Welcome To Astoria...

A visit to Astoria might start with discovering one of the many cultural institutions that have sprung up over the years. Most notably is the American Museum of the Moving Image.

This remains one of New York City’s most vibrant neighborhoods. Astoria is a place that’s a former home to Ethel Merman and Tony Bennett, the "birthplace" for Steinway pianos, and emerging headquarters for East Coast movies, television and video production, site for the "world’s longest department store" and residence to the largest concentrations of Greeks outside of Athens.

Situated in northwest Queens, Astoria is a short commute to and from Manhattan. It is also a convenient destination by way of public transportation or private automobile for those coming from Queens and Brooklyn. Astoria residents represent a combination of first- and second-generation foreign-born as well as native-born "urban migrants." This eclectic mixture lends to the neighborhood’s character.

Astoria owes its resilience to the past, present and future. It is home to a rich diversity of groups that rival the delegations of the United Nations, has a growing presence of cultural institutions and activities that form the "Art Loop," and a wealth of restaurants, shops and services that defy the conventionality of today’s shopping malls.

A visit to Astoria might start with discovering one of the many cultural institutions that have sprung up over the years. Most notably is the American Museum of the Moving Image, a one-of-a-kind in the United States. This museum features exhibits, film screenings and artifacts and complements the surrounding Kaufman Astoria Studios. As part of the art experience in Astoria, visitors are encouraged to visit the Socrates Sculpture Park, the only public space in the metropolitan area devoted to the exhibition of large outdoor sculptures; P.S.1 Institute for Contemporary Art, an extension of the Museum of Modern Art; the Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum, and more.

A description of Astoria isn’t complete without mentioning shopping or local foods. The neighborhood affords an array of ethnic restaurants and cafes along Broadway and 30th Avenue that is guaranteed to satisfy every taste and dining experience. For the ambitious cook wishing to replicate one of these meals at home, numerous grocery and specialty food shops provide all the necessary and unusual ingredients. Fragrant cheeses, sausages, pastries, vegetables and fruits from the world merge into a staggering variety in Astoria. Where else can you buy 30 different varieties of olives?

Nowhere else in Queens is commercial activity as vibrant as on Steinway Street, the "World’s Longest Department Store." The arrival of numerous regional chain stores that have joined the existing one-of-a-kind shops and boutiques gives Steinway Street equal footing with competing shopping malls. Shoppers who haven’t visited "the Street" in a while will be pleasantly surprised with the new retail mix.

Welcome To The Fun In The Sun Festival...

Some call it the unofficial start of the summer season in Northwest Queens. Central Astoria’s Fun In The Sun Festival on Steinway Street, 28th to 34th Avenues, is comparable to a giant block party that offers families, friends and neighbors the chance to shop, be entertained and fed at one of Queens largest outdoor street events.

Sponsored by the Central Astoria Local Development Coalition (CALDC), the Fun In The Sun Festival is on Sunday, June 24, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and features food and craft vendors alongside Steinway Street merchants. The festival also offers a large assortment of rides to thrill kids.

Not only is the Fun In The Sun Festival a showcase of the neighborhoods goods and services, it also allows Central Astoria to raise funds that underwrite the cost of sponsoring the free weekly performances at the Astoria Park Waterfront Concert Series each summer..

Through the year CALDC undertakes activities directed at neighborhood preservation and revitalization, private sector reinvestment and improvements to the community’s overall quality of life. Thousands of tenants and landlords are provided with free counseling services. Technical assistance to local merchant groups and the small business owners they represent assures residents of shopping streets that best meet and reflect their needs. Seasonal marketing of Astoria as a multi-purpose destinations fosters neighborhood pride and draws further attention to one of New York City’s most desirable communities.

Information Carts Out And About...

For the sixth season the every popular Central Astoria Information carts are making their appearance every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from Memorial Day to Columbus Day. The carts, stationed at the intersection of Broadway and Steinway, and 30th Avenue and Steinway are stocked with free brochures on places of interest, neighborhood maps and history, and special event listings.

Operation of this year’s carts have been generously funded by City Council Speaker Peter Vallone and Councilmember Walter McCaffrey through the New York City Department of Business Services.