things to know www.queenscourier.com i LIC COURIER i SEPTEMBER 2014 35 ANNUAL ‘CELEBRATE ASTORIA DAY’ TO KICK OFF SEPT. 28, 2015 BY Angy altamirano Astoria now has its own day to shine. The neighborhood will now be celebrated during an annual festival set to kick off on Sept. 28, 2015, known as “Celebrate Astoria Day.” The official day was recognized by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Councilman Costa Constantinides through a proclamation given to the local organization and blog site Give Me Astoria. “The aim of Give Me Astoria has always been to bring the community together, and ‘Celebrate Astoria Day’ will serve to recognize not only this amazing neighborhood, but its phenomenal residents as well,” said Sanja Mylonas, founder and CEO of Give Me Astoria. According to organizers, “Celebrate Astoria Day” is expected to “promote a sense of community” and offer residents activities and performances by local performers. The festival will also serve to help local businesses grow their relationships with the community. For more information, visit www.givemeastoria. com. SUNNYSIDE BAR STARTS MONTHLY BOOK CLUB BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO One Sunnyside bar is combining a good read with drinks. In July, The Courtyard Ale House, located at 40-18 Queens Blvd., began The Courtyard Book Club where bar patrons get together, talk about the previous month’s book pick and then select a new novel. The group meets in the courtyard of the bar the first Monday of every month at 8 p.m. In August 12 people came together, and for the first meeting 16 people showed up. “During the day a lot of people come in and are reading a book,” said Sinead Curran, a bartender at the bar. She came up with the idea of the book club after trying to have conversations about books with patrons, but having to shout at times in the bar atmosphere. “We just decided as a group of the regulars to start a book club.” Curran said any genre of book is welcomed and the group members will take turns every month in choosing a book. July’s selection was “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern and the group selected “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” by David Wroblewski for August. She also said the group provides a “nice social setting” for everyone to sit around and talk about the book and also stick around after for drinks. “It’s a good way for new people to get to know the neighborhood,” Curran said. “Sunnyside is a community, it’s a very close-knit community. We can all get together, all walks of life and get to know people that you wouldn’t have gotten to know beforehand.” Photo courtesy of Sinead Curran
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