News From The Queens Tourism Council
“Visit Queens, see the world,” is one of Borough President Helen M. Marshall’s favorite sayings. Well, upcoming events will give the local visitor (and/or resident) the chance to experience aspects of various world cultures and enjoy shows by performers whose fame stretches around the globe.
Here’s the rundown:
– Today, Thursday, Sept. 27, afternoon and evening, Ella: A Swingin’ New Musical about the First Lady of Song. This new theatrical production, which opens on Sept. 27 and runs until Oct. 7, puts Ella Fitzgerald’s life intohellip;what else?…music. Expect more than a dozen of her most famous hits. $25-$49. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, 1-718-760-0064, www.queenstheatre.org.
– Thursday, Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m., The Best of the Fest at the Top of the Z. The Queens World Film Festival 2012 will screen its winners: Queen by Adam Rose (Best of Festival); Easy Street by Russell Greene (Best Narrative Short); and Andrew, Story of a Closet Monster by Elliot Lobell (Emerging Filmmaker Award). $1 off wine/beer. Z Hotel 11-01 43rd Ave., Long Island City, 1-212-319-7000, www.queensworldfilmfestival.com.
– Friday, Sept. 28, 6 p.m., Old Hock & Bach. The Queens College Baroque Ensemble will perform J.S. Bach with Baroque Era bows. A variety of German white wines, the modern equivalent of the “Old Hock” that was listed on the 1822 inventory of Rufus King’s wine cellar, will be served. Reservations only. King Manor in King Park, near Jamaica Avenue between 150th Street and 153rd Street, Jamaica, 1-718-206- 0545, www.kingmanor.org.
– Saturday, Sept. 29, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Maker Faire. Deemed “The Greatest Show and Tell on Earth,” this annual event will feature more than 500 maker exhibits, the world’s most diverse showcase of creativity and innovation in technology, craft, science, fashion, art, food and more. Expect outrageous attractions such as the Life-Sized Mousetrap, Coke Zero and Mentos Show, Power Racing Series, iconic Cupcake Cars and other spectacular surprises, such as workshops on soldering, lock picking and Arduino. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Corona, 1-718-699-0005, www.nysci.org.
– Saturday, Sept. 29, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., National Estuaries Day Festival. This festival commemorates Lit- tle Neck Bay, the local estuary. Meet people from health service, recreational and civic associations, school groups and government organizations. Hike along Alley Pond Environmental Center’s unique and beautiful estuary trails, listen to live music, visit educational booths and exhibits from neighborhood organizations and participate in children’s activities and crafts. Free entertainment, hands-on demonstrations, fun games, boat and canoe rides. Please pre-register. APEC, 228-06 Northern Blvd., Douglaston, 1-718-229-4000, www.alleypond.org.
– Saturday, Sept. 29, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Viewing party for Latin Beat. Watch the encore dance performance of Latin Beat, streamed live from Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium. Join viewing parties at the Cambria Heights, Central, Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Langston Hughes, Lefferts, Ridgewood, Rochdale Village and Sunnyside branches of Queens Library. Free. 1-718-990- 0704, www.queenslibrary.org.
– Sunday, Sept. 30, 3 p.m., Dionne Warwick in Concert. Singer Dionne Warwick received her first Grammy Award in 1968 for “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” and her second for “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again.” Watch her live in Queens. Queensborough Performing Arts Center, 222-05 56th Ave., Bayside, 1-718- 631-6311, www.qcc.cuny.edu/qpac.
– Sunday, Sept. 30, 4 to 6 p.m., Autumn Moon Festival. An afternoon of moon cakes, arts and crafts and cultural performances celebrating an ancient holiday that reflects on the summer harvest, the fullness of the moon and the myth of the immortal moon goddess. Bring picnic blankets and summer chairs. Free with admission. Queens Botanical Garden, 43- 50 Main St., Flushing, 1-718-886-3800, www.queensbotanical.org.
– Sunday, Sept. 30, 6 p.m., Royal Drummers and Dancers of Burundi. One of the greatest percussion ensembles in the world, the Royal Drummers and Dancers of Burundi, have performed in the same way for centuries, passing down traditions and techniques from father to son. Their performances were traditionally a part of particular ceremonies, such as births, funerals and the enthronement of kings. In Burundi, drums are sacred and represent, along with the king, the powers of fertility and regeneration. York College Performing Arts Center, 94-45 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. (between Liberty Avenue and Archer Avenue), 1-718-527- 4357, www.york.cuny.edu/centersinstitutes/ performing-arts.
– Sunday, Sept. 30, 2 p.m., Seventh Book Fair at Queens Museum of Art. A selected group of Caribbean authors will discuss their production and success in the publishing world at QMA’s auditorium. Following the round table, the public will have the opportunity to meet and greet the authors and enjoy the largest book party in the city at the Unisphere Gallery. Free. QMA, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, 1-917-238-3155, www.queensmuseum.org.
– Sunday, Sept. 30, noon to 6 p.m., Forest Hills Street Festival. A family fair on seven blocks with about 150 vendors, promotions, kiddie rides and crafts. Plus, Austin Street stores will be open. Rain or shine. On Austin Street from 69th Road to 72nd Road, www.foresthillschamber.org.
– Sunday, Sept. 30, 2 to 5 p.m., 2012 Latin Pride Concert. As part of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Latin American Cultural Center of Queens will present several performances including concerts by Francisco Cantilo and Nelson Cuevas. Free but space is limited. El Paraiso Tropical, 102-11 42nd Ave., Corona. RSVP via 1-718-261-7664 or laccq@aol.com.
– Tuesday, Oct. 2, 7 p.m., An Evening with Don Francisco, Celebrating 50 Years of Sábado Gigante. Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with Don Francisco-a.k.a. Mario Kreutzberger. In a rare New York appearance, the variety show host will participate in an intimate discussion with a special guest moderator and show a selection of unforgettable clips from his Saturday night show’s 50-year history presented by Univisión.
Sábado Gigante is the longestrunning variety show in television history, entertaining audiences around the world since it went on the air in 1962 with a mix of live entertainment, contests and human-interest stories. Don Francisco has been there from the beginning, hosting more than 2,600 episodes. $25, $15, free for Silver Screen members. Museum of the Moving Image 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, 1-718-777-6888, www.movingimage.us.
– Wednesday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m., Lecture on Contemporary Colombia. Ana María Ochoa, an ethnomusicologist and music professor at Columbia University, will lecture on the culture of the African-Colombian population of Colombia’s Pacific Coast. The lecture will include special guests from Bella Vista and the National University of Colombia in Bogotá. Ochoa will also talk about the 2002 massacre in Bella Vista, Bojaya. Free with performance tickets, please see following event. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, 1-718-463-7700, www.flushingtownhall.org.
– Wednesday, Oct. 3, 8 p.m., Bella Vista Dance Performance. Bella Vista is a dance commemorating the 10th anniversary of the massacre in Bella Vista, Bojaya, on Colombia’s Pacific Coast. The massacre took place in 2002 during a battle between the guerillas and the paramilitary forces. The entire town was displaced, and many were killed. By incorporating traditional dances and rhythms from Colombia’s Pacific Coast with Modern & Contemporary Dance, the performance tells this story while celebrating the strength of the survivors. $5, free for members. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, 1-718-463- 7700, www.flushingtownhall.org.
The “It’s In Queens” column is produced by the Queens Tourism Council with the hope that readers will enjoy the borough’s attractions.
