Queens residents and visitors will get a chance to explore the borough like never before during Jane’s Walk Weekend, a global celebration of urban life through free, volunteer-led walking tours taking place Friday, May 2, through Sunday, May 4.
Organized by the Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS), Jane’s Walk is named in honor of famed urbanist and author Jane Jacobs, who championed walkable neighborhoods and people-first city planning. The initiative, launched in 2007, now takes place in more than 200 cities worldwide around the anniversary of Jacobs’ birthday on May 4.
This year, Queens will host 28 unique walks with themes ranging from architecture and urban development to culture, history, and nature. Most walks last one to two hours and are entirely free, though advance registration is often required.
Highlights of Queens Walks
Friday, May 2
- On the Revolutionary War Trail, Elmhurst – 11 a.m. | Explore historic churches and cemeteries that pre-date the American Revolution.
- Queen Anne Architecture in Richmond Hill – 11 a.m. | Discover intricate historic homes and Forest Park’s urban design.
- Jazz Greats in Flushing – 1 p.m. | Visit the Flushing Cemetery graves of Louis Armstrong and other icons.
- 34th Ave Jackson Heights History – 2 p.m. | A deep dive into Open Streets and neighborhood advocacy.
- Flushing Bay & Flushing Creek – 3 p.m. | Walk along the waterfronts and learn about their evolving ecosystems.
Saturday, May 3
- LIC Skyscrapers – 9 a.m. | Tour Long Island City’s booming skyline.
- What’s Growing in the Big Apple’s Fruit Basket – 9 a.m. & 3 p.m. | Identify native and fruit-bearing trees in Astoria Park.
- Sunnyside Bliss – 11 a.m. | Examine Art Deco buildings and quirky neighborhood history.
- Connecting the Borough: QueensLink – 11 a.m. | Explore the proposed reuse of a long-abandoned rail corridor.
- Jackson Heights: Landmarks, Vendors and Identity – 11 a.m. | Visit historic districts and vibrant vendor corridors.
- Hidden Bel-Gems of the 1964-65 World’s Fair – 11 a.m., 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. | A walk through Flushing Meadows to find lost relics of the fair.
- Astoria: Ethnic History Through Food – 1 p.m. | Savor multicultural bites and tales of immigration.
- The Hill: Douglaston History – 3 p.m. | Tour one of NYC’s most scenic and historic corners.
Sunday, May 4
- Arts and Culture in Sunnyside – 11 a.m. | Sold out but waitlisted. Visit local theaters, historic homes, and the Sunnyside Arch.
- A Tour of Long Island City, New York’s Other City – 12 p.m. | Trace LIC’s evolution from industry to innovation.
- Long Island City Waterfront: Public Land and Raging Tides – 1 p.m. | A look at environmental justice and land use.
- The Lizards of Liberty Park – 1 p.m. | A quirky tour on the Italian Wall Lizards that thrive in Queens.
- The Way of Water – 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. | Rediscover the creeks and waterways that shaped South Queens.
- Sunset Walk Through Industrial Western Queens – 6 p.m. | A twilight look at the city’s changing skyline. Sold out.
The walks offer a unique way to interact with neighborhoods across Queens. They are led by local residents, historians, urban planners, and civic advocates. Whether exploring 19th-century burial sites or tasting hummus on Steinway Street, each tour shares untold stories that bring the borough’s diversity to life.
Jane Jacobs, the movement’s namesake, was a visionary who pushed back against top-down planning and highway construction in favor of pedestrian-friendly streets and community empowerment. Her influence on NYC’s neighborhoods is still profoundly felt today.
To see the complete list of walks and register, visit the Municipal Art Society’s Jane’s Walk NYC page.
