A weeklong celebration of all things Long Island City kicks off Monday, June 14, when more than 100 local businesses and organizations will participate in the LIC Partnership’s signature festival.
The festival has been reimagined this year as LIC Springs to Summer! The celebration will feature many of the neighborhood’s marquee arts and dining establishments from Culture Lab LIC and MoMA PS1 to Manducatis Rustica and Sweet Chick.
The eighth annual event will not close down Vernon Boulevard for a single-day street festival; instead, the new iteration is a weeklong extravaganza from the June 14 through Sunday, June 20, showcasing happenings, promotions and performances across numerous communities.
Kid-friendly experiences are highlighted, along with events recognizing Juneteenth. Many of the events offer complimentary admission.
“It has been a delight for us to bring the Springs! program back and offer it in a new and exciting way that encourages participants to explore all parts of Long Island City,” LIC Partnership President Elizabeth Lusskin said.
LIC Springs to Summer! is one of New York City’s first community-wide festivals to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, a testament to how small businesses and organizations are ready to welcome new and return customers and visitors. The partnership anticipated that around 50 businesses would register for the event, but despite its truncated production timeline, more than 100 applied to participate.
“We have an exciting cross-section of businesses ranging from restaurants to yoga studios to dance companies, reflecting the diverse offerings Long Island City serves up every day to our diverse community,” Lusskin said.
LIC Springs to Summer! is complemented with the LIC Passport, a guidebook that includes details on all of the week’s experiences including art installation, fitness classes, tours and more, as well as maps, and a host of offerings ranging from personal services to dinner deals at top arteries.
The LIC Passport showcases what makes Long Island City a diverse destination to enjoy a resounding New York City this summer and year round. It will be available at select locations around the neighborhood starting June 10.
Notable participants in LIC Springs to Summer! include Adda Indian Canteen, Centro Pizza Bar & Italian Kitchen, Chairman Sun, Dance Entropy, Fifth Hammer Brewing, Flux Factory, Hunters Point Parks Conservancy, ICONYC Brewing, Kuku Chicken, LEVANTE, LIC Beer Project, Long Island City School of Ballet, Museum of the Moving Image, Q.E.D. Astoria, SAPPS, SculptureCenter, SHI, Tacomi, The Chocolate Factory Theater and the Noguchi Museum.
