News From The Queens Tourism Council
It’s Valentine’s Day, and Queens is for lovers. Residents can celebrate romance with everything from tango to Shakespeare to Michael Bolton. There’s also plenty of art and theater, as well as bird-counting, poetry and a gaming extravaganza.
Here’s the rundown.
– Tonight (Thursday) Feb. 13, Coffeed Lab & Roastery, 7 p.m. Enjoy modern makers, accessory and fashion designers, installations, original art, music, the spoken word, tasting, wine and an open kitchen. First 10 guests receive a gift bag with goodies from participating vendors, restaurants and local businesses. Every guest gets a complimentary drink. Coffeed, 37-18 Northern Blvd., LIC, www.coffeednyc.com.
– Thursday, Feb. 13, Valentine’s Day Group Show, 2 to 9 p.m (same times on Feb. 14 and Feb. 15). Queens residents display their work. Free. Gear Art Gallery, 61-08 Myrtle Ave., Glendale, 1-718-386-2812.
– Thursday, Feb. 13, Opening Reception: Art Faculty, 5:30 p.m. Twenty members of Queens College’s Department of Art display painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, installation and conceptual art. Panel discussions on March 7, 2:30 p.m, and March 19, 5:30 p.m. Free. Godwin-Ternbach Museum, 405 Klapper Hall, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, www.qc.cuny.edu/ godwin_ ternbach.
– Friday, Feb. 14, Twelfth Night, 2 p.m. (also Saturday, Feb. 15 at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 16 at 3 p.m.). Aquila Theatre’s superb cast presents Shakespeare’s timeless comedy with never-before-seen innovation, theatricality and modernity. $42 for Friday/$49 for Saturday and Sunday/$25 for rear side seating for all performances. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Avenue South, Flushing Meadows- Corona Park, www.queenstheatre.org.
– Friday, Feb. 14, Love is Good Concert, 8 p.m. Enjoy a Valentine’s Day concert with Christine Andreas and Martin Silvestri, masters of the romantic ballad. Andreas and Silvestri entertain with antics and a touch of humor. $38-$59. LeFrak Concert Hall, vicinity of Horace Harding Expressway and Kissena Boulevard, Flushing, www.kupferbergcenter.org. (Use code “valentine” for $5 off tickets.)
– Friday through Sunday, Feb. 14-16, Indiecade East, hours vary. East Coast edition of the nation’s premier independent video game festival features talks and panels headlined by gamemakers, academics, artists and journalists; seminars and workshops; the Show & Tell showcase; and cutting-edge platforms and new games. Festival passes are $125 public ($100 student/senior/museum member). Feb. 14, passes are $45 ($35 discounted); Feb. 15 passes (including access to Night Games) are $55 ($45 discounted); and Feb. 16 passes are $45 ($35 discounted). Admission for children (ages 3-12) is $10 per day. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, www.movingimage.us.
– Friday, Feb. 14, Valentine’s Tango and Milango Special, 8 p.m. Thalia Spanish Theatre presents the most popular tango and milango classics in music, song and dance. Plus, special champagne reception with the performers after the show. $50. Thalia Spanish Theatre, 41-17 Greenpoint Ave., Sunnyside, www.thaliatheatre.org.
– Friday, Feb. 14, HurlyBurly Opening (runs through Saturday, Mar. 1). This rare New York City revival of David Rabe’s two-act version of a chilling comedy set in the cocaine-and-sex infused Hollywood Hills of the mid-1980s. Four men are caught in a world of parties, backbiting, lies and selfobsession, but a string of encounters convinces one of them to dig beneath the surface to discover his soul. The Chain Theatre, 21-28 45th Rd., LIC, www.chain-theatre.org.
– Friday, Feb. 14, The Wizard of Oz, 7 p.m. (and Saturday, Feb. 15 at 1 p.m.). Classic play presented by the St. Stan’s Players. $8-$5. St. Stanislaus Kostka School, 61-17 Grand Ave., Maspeth, 1-718-326- 1585.
– Friday, Feb. 14, Blaze Craze/Open Mic Series, 7:30 p.m. Poets, rappers, singers and community people take the microphone. Free. Afrikan Poetry Theatre, 176-03 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, www.afrikanpoetrytheatre.org.
– Saturday, Feb. 15, Great Backyard Bird Count, 11 a.m. Queens Botanical Garden staffer and birding enthusiast Shari Romar leads participants in this family-friendly event that is part of an annual, national effort. The count provides data on how winter snowfall and temperatures affect bird populations, migration patterns and bird diversity. Free. Queens Botanical Garden, 43- 50 Main St., Flushing, www.queensbotanical.org.
– Saturday, Feb. 15, Hands-on History: Tiny Valentine, noon to 3 p.m. Create a miniature self-portrait inside a locket necklace and other 19th century-inspired valentines. Free. King Manor Museum, 150-03 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, www.kingmanor.org.
– Saturday, Feb. 15, Amazing Grace from the Auction to the White House, 7 p.m. (and Sunday, Feb. 16 at 4:30 p.m.) This performance takes the audience on a journey through the African American experience from the auction steps of slavery to the inauguration of President Barack Obama. $20. Jamaica Performing Arts Center, 153-10 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, www.jamaicaperformingartscenter.org.
– Sunday, Feb. 16, Quakers: An Ethic of Tolerance and Respect, 2:30 p.m. Cheshire Frager, a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) of Flushing, discusses Quaker principles such as tolerance and inclusion. Free. Kingsland Homestead, 143-35 37th Ave., Flushing, www.queenshistoricalsociety.org.
– Sunday, Feb. 16, Creative Writing Workshop with Emily Herzlin, 11 a.m. Open to writers of all experience levels, this workshop is a place to create and share writing. This day’s topic is the body and how to write about body image, physical pain, touch, etc. $5-$10 suggested contribution. Astoria Bookshop, 31- 29 31st St., Astoria, www.astoriabookshop.com.
– Monday, Feb. 17, The Muppet Show, 1 p.m. (every day through Saturday, Feb. 21). The Museum of the Moving Image (MMI) presents four days of screenings of The Muppet Show during NYC public school recess. Free with admission. MMI, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, www.movingimage.us.
– Monday, Feb. 17, Engineering Week Kick Off (through Saturday, Feb. 21). Opening day features activities and tables run by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Each day covers different engineering concepts-from nano to mechanical, accompanied by activities and challenges to put those ideas into practice. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, www.nysci.org.
– Monday, Feb. 17, Michael Bolton, 8 p.m. Michael Bolton has sold more than 53 million albums and singles. He has won two Grammys for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance, six American Music Awards and a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. $65-$55. Queensborough Community College 222-05 56th Ave., Bayside, www.visitqpac.org.
“It’s In Queens” column is produced by the Queens Tourism Council with the hope that readers will enjoy the borough’s attractions.
