Hey neighbor,

One of my favorite things about Jackson Heights is how the neighborhood can look completely different depending on where you’re standing.

Local artist Bonnie Astor recently shared paintings of Travers Park and the view from her rooftop, and they capture something familiar: trees and brick buildings up close, the Manhattan skyline hovering in the distance, and all those little rooftops in between. It’s a nice reminder to occasionally look up from whatever we’re doing.

There will be plenty to look at on street level this Saturday too. The Jackson Heights Running Festival turns five, and this year brings the neighborhood’s first-ever 5K, including a 25-minute full closure of 34th Avenue. That's alongside the Community Mile, relays, kids races, and plenty of opportunities to cheer from a safe distance while holding an iced coffee. They’re still looking for volunteers too, if your preferred form of exercise is helping other people exercise.

Meanwhile, tonight is our latest Dinner Club. RSVPs are closed, but registration is already open for the next one on Wednesday September 23. Expect six neighbors, one mystery restaurant, then a secret afterparty location revealed during dinner.

Elsewhere, Addictive Wine & Tapas has two new additions to the family. Literally. Papa and Altagracia are the latest wines in their own range, inspired by family members.

If you’d like to get properly acquainted, their shop next door pours free tastings on Friday and Saturday evenings, in addition to their daily happy hour, which you can pair with their Tuesday paella night. Addictive is also a supporter of this newsletter, which gives us yet another reason to raise a glass to them.

And if you’re already mentally preparing for next month’s Momo Festival, Secret NYC has provided a detailed guide. One piece of advice I would add from experience: wander beyond the crowds around Diversity Plaza. Some of the best locations are found a little farther from the action!

All right, running, wine, mystery dinners, art and dumplings. Your calendar has some decisions to make.

This Week in Jackson Heights

August 25–31, 2026

Featured Event

🏃 Jackson Heights Running Festival | Saturday, August 29 | 8:30am–12:30pm | Northern Playground + 34th Avenue
Jackson Heights’ hometown race turns five, and this year it’s getting bigger. The festival includes the first-ever Jackson Heights 5K and 5K Relay, age-group races, the always-adorable Kids Dash, the Community Mile, and a post-run neighborhood photo at Travers Park. The 5K gets a rare 25-minute full closure of 34th Avenue, so runners will need to move slightly faster than alternate-side parking enforcement. See the race schedule​

Tuesday, August 25

Summer Art Camp with Ms. Rathi V. / Curso Veraniego de Arte | 11am–12pm | Art Retail Therapy • Ages 4–7, art + movement + mindfulness, registration required • $25/class or $80 for four → Make some art​

Paella Nights @ Addictive Wine and Tapas Bar | 4–10:30pm | Addictive Wine and Tapas • made to order, worth the 20–30 minute wait, plus happy hour 4–6pm → Pass the paella​

Wednesday, August 26

Summer Art Camp with Ms. Rathi V. / Curso Veraniego de Arte | 11am–12pm | Art Retail Therapy • Ages 4–7, art + movement + mindfulness, registration required • $25/class or $80 for four → Make some art​

34 Ave Chess Club | 4–5pm | 34th Ave & 93rd St • all ages, challengers very much wanted → Make your move​

Crafternoon | 4–5pm | Queens Public Library at Jackson Heights • teen crafting circle, all skill levels welcome → Get crafty​

Thursday, August 27

Summer Art Camp with Ms. Rathi V. / Curso Veraniego de Arte | 11am–12pm | Art Retail Therapy • Ages 4–7, art + movement + mindfulness, registration required • $25/class or $80 for four → Make some art​

Bilingual Mingle | 5–7pm | NICE • practice conversational English, volunteer and try some Folklorico too, sign-up encouraged → Join the mingle​

Open Mic Night | 8–11pm | Nancy Blake’s Tavern + Tap • songs, jokes, instruments, surprise talents welcome → Take the mic​

Friday, August 28

Summer Art Camp with Ms. Rathi V. / Curso Veraniego de Arte | 11am–12pm | Art Retail Therapy • Ages 4–7, final day of art + movement + mindfulness, registration required • $25/class or $80 for four → Make some art​

The Berti Tribe | Acid Jazz | 7:30–10:30pm | Terraza 7 • Miles Davis goes electric, funky and wonderfully weird • $20 → Find the groove​

Saturday, August 29

Jackson Heights Running Festival | 8:30am–12:30pm | Northern Playground + 34th Avenue • 5K, relays, Kids Dash, mile races and one very speedy street closure → See the race schedule​

Hooked On You: A Keychain Workshop with Bonnie | 3–4pm | The World’s Borough Bookshop • beads, charms and a tiny object you’ll actually use → Make your keychain​

Sunday, August 30

Jackson Heights Greenmarket | 8am–3pm | 34th Ave at 79th & 80th St • vegetables, bread, farm goodies, you know the drill → Fill your tote​

Les Petites Gallery | 9am–6pm | 34th Ave & 83rd St • NYC’s permitted open-air gallery, right on the Open Street → Browse outside​

John Yao's 17-Piece Instrument, Summer Sundays | 6–7pm | Travers Park • 17 musicians, one final summer Sunday, bring the neighbors → Catch the finale​

Monday, August 31

Queens Distance Runners: Jackson Heights Community Run @ Queensboro | 6–7pm | 80th St & Northern Blvd • friendly 5K, group photo first, running second → Run with the neighbors​

More to do in Queens

In partnership with events newsletter Astoria Live - another local events newsletter well worth having in your inbox

Astoria Live All the events in Astoria, Queens Astoria Live is your weekly guide to what’s happening in Astoria, Queens — from live music and comedy shows to pop-ups, classes, and community events. Sign up for the newsletter to discover local gems and connect with your neighbors every week. Subscribe​

Queens Jazz Trail Concert: Lucy Yeghiazaryan | Thu Aug 27, 7–8pm | Astoria Park • Tony Bennett tribute, bring a blanket → Catch some jazz​

The 6th Annual Rockaway Beach Surf Music Festival | Fri Aug 28 - Aug 30, 5–9pm | Beach 97th Concessions • 9 surf bands, 3 days, all ages → Head to the beach​

Summer Artist Party | Fri Aug 28, 6–9pm | Flushing Town Hall • headshots, art swap, music, RSVP required → Join the party​

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 Love

Shout-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: Leslie Garcia, Rachel Schwartz, Lisa Reswick, John "Sandy" Needham, Felice Amera, Emily Moore, Oda Friedheim, Joseph Faillace, Emily Hackenburg, Zach McCurdy, Diana Chery, Nikki Amberstone, 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 all folks! See you out there, somewhere between the 5K, the paella, and a suspiciously competitive game of chess.

Jonathan (JBS)