A culturally diverse borough like Queens is best explored through local events. You can attend multi-day or week-long festivals celebrating a wide range of things, such as arts, culture, food, crafts and more. A selection of popular local festivals can be found at queenski.com.
Annual Queens County Fair
The Annual Queens County Fair takes place every September at the Queens County Farm Museum. This event showcases the agrarian appeal of small towns and agricultural lands. Here, you can see messy pie-eating contests, corn husking championships, fun pig races, try hayrides and enjoy carnival rides and games.
Visit the main stage and family entertainment tents with live music and theater performances, browse products from local artisans and try delicious foods. The festival exudes a joyful atmosphere with experienced jugglers, magicians and acrobats. This is a holiday for the whole family.
Halloween Harvest Festival
Halloween is traditionally celebrated worldwide on the night of November 1. The biggest celebrations take place in the United States, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The Halloween Harvest Festival is held in Queens on this date. At the festival, you can taste sweets from local vendors and participate in fun costume-making classes and other interesting activities. Children usually paint their faces with bright colors. There is also a costume contest for dogs so that furry friends can have fun too. The autumn festival always offers amazing experiences, from circus shows to cultural events.
By the way, a version regarding the pagan origins of this holiday appeared in the 19th century. The primary purpose of celebrating Halloween was to honor the spirits of deceased ancestors. However, recent research suggests that Halloween has Catholic roots. The tradition of dressing up in costumes arose in the early 20th century.
Lunar New Year Parade
The Chinese New Year (or Lunar New Year) is celebrated annually in January or February, depending on the phases of the moon. This marks the beginning of the new year based on the lunar or lunisolar calendar. According to one legend, on the day the new year begins, the horned monster named Nian feasts on human flesh. Since Nian is afraid of red color, loud noises and fire, people scare it away with bright decorations, night lights and firecrackers. Fireworks are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring happiness.
In Queens, the celebration is not complete without the traditional Lunar New Year Parade. In the Flushing area, where a large number of Chinese and Koreans live, thousands of people gather to watch colorful costumes, dance shows and martial arts performances. People of different backgrounds, statuses, religions and more join the celebration. The unparalleled street procession, which includes dragon dancers, fireworks, delicious food and energetic dances, celebrates the arrival of spring.
Before the parade, all enthusiasts meet at one of the churches to enjoy hot coffee with donuts. After the event, locals usually head to karaoke or Chinese restaurants. The festivities continue even after the procession ends. Various cultural and family events continue for several days.
Interestingly, about 10 days before the Lunar New Year, houses are scrupulously cleaned to get rid of any misfortunes. On the eve of the holiday, families gather around a table that is usually filled with meat and fish dishes, as well as jiaozi (dumplings). After the New Year, family members greet each other by presenting red envelopes with money. It is customary to give paired gifts, especially two tangerines, which symbolize financial well-being. The lantern show culminates the celebration. People illuminate their homes with colorful lanterns.
Fans of this holiday believe that on the first day of the new year, one should not wash or cut their hair in order to avoid losing wealth. In addition, it is better not to buy shoes during the entire period of Chinese New Year celebrations so as not to provoke all kinds of losses. But red clothing attracts success and prosperity.
Poseidon’s Parade
Another annual parade in Queens takes place in September on the Rockaway Peninsula. Poseidon’s Parade is designed to honor artistic expression. The procession features various creative works, colorful ships, energetic dances, live music and sets by an experienced DJ. Here, you will see all kinds of characters, from gray-haired pirates to beautiful Greek gods and flirtatious mermaids.
Astoria Alive Street Festival
Queens also hosts Astoria Alive Street Festival in September. During this time, the streets of the Astoria neighborhood are scattered with top-notch art and craft stalls. If you feel tired after a busy day of carnival games, fun rides and face painting, recharge with a delicious meal.
Queens Night Market
The large-scale open-air food fair Queens Night Market is a real paradise for foodies. Every year, thousands of people come to Queens to feast on street food from over 90 countries. This diverse celebration, which takes place every Saturday evening from April to October, features live music, dancing and handicrafts from local artisans.
The Queens Night Market highlights the importance of food as a means of cultural exchange. Here, you can enjoy a variety of appetizing dishes, from Afghan Mantu (dumplings filled with beef) and kebabs to Ukrainian borscht. As you move from tent to tent, you’ll taste the flavors of Peruvian ceviche (a fish or seafood dish) followed by Taiwanese popcorn chicken. You don’t even have to cross oceans!
While indulging in dishes, take a stroll to the artisan tents. There, you can buy unique candles, vintage clothing, toy collections, board games, various figurines and more. The festivities are accompanied by DJ sets, live music and dance shows. The Queens Night Market is a place where one can relax and have fun.
Bayswater Fall Festival
This October festival is a chance to get away from the bustling city and relax in a slow-paced serenity. The family-oriented event combines favorite fall activities with popular carnival-style shows. Children will be entertained by rides on magical ponies, face painting and jumps on huge inflatable ships. The arts and crafts collection will also keep everyone entertained for hours. In case of heat, there is a wide selection of refreshing drinks.
Queensboro Dance Festival
The Queensboro Dance Festival’s annual summer dance tour is a platform to showcase the cultural diversity of Queens. Professional dancers perform in parks, squares and streets of the borough, representing different cultures and dance styles.
Free outdoor shows bring the community together and inspire creativity. At the festival, you will see hula, flamenco, hip-hop, tap-dance, ballet, ballroom, jazz and other dance styles. The Queensboro Dance Festival offers not only performances but also dance classes and parties. The festival finale takes place at Queens Theatre, where audiences are introduced to numerous professional dance groups.