A weekly roundup of the best events, markets, and happenings in and around Jackson Heights. Perfect for neighbors who want to stay in the loop and support local life.
🥟 Apr 14–20: Dogs, cheese & spring vibes in Jackson Heights
|
Hey neighbor, Something’s in the air… and no, it’s not just pollen (although, yes, definitely that too). 🌸 The neighborhood is waking up. Flowers are making their annual comeback tour, trees are showing off a little, and 37th Avenue has officially slowed down to “let’s just take a lap” speed. You can feel it—spring has entered the chat. Suddenly, every errand feels optional and every walk feels like a scene. And last night had a bit of that same energy. We hosted our latest Newcomer Meetup at World’s Borough Bookshop - big thanks to Adrian for opening up the space. We had a great mix of local folks sharing what they’re building in the neighborhood: Megan (Indivisible activists), Keetick Sanchez (personal injury lawyer + Queens Success Collective), Leslie Garcia (Queens Success Collective + local therapist), Jim Burke (34th Ave Open Streets), and Nicholas Stebenne (Marketito pop-ups for local artists). Always nice putting faces to names and realizing how much is happening right under our noses! And while you’re out pretending you totally meant to be outside this long, pop into Stand Alone Cheese if you haven’t yet. Felice Amera (our newest newsletter supporter and clearly someone with excellent taste) wanted to give them a shout - and it’s well deserved. Owned by Steffen Kenney and Jenny Armstrong, the shop has been a neighborhood staple since 2019. It’s the opposite of intimidating - just thoughtful, friendly, and full of things you didn’t know you needed until you walked in. And speaking of small local businesses, subscriber Nikki wrote in about her experience with one of our local partners, Green Duster cleaners. Her husband works from home and told her he was floored by how great they were and what a phenomenal job they did. Her review: "10/10 and thanks for spotlighting local businesses." Love hearing that. This is exactly why we partner with local businesses, so neighbors can find the ones worth knowing about :) Alright neighbor. Let's see what we have got this week. This Week in Jackson HeightsApril 14–20 Featured Event🐶 Pet Parade and Fashion Show at Travers Park | Saturday, April 18 | 10:00 AM–2:00 PM | 78th St & 34th Ave Dogs in outfits, a full-on fashion show, pup treats, raffles, and even vaccinations. Plus adoption opportunities if you’re ready to meet your new best friend. Tuesday, April 14Pohela Boishakh 1433 Celebration | 2:00 PM–10:00 PM | Diversity Plaza • music, food, culture vibes → Celebrate the Bengali new year Paella Nights @ Addictive Wine and Tapas Bar | 4:00 PM–10:30 PM | Addictive Wine and Tapas • saffron rice, good company → Order the paella Wednesday, April 15Makin' Biscuits Cat Adoption | 4:00 PM–6:00 PM | The Queensboro • meet your future cat → Find a furry friend Thursday, April 16Queens Success Collective Monthly Meeting | 6:00 PM–7:00 PM | K L Sanchez Law Office • journaling, reset your week → Take a breather Queens Community Board 3 Monthly Meeting | 7:00 PM–9:30 PM | Renaissance Charter School • local decisions, stay informed → Have your say Charlie’s Chaos Art Club for Adults | 7:30 PM–9:00 PM | A.R.T. Shop • adults only, make some art → Get creative Friday, April 17Music Show: The Beveled Edges | 8:30 PM–10:00 PM | Espresso 77 • live tunes, cozy vibes → Catch the set Saturday, April 18Pet Parade and Fashion Show at Travers Park | 10:00 AM–2:00 PM | 78th St & 34th Ave • dogs in outfits, yes please → See the pups Pitching Yourself Workshop with Adrian | 3:30 PM–5:00 PM | The World’s Borough Bookshop • build your pitch, participatory • RSVP encouraged → Level up your pitch Sunday, April 19Graphic Novel Book Club: Squire | 1:00 PM–2:00 PM | The World’s Borough Bookshop • discuss, debate, nerd out → Join the convo Monday, April 20Queens Distance Runners Community Run | 6:00 PM–7:00 PM | 80th St & Northern Blvd • 5K, all paces welcome → Run with the crew More to do in QueensIn partnership with events newsletter Astoria Live - another local events newsletter well worth having in your inbox So Percussion Unplugged | Fri Apr 17, 8:00–9:00 PM | Kupferberg Center for the Arts, Flushing • everyday objects, wild sound world • $32 → Hear the unexpected NY Indonesian Food Bazaar | Sat Apr 18, 11:00 AM–6:00 PM | St. James Episcopal Church, Elmhurst • come hungry, bring cash vibes → Eat your way through Indonesia Queens Night Market | Sat Apr 18, 4:00–11:59 PM | Flushing Meadows Corona Park • snacks, art, big night-out energy • parking is limited → Wander, snack, repeat Sunnyside Restaurant Week | Mon Apr 20, 4:00–9:00 PM | Sunnyside • prix fixe season, stretchy pants recommended → Plot your food crawl Heads-up: times and places can change, so make sure you confirm event details with the organizers before you go. And remember - this list is just a selection of everything that’s going on locally. You can check out full listings for more events at JacksonHeightsInsider.com/events High-Fives & Local LoveShout-out to the brands keeping this newsletter going:
Own a local business? Help keep this neighborhood newsletter free and community-powered, with your logo featured above → Sponsor Jackson Heights Insider And a big thanks to our personal supporters: Emily Moore, Oda Friedheim, Joseph Faillace, Emily Hackenburg, Zach McCurdy, Diana Chery, Nikki Amberstone, Alice Crespo, John Capouya, Nancy Cardenas, Ursula Avelino, Philip Washburne, Paola Bakos, Joseph Varghese, RJ Harden, Barbara Goodwin, Patricia Marjoribanks, Sara Klar, Sam Raker, Ankit Gupta and Arlene Gilbert. Want to join them in supporting this newsletter? → Become a Jackson Heights Insider supporter here (and unlock extra perks) That's a wrap! Now go grab some cheese, pet a dog, and call it a very productive week :) Jonathan (JBS) |
Jackson Heights Insider: Local Events & Community Updates
A weekly roundup of the best events, markets, and happenings in and around Jackson Heights. Perfect for neighbors who want to stay in the loop and support local life.
Hey neighbor, Big week on 34th Avenue. First, there’s a giant soccer ball art installation on the Open Street, just in time for World Cup fever to start creeping into the neighborhood. It’s hard to miss, and honestly, it might be the only soccer ball in Queens that nobody is allowed to kick. Speaking of the World Cup, NYC is giving people a chance to enter a daily draw for $50 tickets at regnyctix.com. The draw opens at 10am each day until Saturday, and tickets go very fast, so this is one of...
Hey neighbor, Travers Park is having a moment. The trees are lush, the grass is bright, and the whole place looks like it is trying to convince us that the heat is charming. Photo credit: Luis Flash Ariel Zayas And honestly, it almost works. On a scorching day, a shady bench in Travers feels less like a bench and more like prime neighborhood real estate. In transportation news, the city is proposing a dedicated bus lane on Broadway between 69th Street and Roosevelt Avenue for the Q70...
Hey neighbor, Jackson Heights made it all the way to Japanese public TV this week. Our local tree volunteers were featured, which means the neighborhood’s trees are now officially more internationally famous than most of us. We also had three local restaurants land on The New York Times’ 100 best NYC restaurants for 2026. Kabab King, Birria-Landia, and Nepali Bhanchha Ghar all made the cut. Not bad for a neighborhood where you can casually eat your way across multiple continents before you...