Queens Rising is kicking off its monthlong celebration of the borough’s rich arts and cultural offerings with a special night of curated performances at the Queens Night Market in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on Saturday, June 4, from 5 p.m. to midnight.
The event will take place behind the New York Hall of Science with dance and musical performances by DJ Rehka, FANIKE! African Dance Troupe, Fogo Azul, Gamelan Yowana Sari, La Flor De Lis and Na Pua Mai Ka Lani Nuioka. There will be an incredible culinary and cultural selection of the Queens Night Market.
Scheduled throughout June, Queens Rising will partner with different arts organizations, multipurpose venues and galleries in the borough to present dozens of performances, exhibitions and cultural events.
Julia del Palacio, Ph.D., director of strategic partnerships and development at Queens College’s Kupferberg Center for the Arts, and a member of the Queens Rising Planning Committee, said the Queens Night Market is the perfect place to launch Queens Rising.
“It fulfills a major goal of Queens Rising, which is to engage and cultivate the broader public and welcome them to our cultural centers and programs,” Palacio said. “The Queens Night Market draws thousands of people from all over Queens and the metro area, and we hope by showing them with a wonderful roster of Queens talent tonight, we can pique their interest in our borough’s other phenomenal cultural venues, events and artists.”
Since it debuted in 2015, the Queens Night Market has attracted nearly 2 million visitors, represented over 90 countries through its vendors and their food, featured over 400 free cultural performances and helped launch over 300 brand-new businesses in NYC.
John Wang, founder of Queens Night Market, said the vast majority of their pledge to charity from earlier this year is going to support Queens Rising and the work they’re doing.
“They’re promoting Queens as a borough, as a global tourist attraction, and as a major arts center for arts and culture. We’re honored and privileged to be hosting the launch of Queens Rising, and really looking forward to a month of celebrating this remarkable borough with so many cultural partners,” Wang said.
