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.
🥟 Dec 23–29. New Year plans, Queens style in Jackson Heights
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Hey neighbor... If you’re already thinking about New Year’s plans, you’re not alone! We just dropped a Jackson Heights New Year’s Eve guide for anyone asking, “Where are we celebrating?” without wanting to leave the neighborhood. Dinner-first spots, late-night dancing, champagne toasts, midnight grape traditions, and a few places known for packed dance floors and joyful chaos. No Midtown prices. No long commutes. Very Queens. We also wrapped our second neighborhood dinner last week, and it was exactly what we hoped for. Full tables, easy laughs, and lots of “Wait, you live near me?” moments. The next dinner happening on Wednesday 28th January is filling up, and our newcomer meetup is coming up on Monday 19th January too if you are new here and want to feel like a regular fast. A heartfelt thank you goes to Sara Klar, our newest paid supporter and a familiar face from our last neighborhood dinner. Supporters keep this newsletter going and get the fun extras too. If you’d miss Jackson Heights Insider if it disappeared, this is how you help keep it here → Support the newsletter. And yes, we started a neighborhood podcast. The mission is to capture the many languages spoken in Jackson Heights. You can record and upload a short audio clip in your own language, right from your phone. Short recordings, big heart. If you’ve ever wanted to hear your language echo back from the neighborhood, this is your chance. Alright, enough teasing. Let’s get into the events. (Looking for more? This is just a short list. See the full calendar at jacksonheightsinsider.com/events) This Week in Jackson HeightsDecember 23-29 Featured Event🎉 Parrilladas Sunrise 10th Anniversary Celebration | Tue, Dec 23 | 6–10 PM | Parrilladas Sunrise Ten years in the neighborhood and they’re celebrating the right way. Live mariachi, festive vibes, and a full-on anniversary party at one of those places that always makes you feel welcome. Editor note from JBS. My wife and I have always found the staff here genuinely friendly and awesome, which makes nights like this even better. Free. No RSVP mentioned. Just show up hungry and ready to celebrate.
Tuesday, December 23ESL Conversation Club | 4–6 PM | 34th Ave & 93rd St • Practice English, real-life style → Join the conversation​ Annual Jackson Heights Holiday Party for All | 5–9 PM | The Queensboro • Kids downstairs, grown-ups upstairs → Celebrate together​ Parrilladas Sunrise 10th Anniversary Celebration | 6–10 PM | Parrilladas Sunrise • Mariachi, meat, milestone vibes → Celebrate 10 years​ Wednesday, December 24Nochebuena Celebration at D’Antigua | 7–11:30 PM | D’Antigua • Dinner, DJ, Christmas Eve dancing → Celebrate Nochebuena​ Friday, December 26Maria Raquel Quintet, Salsa First Set | 8:30–9:30 PM | Terraza 7 • Salsa with Colombian soul • $20 → Catch the first set​ Keith Jordan Trio | 8:30–10 PM | Espresso 77 • Coffee, jazz, cozy night → Sip and listen​ Saturday, December 27Big Kids Art Club. Clases de Arte para Niñxs | 9–10 AM | A.R.T. Shop • Creative time for ages 6–13 • $25 → Sign up young artists​ JHBG Tree LC | 10 AM–12 PM | 37th Ave • Help trees thrive, tools provided → Lend a hand​ Culture Pass. The Colors of Frida | 11 AM–12 PM | QPL Jackson Heights • Bilingual show for all ages → Reserve your Culture Pass​ Sunday, December 28Jackson Heights Greenmarket | 8 AM–2 PM | 34th Ave & 79th St • Produce, neighbors, good energy → Do your Sunday shop​ ​ More to do in QueensIn partnership with events newsletter Astoria Live - another local events newsletter well worth having in your inbox Queens Chamber Holiday Reception | Tue Dec 23, 12–2:30 PM | Terrace on the Park • Holiday cheer, local bites, Mr. Met • RSVP encouraged → Celebrate with Queens business folks​ Casual 3ish Mile Saturday Morning Run | Sat Dec 27, 8:30–9:30 AM | Woodside Ave & 54th St • All paces welcome, coffee after → Run it easy​ Sakai Super Trio | Sat Dec 27, 7:30–8:30 PM | Uke Hut, LIC • Ukulele magic, cozy vibes • $20 → Catch the trio live​ 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:
Want to help this newsletter? → Join our supporters here (or reply to this email for brand placement) That’s it for this week, neighbor. May your New Year planning be local, your dance floors be lively, and your walk home be short. If you’re new around here, our Newcomer Meetup on Monday, Jan 19 is a great excuse to say hello without it being weird. And if food plus friendly strangers is more your thing, our next neighborhood dinner is Wednesday, Jan 28. Seats go fast for a reason. Until next week, take care of each other and keep making this neighborhood feel like home. 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 you. Yes, you, reading the neighborhood email! If you are new to Jackson Heights, new-ish, or just wondering how everyone else seems to know each other, you are in the right place. Our newcomer meetup is happening this Monday, and it is all about meeting kind humans and picking up local wisdom. This one will have an artsy twist, with the folks from the Jackson Heights Mural project joining us. Speaking of neighbors and creative projects, this week we also launched Voices of Jackson...
Hey neighbor, It's a new year, we've got a new mayor in town, and yes - the old MetroCards are officially out. 2026 showed up, and Jackson Heights welcomed it like an old friend. Happy Noon Year kicked things off early with a daytime party full of music, dancing, kids, and parents pretending they were “just supervising.” It was such a joyful scene that it even got love from CBS news: Then later that night, wificita and I wondered over to the Queensboro and before we knew it, dinner turned...
Hey neighbor, The new year is almost here, but first we have to survive this cold - the kind of weather that makes even the pigeons look confused. The good news is you do not need to freeze on a train to Manhattan to celebrate! The party is right here in the neighborhood. Local spots like Himalayan Yak, D’Antigua, Queensboro, Café Salamanca, Parrilladas Sunrise, La Ruana Paisa, Salvaje Social Club, El Maguey, Terraza 7, and more are all gearing up for New Year’s Eve. There are so many...