Summer Stay-Cation

QUEENS ART EXPRESS

The 7 train routinely connects Queens’ diverse neighborhoods, but come June 16, it will also act as a gallery tour guide. Welcome to the Queens Art Express (QAX), a four day event during which art enthusiasts are invited to ride the 7 from LIC to Flushing, stopping off at galleries and studios as varied as Ten10 Studios, PS1 and Secret Theatre.

New this year is the addition of the N/Q/R line, which adds Astoria hotspots like Hell Gate Social, Socrates Sculpture Park and the Noguchi Museum to the itinerary. “Right now we have 33 festival venues [participating] during QAX weekend,” says Project Manager David Bromley.

But adding Astoria to the mix isn’t this year’s only innovation. According to Bromley, QAX is also creating a mobile app that will give festival-goers “a virtual tour of the neighborhoods.”
www.QueensArtExpress.com

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GREEN MARKET AT SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK

Just in time for strawberry season, the Grow NYC Green Market will open its booths to the general public on June 25. Located on the viridian meadow of the Socrates Sculpture Park in LIC, the market will operate every Saturday through November from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. As the good people at Grow NYC tell us, the Green Market helps to “promote regional agriculture, preserve farmland and ensure a continuing supply of fresh, local produce for all New Yorkers.”

Be sure to consult the Grow NYC website to determine which fruits and vegetables are in season, but rest assured that whether you decide on Swiss char or summer squash, June will be a great month to buy green.
www.growNYC.com

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TASTE OF LIC

Queens is a veritable microcosm of world cuisine. Celebrating this fact is The Sixth Annual Taste of LIC, a one-night smorgasbord featuring a myriad of food from the borough’s best restaurants. Created and produced by The Chocolate Factory Theater, the Taste of LIC will be held on June 11 at the Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City. “It’s a way for us to celebrate the community of which we are a part,” said organizer Brian Rogers.

And as the LIC community has grown, so has the Taste of LIC. “When we started the event six years ago, 20 restaurants participated,” said Rogers. “This year it will be [closer to] sixty.”

Tickets are limited, so be sure to purchase yours soon! Cost: $50-$500
www.ChocolateFactoryTheater.org

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