The annual Bix Beiderbecke Concert will return to Sunnyside this Sunday, honoring the famed jazz musician and influential cornet player who lived out his final days in the neighborhood.
The 1920s-themed celebration, which is returning for its 21st year, is scheduled to take place on 46th Street beneath the Sunnyside Arch between 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 10. The event is expected to draw hundreds of jazz-loving attendees to Sunnyside for an afternoon of jazz and period-themed performances celebrating the life of Beiderbecke, a highly acclaimed jazz musician who grew up in Davenport, Iowa, before living out his final days at 43-30 46th St. in Sunnyside.
Beiderbecke, who struggled with alcoholism, died on Aug. 6, 1931, at the age of just 28.
The concert returned to the neighborhood last year for the first time following a five-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the death of Paul Maringelli, a beloved local musician who founded the event in 2001 after discovering Beiderbecke’s connection to Sunnyside.
Maringelli was able to document Beiderbecke’s history in the neighborhood after he tracked down the jazz icon’s great nephew.
In its early years, the concert took place at All Saints Church courtyard before Maringelli joined forces with Sunnyside Shines and the event moved to the Sunnyside Arch.
This year’s concert will feature two bands – BIXology from Honk NYC – a project celebrating the music of Bix Beiderbecke – and the Sunnyside Social Club.
Dirk McCall de Palomá, executive director of the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District (BID), welcomed the return of the Sunnyside Social Club to the event, noting that the group played at some of the earliest concerts honoring Beiderbecke.
McCall de Palomá added that Sunnyside Shines is trying to make contact with musicians who performed with the original Sunnyside Wolverines, a pick-up group founded by Maringelli that performed at the concert in its infancy.
The 2025 concert is supported by a number of sponsors, including Council Member Julie Won, State Sen. Michael Gianaris, Assembly Member Claire Valdez and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA).
Won said she is “thrilled” to support the event and honor the life of Beiderbecke.
“This concert brings our community together to honor his legacy through live jazz in the very neighborhood he called home. Thank you to Sunnyside Shines for keeping this tradition alive,” Won said in a statement.
Valdez, meanwhile, said free cultural programming such as the Bix Beiderbecke Concert is essential to the fabric of the neighborhood.
“Sunnyside is a thriving neighborhood with an arts sector that continues to grow,” Valdez said in a statement. “Providing free cultural programming is a priority for me, and I’m thrilled to see a festival that honors our musical roots and local icons continue to flourish. Events like this are a powerful way to celebrate our history and keep creativity alive in our neighborhood.”
Karesia Batan, CB2 Arts and Culture Chair and Executive Director of Queensboro Dance Festival, described the annual concert as a “special nod” to Sunnyside’s history.
“This is such a special nod to Sunnyside’s history and contribution to jazz in Queens. Our neighborhood takes pride in local artists and we thank Sunnyside Shines for bringing these celebrations to our public spaces,” Batan said in a statement.
For more information about the upcoming event, visit the Sunnyside Shines website.
