Hey neighbor,

It is going to be a scorcher this week, with temperatures expected to climb close to 100 degrees on Friday. So please take it easy out there! Drink water, check on neighbors, and maybe do not choose this week to prove you can carry six grocery bags home from Food Bazaar in one trip.

Meanwhile, Jackson Heights has a new local celebrity. A painted cow has appeared on 34th Avenue and 89th Street, bringing a little color and charm to the neighborhood. Honestly, she may already be more photogenic than most of us in this heat.

Tonight is our monthly community dinner, and signups are already closed. But if you missed this one, don’t worry. The next dinner is happening Tuesday, July 28, and you can already sign up for that one here.

We are also thinking of our Venezuelan neighbors this week after the heartbreaking news of back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela. If you are able to help, several neighborhood businesses are collecting donations of clothing, food, and other items, including:

• El Budare Café: 87-21 Roosevelt Ave. 9 a.m. to midnight
• El Budare Café Arepas: 94-06 Roosevelt Ave. Open 24 hours
• New York al Toque Queens: 83-08 37th Ave. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Chamolandia NY: 82-24 Northern Blvd. 6 a.m. to noon

Okay, now that we have covered heat, helpful neighbors, and one very artistic cow, let’s get into this week’s events!

This Week in Jackson Heights

June 30 to July 6

Featured Event

🎻 Jackson Heights Orchestra | Sunday, July 5, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. | Travers Park, 76-09 34th Ave

Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy a festive outdoor concert with pops classics, iconic movie soundtracks, and plenty of neighborhood summer magic.

​Catch the concert​

New Here? Come meet Some Friendly Locals on July 14th. Join our upcoming neighborhood meetup where newcomers can connect with longtime residents and people involved in local projects – from arts to small businesses to community spaces. Come Meet the Neighborhood

Tuesday, June 30

Paella Night | 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. | Addictive Wine and Tapas, 32-64 87th St • coastal Spain on 87th Street → Save room for saffron​

Wednesday, July 1

Kids Conversación en Español | 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. | 34th Ave & 93rd St • relaxed Spanish practice for kids → Practice poquito a poquito​

Queens Distance Runners: Jackson Heights Community Run @ Queensboro | 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. | 80th St & Northern Blvd • friendly 5K, photo first → Lace up with neighbors​

Thursday, July 2

Craft Hour with Queens Botanical Garden | 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. | Queens Public Library at Jackson Heights, 35-51 81st St • botanical crafts, ages 14+, no registration needed → Get crafty with leaves​

Weekly Thursday Run + Venezuela Donation Drive | 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. | Queens Beer Factory, 86-13 Northern Blvd • all paces welcome, bring donations if you can → Run for Venezuela​

Friday, July 3

Friday Wine Tasting | 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. | Addictive Boutique Winery, 32-62 87th St • sip something worth discussing → Find your new favorite pour​

Saturday, July 4

JHBG’s Tree LC | 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. | 37th Avenue • help water, clean, and mulch, no experience needed → Give the trees a drink​

Sunday, July 5

Les Petites Gallery | 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | 34th Ave & 83rd St • open-air art, legally fancy → Browse the block gallery​

The Street Is Ours: 25 Years of Terraza 7 | 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. | Gleane Street • music, film, soccer, and 25 years of culture → Celebrate Terraza 7​

Jackson Heights Orchestra | 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. | Travers Park, 76-09 34th Ave • bring a chair or blanket → Catch the concert​

Monday, July 6

World Cup Watch Party | 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. | Queens Public Library at Jackson Heights, 35-51 81st St • all ages, knockout-round drama → Watch the match​

More to do in Queens

In partnership with events newsletter Astoria Live – another local events newsletter well worth having in your inbox

Astoria Live Astoria Live is your weekly guide to what’s happening in Astoria, Queens — from live music and comedy shows to pop-ups, classes, and community events. Sign up for the newsletter to discover local gems and connect with your neighbors every week. Subscribe​

Dance Performances at the Unisphere | Thu Jul 2, 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. | Flushing Meadows Corona Park Unisphere • dance under the big globe, ASL provided → Dance by the Unisphere​

Special 4th of July Run to Lemon Ice King of Corona! | Sat Jul 4, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. | Lawrence Virgilio Playground • 3-mile run, bring water → Run for lemon ice​

Queens Night Market | Sat Jul 4, 4:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. | Flushing Meadows Corona Park, behind New York Hall of Science • food, music, World Cup watch party, take the 7 → Eat around the world​

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 Love

Shout-out to the brands keeping this newsletter going:

Own a local business? Help keep this neighborhood newsletter free and community-powered, with your logo featured above → Sponsor Jackson Heights Insider​

And a big thanks to our personal supporters: Leslie Garcia, Rachel Schwartz, Lisa Reswick, John “Sandy” Needham, Felice Amera, Emily Moore, Oda Friedheim, Joseph Faillace, Emily Hackenburg, Zach McCurdy, Diana Chery, Nikki Amberstone, John Capouya, Nancy Cardenas, Ursula Avelino, Philip Washburne, Paola Bakos, Joseph Varghese, RJ Harden, Barbara Goodwin, Patricia Marjoribanks, Sara Klar, Sam Raker, Ankit Gupta and Arlene Gilbert.

Want to join them in supporting this newsletter? → Become a Jackson Heights Insider supporter here (and unlock extra perks)

And that’s a wrap! See you out there, probably sweating on 34th Ave, pretending an iced coffee counts as a wellness plan 🙂

Jonathan (JBS)