36 | BOROMAG.COM | AUGUST 2013 EXPLORE YOUR BORO Astoria Park Shore Fest: A Car-Free Celebration On three successive Sundays in August, the Astoria Park Shore Fest takes place on Shore Boulevard along Astoria Park’s western edge. e street is closed to vehicular tra c, allowing pedestrians, bikes, skateboards, scooters and others to freely and safely enjoy this popular stretch of road. e main organizer behind this e ort is the Astoria Park Alliance, “a volunteer community group whose mission is to beautify, enhance, and encourage involvement in Astoria Park.” On these Sundays from 1 to 6:30 p.m., a variety of family-friendly activities are planned, and each day holds a theme for the afternoon. e rst Sunday, August 4, is the We Heart Astoria Food Fest, featuring a food tasting by local restaurants, including Ovelia, Bareburger, and e irsty Koala. Beloved LIC ice cream shop Malu is also back this summer with delicious and refreshing ice cream and sorbet. And be sure to bring a lunch to the Pop-up Picnic! ere will be live music by CatGut, Hinchey’s HitMen, One Level Down, and this Sunday starts the rst day of the Ukelele Social. e second Sunday, August 11, is Build it Green!NYC Day, focusing on concepts and practices of sustainability and reuse. ere will be worm bin building, a sod giveaway and a solar workshop. Representatives from local institutions Socrates Sculpture Park and Recycle-A-Bicycle will also be present. Live music includes Tletlpatltzin, a traditional Aztec drumming group and the Ukelele Social is back for their second day of the festival. e nal day, August 18, is the Big River Jam which means live music galore! Local bands will perform in two tents: e Meadow and e Monument. Look for Bear Hunt Controversy, Saving Grace, and Sol Gipsys at e Meadow, and BombaYo, e Sloeguns, and Bandsaw at e Monument. e Ukelele Social also makes its nal appearance at the Shore Fest. During Shore Fest there will be café tables and chairs scattered along Shore Boulevard, making it easy to come by, hang out, and relax by the waterfront. You’ll be able to play pingpong on all three days, too! e Shore Fest—originally called the Astoria Water Walk—is now in its fth year. It is a NYC Department of Transportation sponsored Temporary Pedestrian Street. Additional partners include BORO Magazine, Department of Parks & Recreation, Partnerships for Parks, We Heart Astoria, Build It Green!NYC,and Green Shores NYC. If you would like to volunteer during Shore Fest, please contact the Astoria Park Alliance at www. astoriaparkalliance.blogspot.com. Story MEG COTNER
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