46 THE QUEENS COURIER • HOLIDAY GUIDE • DECEMBER 20, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
holiday guide
Photo by Carlotta Mohamed/THE COURIER
‘Tis the season to give and spread joy in Flushing
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@cnglocal.com
@QNS
Hundreds of children in the Flushing
area got early Christmas presents on
Dec. 14 courtesy of the Flushing Business
Improvement District (BID).
Th e business group distributed the toys
from their annual toy drive with a party
held at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel,
135-20 39th Ave. Organizers said that
about 400 donated toys — including dolls,
board games, teddy bears and scooters
— were given to children of various ages.
Holidays are a perfect time to buy tickets for the DIME Best of Brooklyn Festival
The third-annual DIME Best of
Brooklyn Festival is a back for a oneday
only event on Saturday, Jan. 26, at
Industry City.
Foodies and craft beer lovers will
be able to have unlimited tastings
from local craft breweries that include
Sixpoint, Coney Island Brewing, Five
Boroughs Brewing Company, War
Flag Brewing and more. Consumers
who purchase one of the three sessions
offered will be able to enjoy
unlimited tastings of all the brews
available.
You can pair the amazing craft beer
with the many offerings from the festival’s
top chefs selling their delicious
cuisine. Grab a taste from Dinosaur
BBQ Brooklyn, Table 87 Coal Oven
Pizza, Empanada Papa, Les Trois Petits
Cochons – Three Little Pigs, Anthi’s
Greek Specialities and more still to be
announced.
Celebrate the beginning of the new
year with DJ Get Summered spinning
hot tunes and amazing break-dancing
performances. The festival will also
have a few surprises in store for you
that you won’t want to miss!
Tickets to the event are available at
BestofBrooklynFestival.com and start
at $39. Industry City is located at 274
36th St., Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and
is easily accessible from the D and
N trains and M14A and X17 buses.
Ample parking available for drivers.
Th is is the Flushing BID’s second annual
toy drive, said Dian Yu, executive director
of the Flushing BID.
“We think this is a great gift because
the Flushing BID serves as the bridge
between the businesses and city agencies.
We are also the bridge between the local
community as well because we not only
serve the businesses, the property owners,
we also serve the residents,” said Yu.
“Th is is a great opportunity for us to connect
with the community.”
Last year, the Flushing BID delivered
over 290 gift s in their fi rst toy drive. Th e
organization is looking to expand on
donations next year, said Yu.
“What we do believe is that when we
pick a gift , we’re not just buying gift s. We
always ask their age, gender, so we can
buy the gift s,” said Yu. “My staff works
hard on every gift . Th ey want to make
sure it’s educational.”
City Councilman Peter Koo and a representative
of state Senator Toby Ann
Stavisky were joined by representatives
from the Flushing BID Toy Drive: Macy’s,
Kent’s Realty, Cooper Hotel Investors,
Golden Eagle Senior Center (Vivian),
Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of
North America, Flushing Wedding and
Gerard Harrington Design.
Th e Flushing BID also works with the
NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Hospital
to deliver toys to children who are sick.
Isiah Mui, a clinical supervisor at Th e
Child Center of New York, said their children
have benefi ted a great deal from the
Flushing BID.
“It’s very meaningful. Last year we were
here for their toy drive and they donated a
lot of gift s. We serve a lot of children who
are in impoverished low-income areas,
and it’s instrumental in bringing joy to
the holidays,” said Mui. “I think what
they’re doing for the community is great.”
Photos courtesy of DIME Best of Brooklyn Festival
link
