nd Avenue in East Elmhurst. For more information, call club president Ted Harvin at 516-209-7864.
Tuesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m., a Woman’s Group will meet in Forest Hills to talk, and in the process improve their relationships. Members will give and receive support and practice direct communication. The group will be led by a licensed clinical social worker. Call Heidi Elias at 718-371-8916 for more information.
Tuesdays, starting at 7:30 p.m., The Free Synagogue of Flushing, 41-60 Kissena Boulevard (between Sanford Avenue and Main Street) in Flushing, is offering a Mindfulness Meditation class, led by Rabbi Michael Weisser. Open to all; appropriate for beginners or experienced in meditation. Free for members; $10 for non-members. Free on-site parking available. Call 718-961-0030 or visit www.freesynagogue.org for more information.
On Wednesday, June 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., The National Art League of Douglaston, 44-21 Douglaston Parkway, hosts Watercolor Classes with Diane Lieberman, instructor. Traditional and contemporary techniques taught; beginners welcome. Full demonstration, individual instruction and critique at each session. Fee: $20 per class. For more information, call 718-969-1128.
On Wednesday, June 3 at 11 a.m., Central Library will present Job Information Center Orientation. Join the library for an interactive orientation to learn about our services! Career resources including workshops in English and Spanish; assistance with your job searching; books, newspapers, pathfinders, bookmarks & brochures; resume/cover letter reviews; Queens Workforce 1 information. The library is located at 89-11 Merrick Boulevard. For more information, call 718-990-0700.
On Wednesday, June 3 from 8 to 9:30 p.m. the Samuel Field Y at 58-20 Little Neck Parkway has “High Beginner” Line Dancing Classes with instructor Lynn Martino. Open dancing between and after classes; free refreshments, snacks and holiday parties. Entry fee $8 per person; call 347-693-8300 for information. Ten week beginners program (from 6:30 to 8 p.m.) starts soon.
On Thursday, June 4 from at 7:30 p.m., the Jewish National Fund and North Shore Towers present one of Israel’s leading military figures, Colonel Sharon Davidovich, who will discuss Iran’s nuclear threat and President Obama’s recent trip to Israel, as well as their serious water shortage and Jewish National Fund’s response. Call 516-678-6805, Ext. 110 for more information
On Thursday, June 4 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., The Center for the Women of New York announces that it is now accepting registration for a new session of their free Women’s Support Group. The group meets in Room 325 at Queensborough Hall, 120-55 Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens. For information or an interview appointment, call 718-793-0672.
On Thursday, June 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. the Samuel Field Y at 58-20 Little Neck Parkway has Intermediate Line Dancing Classes with instructor Lynn Martino. Open dancing between and after classes. Free refreshments, snacks and holiday parties. Entry fee $8 per person; call 347-693-8300 for information
Saint Michael’s Cemetery at 7202 Astoria Boulevard in East Elmhurst is offering pre-need plans for purchase of memorial property, with payment from three to five years and as little as 10 percent down. Monthly billing available. Call 718-278-3240 to inquire.
