This weekend brings Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day celebrations to Queens, along with other fun events sprinkled in between.
Ring in the Year of the Ox with the Queens Botanical Garden, Queens Museum and Flushing Town Hall, or bring your kids to the Alley Pond Environmental Center to learn to make Valentine’s Day treats. There are also tons of other online events that anyone can enjoy from the comfort of home.
Check out these 11 events happening in Queens this weekend!
GET TESTED AND VACCINATED
To slow the spread of COVID-19, the New York City Department of Health suggests getting tested often. Here are several places where you can get tested this weekend:
- Enter your address and find a testing site near you at www1.nyc.gov/site/coronavirus/get-tested/covid-19-testing.page.
- NYC Health + Hospitals offers several testing sites in Queens.
Eligible individuals can also get their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Visit vaccinefinder.nyc.gov to find a vaccination site near you.
FRIDAY, FEB. 12
“On the Inside Looking Out” (Queens Botanical Garden): Come to the Queens Botanical Garden to view art installations in a natural community space. The AnkhLave Garden Project is an annual fellowship involving six Queens-based Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) artists. This is the second annual show involving these artists, who all experienced immigration journeys to the United States and were challenged to create and display their work in a natural environment. The original public art show ran through the summer of 2020 and now, viewers can see relics from the initial exhibit and “new and continued explorations” unique to this current exhibit. 43-50 Main St., Flushing. queensbotanicalgardens.org. Free. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Feb. 12 to April 4.
Young Chefs Celebrate Valentine’s Day (APEC): The Alley Pond Environmental Center (APEC) is helping young chefs whip up some tasty treats this Valentine’s Day. During this in-person event, kids ages 8 to 12 will learn to make delicious heart shaped breadsticks, white chocolate raspberry mousse and chocolate covered strawberries. This cooking demo is limited to eight participants and all young chefs must wear a mask for the entire program. Registration is required. 224-65 76th Ave., Oakland Gardens. alleypond.org. $26 per participant. 3 p.m., Feb. 12.
Zoom Artist Hang (Flushing Town Hall): Calling all artists! Flushing Town Hall hosts a weekly virtual meeting get together for artists and creatives across all disciplines. Since the pandemic began in 2020, FTH has held Zoom Artist Hangs for creators to share projects their working on and have discussions based on a weekly prompt. Those wishing to be added to the private Zoom link and weekly e-blast should contact FTH Executive and Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek at ekodadek@flushingtownhall.org. Virtual on Zoom. flushingtownhall.org. Free. 5 p.m., Feb. 12.
SATURDAY, FEB. 13
Urban Park Ranger Volunteer Litter Cleanup (Baisley Pond Park): Join Urban Park Rangers this Saturday for a clean up event at Baisley Pond Park. Participants are asked to wear a mask and keep social distancing per CDC recommendations. Volunteers are also asked to bring their own hand sanitizer. Those who feel sick should stay home. Baisley Boulevard and 155th Street, Jamaica. nycparks.gov. Free. 11 a.m., Feb. 13.
Fun in the Sun with DIY Sun Catchers (Queens Museum): Participants during this week’s Virtual Family Workshop, will learn to make their very own DIY sun catchers. Drop-in Family Art Workshops, hosted by the Queens Museum, are open to all and suited for diverse learners, children with special needs and English language learners. To RSVP for this week’s workshop, contact fkhuda@queensmuseum.org. Virtual. queensmuseum.org. Free. 1 p.m., Feb. 13.
Virtual Exhibition – Capturing Queens (Queens Historical Society): This Saturday marks the virtual opening of Capturing Queens, an exhibit that features and analyzes the work of Percy Loomis Sperr who was considered the “official photographer of the City of New York.” Sperr was born in Ohio in 1890, but came to call Staten Island his home. The New York Public Library commissioned him to photograph the five boroughs, which was instrumental in showing how the city’s architectural landscape transformed throughout the twentieth century. Following the virtual opening, Capturing Queens will be available for in-person view on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Register here. Virtual. queenshistoricalsociety.org. Free. 2:30 p.m. Feb. 13.
Lunar New Year at the Garden (Queens Botanical Garden): The Queens Botanical Garden is continuing its Lunar New Year celebration, which will run throughout the month of February. The Garden will be outfitted in festive decorations and guests are encouraged to drop in and pick up a free paper blossom branch activity kit or purchase a plant at the Lucky Plant sale. 43-50 Main St., Flushing. queensbotanicalgardens.org. Free. Drop in., Feb. 13 to 28.
SUNDAY, FEB. 14
Chinese Lanterns Workshop (Queens Museum): In celebration of the Lunar New Year, the Queens Museum is hosting a virtual DIY Chinese lantern workshop. In Chinese culture, lanterns are used as a light source or decoration, but are also regarded as a symbol of vitality, social status and good luck. This event will be led by Guido Garaycochea on Zoom. Those wishing to participate need construction or other heavy colored paper, scissors, a ruler, a pencil, a stapler and decorating materials. Registration is required; email ggaraycochea@queensmuseum.org. Virtual. queensmuseum.org. Free. 11 a.m., Feb. 14
Urban Park Ranger Volunteer Litter Cleanup (Powell’s Cove Park): Join Urban Park Rangers this Sunday for a clean up event at Powell’s Cove Park. Participants are asked to wear a mask and keep social distancing per CDC recommendations. Volunteers are also asked to bring their own hand sanitizer. Those who feel sick should stay home. 130th Street and 11th Avenue, Whitestone. nycgovparks.org. Free. 11 a.m., Feb. 14.
Lunar New Year Chinese Temple Bazaar (Flushing Town Hall): For hundreds of years, people in China have rung in the new year with temple fairs featuring performances and food. In similar fashion, Flushing Town Hall is hosting a virtual Lunar New Year celebration with live performances, arts and crafts and food to celebrate the Year of the Ox. Check out the FTH website for a full list of performers and activities. Register here. Virtual. flushingtownhall.org. Free. 2 p.m., Feb. 12.
Bayside Historical Society’s 20th Annual Winter Art Show Goes Virtual! (BHS): This year, the Bayside Historical Society is taking its annual Winter Art Show to computer screens. A total of 42 adult artists and 19 student artists from Bayside High School will present works in various mediums. Participants can view works in two fully virtual art galleries. Virtual. baysidehistorical.org. Free. Open time. Feb. 14 to 28.
To submit an event for QNS Weekender, email editorial@qns.com.
