June 16-30                                                                                            Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter 
June 18, 6 pm. APEC Summer Barbeque: An old-fashioned BBQ (cooked by APEC Board Members) with hot dogs, burgers and veggie burgers. $8-$15. Alley Pond Environmental Center, 228-06 Northern Blvd., Douglaston
 
June 20, 11 am - 6 pm. Louis Armstrong's Wonderful World 2015: Ms. Lauryn Hill highlights this second annual celebration of the life and legacy of one of America's musical icons. A full day of music, food, art, games, and a Backyard Bash. Free. Queens Museum, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Corona

June 20, 8 pm. Funny Father's Day Comedy Show: Special night with comedians from the Howard Stern Show, Caroline's Comedy Club, Comedy Central, and Wendy Williams TV show. Free. 
Neir's Tavern, 87-48 78th St., Woodhaven

June 20 - 28. LEGO Brick Fest: Get inspired, educated, and entertained with LEGO bricks. Play with huge attractions built to let the imagination loose and witness mind-blowing creations. $12-$15. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Corona
 
June 21, 2 pm. Birds: Myth: Memory: Poetic Visions from the Soul: Organized by spoken word expert Bernard Block, this garden concert provides an afternoon of laughter, reflection, and creativity with a multifaceted group of poets. $5-$6. Voelker Orth Museum, 149-19 38th Ave., Flushing
 
June 25, 8 pm. QCA Presents Live Music: Enjoy an evening of live music featuring the opportunity to hear local talent and learn more about the Queens Council on the Arts$10. R�st �� R�nt, 30-01 35th Avenue, Long Island City
 
June 25 - 28. Astoria Park Festival: This annual summer favorite is jam-packed with rides, games, food, and entertainment. Free. Astoria Park Parking Lot, 19th Street and Hoyt Avenue, Astoria
 
June 25 - 28. Three Sisters Tulsa, 1921: Set in one of the richest black neighborhoods in the U.S. at the time, this play follows Uli, Cora, and Irene before, during, and after a race riot that destroyed their home and lives during summer 1921. $15. The Secret Theatre, 44-02 23rd Street, Long Island City
 
June 27, 2 pm - 4:30 pm. Leading the Way: Six Outstanding Women of Queens! Opening reception for new, multi-genre exhibition highlighting Betty Friedan, Grace Lee Boggs, Helen Keller, Lisa Randall, Yeou-Cheng Ma, and Rise Stevens. $3-$5. Queens Historical Society, 143-35 37th Avenue, Flushing
 
June 27, 8 pm - 1 am. Fresh Concert Series: Classic soul music featuring The Manhattans, The Dramatics, Blue Magic, Black Ivory, and many more acts. $30. Resorts World Casino NYC, 110-00 Rockaway Blvd., Jamaica

June 28, noon. Hunters Point Tour: Explore everything from the newly expanded Gantry State Park to relics from the 19th century in the neighborhood formerly known as "Dominie's Hook." $20. Meet on Vernon Blvd. at 50th Ave., LIC

June 28. New York Electronic Art Festival: See how innovative new technology can alter, expand, and exhilarate perceptions through an artists's creative energies. Day-long series of site-specific performances and events. $6-$12. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Avenue, Astoria

Ongoing - June 28. Stable Views: Life in the Backstretch of Thoroughbred Racetracks: Explore the community of trainers, jockeys, and saddle makers found within the backstretch of the New York State racetracks. $5. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing

Ongoing - September 20. A Re-Installation and Progressive De-Installation of Noguchi's Bronze Gallery: Area 5 was a gallery featuring 1960s bronzes. This summer, nine objects will be installed as close as possible to its original state. $5-$10. Noguchi Museum, 9-01 33rd Road, Long Island City

Enter our Facebook Sweeps for a chance to win a family pack of tickets to LEGO Brick Fest Live. Enter now! 
MAKE MUSIC NY
Over 1,000 performances at outdoor, public spaces across NYC, including:
3:30-6:30 pm. Music beyond Borders: A street dance team, a pop rock band, and a skating show all in one place. Queens Crossing, 136-17 39th Ave., Flushing.

SUMMER SOLSTICE
Welcome summer with a seasonal ritual, live music, and a sunset picnic. 5 pm. Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Blvd. More info.

FATHER'S DAY

3-6 pm. Intro to Brewing: Dad can learn how to brew a five-gallon batch of beer. Q.E.D, 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria

 

5-6 pm. Magic of Motown: Dad can listen to his favorite Motown classics.

Forest Park, Woodhaven

Although some markets are open year round, a few started this month.
Outdoor pools in Queens officially open on June 27. See list of pools.
June Picks By Janice Melnick
Good Eats:  Working in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, I often need a great lunch spot nearby for a break with friends and family, and one of my favorites is Tortiller�a Nixtamal at 104-05 47th Ave. in Corona -- right near our beautiful Playground for All Children if you bring the kids. They have some of the best tacos and specialties around. In my own Queens neighborhood, nothing beats Luigi's at 265-21 Union Tpke. in New Hyde Park for the best chicken parmigiana.

Wander Streets: Some of my favorite streets are the pathways in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Whether you're a cyclist, a walker, or a parent with a stroller, we have beautiful pathways around Meadow Lake, inviting walkways to playgrounds, tree-lined approaches to athletic fields where spectators can enjoy soccer or cricket from the sidelines or stretch out on a patch of grass with a picnic -- and our flower beds are starting to bloom. At Meadow Lake, you can grab a snack, rent boats and bikes at Ederle Terrace or sit down with the family at the circular "story time" benches near the comfort station. Another spectacular "street" is Flushing promenade, which lines Flushing Bay and offers great views of the World's Fair marina and sitting areas under the Candela structures originally built as marine pavilions for the 1964 Fair.

 

Unique Treats: Did you know that our Unisphere, so famous around the world, is on a direct line with the Statue of Liberty? Or that the Queens Museum, directly across from the Unisphere, was formerly the site of the General Assembly of the United Nations, and the location where Israel was declared a nation in 1948? Have you checked out the Pat Dolan Trail around Willow Lake, which is filled with beautiful native grasses and plants that attract dozens of birds along the Atlantic Flyway? If you love birdwatching, take a free tour with our Urban Park Rangers, and don't forget to look for the hawks that have made their nests in the Unisphere itself (near Sri Lanka). Come fishing at the marina, try your golf swing on the pitch-and-putt course, check out our free tennis lessons for kids through the City Parks Foundation, or skateboard near the New York State Pavilion in our beautiful, state-of-the-art skate park. Click here for more details.

Historic Feats: Flushing Meadows Corona Park was the site of both New York City World's Fairs, and the public space remains a beacon for those who love history and historic preservation. If you'd like to be notified of upcoming events, please sign up for the calendar newsletter by sending your name and e-mail to [email protected]. See you in the park.

 

 

Janice Melnick is the administrator of Flushing Meadows Corona Park. She has worked for the NYC Parks Department for about three decades.

 

Read More Monthly Picks Columns.

QEDC gratefully acknowledges the support of the following: Ares Printing ; Board of QEDC; Queens; Capital One Bank, Citi Community Development; Citi Foundation.; Coffeed; Con Edison; Delta Airlines; Emily Lin + Assoc.; Farrell Fritz, PC; Flushing Bank; Hollis Center Mall; IBEW Local 3; Kaufman Astoria Studios; LIC Flea; Melrose Credit Union; New York City & Co Foundation; New York City Dept. of Small Business Services; New York City Council, Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer & Queens Delegation; NYC District Council of Carpenters New York City Economic Development Corporation; New York Community Bank; New York Community Bank Foundation; New York Daily News; New York State Assembly, Member Margaret M. Markey; New York Empire State Development Corporation; Office of the Queens Borough President, Melinda Katz; Queens Center; Resorts World Casino New York City; Richmond County Savings Bank Foundation; SCNB Sholom & Zuckerbrot RE; Signature Bank; Silvercup Studios Small Business Administration; Square Wines & Liquors TD Bank Foundation; The D&F Development Group; The Driscoll Group; The Mattone Group; The Queens Tourism Council; The Port Authority of NY & NJ; The USTA, VOLS; Z Hotel NYC