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QUEENS WEEKLY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020
The 32nd Annual Phagwah Parade will take place on Sunday,
March 22 in Richmond Hill, followed by a cultural performance
at Phil Rizzuto Park. Photo by Josef Pinlac
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
The biggest street festival
in Queens is returning
to the borough in March.
While Phagwah, or Holi,
will be observed on March
9, the Richmond Hill community
will celebrate the
holiday with a parade later
in the month. The 32nd Annual
Phagwah Parade in
Richmond Hill will return
Sunday, March 22, at noon
when parade floats will
leave 133rd Street and Liberty
Avenue and then proceed
to Phil Rizzuto Park
(formerly Smokey Oval
Park), where there will be a
cultural program.
The Phagwah Parade in
Richmond Hill was initiated
by Hindu immigrants from
Guyana, India, Trinidad,
Surinam and the Caribbean.
It truly reflects the cultural
diversity of the country and
promotes the concept of unity
in the face of adversity, according
to Phagwah Parade
of New York Inc.
Phagwah is an ancient
Hindu festival that celebrates
the triumph of good
over evil. It also ushers the
arrival of the spring season.
Over the last 31 years,
the parade has attracted
large crowds from the New
York tri-state communities
and beyond. Known as
the biggest street festival
in Queens, it has acquired
a unique identity and is
regarded as an important
event in the city’s cultural
calendar.
This year’s parade is
planned by the Arya Spiritual
Center and the Federation
of Hindu Mandirs. Multiple
sponsorship levels are
available to accommodate
any size budget and provide
a variety of benefits, including
sponsor recognition
on the event website, print
advertisements, collateral,
event signage, social media
and parade announcements.
Additionally, a VIP access
opportunity is another benefit
of sponsorship.
‘We are looking forward
to great weather, and an
even greater turnout, than
in previous years,” the committee
said in a statement.
“The Phagwah Parade of
New York Inc. is working
diligently to plan a smooth
and orderly parade and
looks forward to your presence
on Sunday, March 22.”
“The committee would
like to thank the thousands
of faithful supporters, our
Mandirs, and the business
community, that have
turned out to this event for
more than 30 years,” the
statement continued. “Their
exuberance and support for
our culture are the essence
of what makes this parade
so special. We would also
like to thank our donors, the
media, the 106 and 102 precincts
and other members of
the NYPD, NYC Parks Dept.,
NYC Sanitation Dept., and
Community Boards 9 and 10
for their support.”
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com
or by phone at (718) 260–
4526.
Queens Public Library mourns the
loss of beloved Whitestone librarian
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Beloved longtime
Whitestone children’s librarian
Susan Scatena,
also known as “Miss Susan,”
died on Jan. 10, at
age 61.
Scatena was renowned
for a special annual children’s
summer reading
contest she organized for
the past 14 years to entice
kids to read during their
vacation from school.
If they reached the
goal of collectively reading
at least 2,000 books,
she did a special stunt
inspired by a well-known
children’s story.
Past performances include
sitting in a vat of
spaghetti, kissing a frog,
reading to an alligator,
eating a plate of green
eggs and ham, hugging a
14-foot Burmese python
and morphing from a caterpillar
to a butterfly.
“During the 18 years
she served the Whitestone
community, Susan
became an institution
because of her creativity,
thoughtfulness and total
devotion to children,”
said Queens Public Library
President and CEO
Dennis M. Walcott. “She
was a remarkable librarian
who was beloved by
many people in the community,
within the QPL
system and beyond. We
are deeply saddened by
her passing and will miss
her a great deal.”
Scatena began her
career as a teacher and
joined Queens Public Library
in 1981, first working
in the Poppenhusen
and Mitchell-Linden
branches before moving
to the Whitestone branch
— located at 151-10 14th
Road — in 2002.
Born June 14, 1958,
Scatena was raised in College
Point, and attended
Monsignor Scanlan High
School in the Bronx.
She received a bachelor’s
degree in early
education and a master’s
degree in library science
at Queens College.
She won the prestigious
James Patterson
Whitestone children’s librarian, Susan Scatena, who had a profound love of
reading and encouraged children to read and explore the world, died on Jan. 10.
PageTurner Award
in 2006 for her efforts
to spread the love of
reading.
Throughout her life,
Scatena volunteered at
several different performing
arts organizations, including
the Village Light
Opera Group, the New
York Caledonian Club,
and the New York Scottish
Pipes and Drums, working
behind the scenes of
their productions.
Photo courtesy of Queens Public Library
She is survived by her
partner, Rick Stanley of
Flushing, and her cat,
Dewey. A memorial service
will be held at 10:15
a.m. Friday, January 24,
at Saint Fidelis Church,
located at 123-14 14th Ave.,
College Point.
A private burial will
follow at Gate of Heaven
Cemetery in Hawthorne,
NY. In lieu of flowers,
donations may be made
in Scatena’s name to the
North Shore Animal
League, 25 Davis Ave.,
Port Washington, NY
11050, or to the Queens
Public Library Foundation
and designated
towards children’s materials
for Whitestone Library.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at
(718) 260–4526.
Phagwah Parade
returns to Rich Hill
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