The Woodhaven Blog

Nationally recognized forager Steve Brill, known as Wildman, will be taking residents through the woods of Forest Park to forage for things like elderberries and varieties of mushrooms on Saturday, July 27.

The tours which have become well-known in Forest Park will begin at the stone wall at Forest Park Dr. and Park Ln. in Kew Gardens. The expert says that mid-summer is the prime time to forage in the large, mature forests. Some herbs and greens expected to be found along the way include hedge mustard, Asiatic dayflower, lady’s thumb, wood sorrel and more. All that is foraged is edible and great to be used in everything from soups to sandwiches and salads.

Berries including blackberries, elderberries and wineberries are also expected to be found. Perhaps the most unique of produce that the forests offers are the plethora of mushrooms like the gourmet chicken mushrooms and milky mushrooms.

Wild seeds and sassafras roots are also part of the forage in Forest Park. To find out more and join the four-hour long adventure, you can visit Wildman’s site www.wildmanstevebrill.com.

With July underway, and the hot and humid temperatures taking over Queens, Forest Park is a great and shady place to explore with your friends, family or neighbors! Check out what events the park is presenting to Woodhaven later this week, from concerts to the annual Puppalooza! And the best thing is that they’re all free and open to the public!

Thursday, 07/11:

• Nature Center Adventures from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Forest Park Visitor Center.
• Nature Center Adventures from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Forest Park Visitor Center.
• Shirley Alston Reeves concert from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the George Seuffert Bandshell.

Friday, 07/12:

• Nature Center Adventures from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Forest Park Visitor Center.
• Nature Center Adventures from 2 to 3 p.m. at Forest Park Visitor Center.

Saturday, 07/13:

• Nature Center Adventures from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Forest Park Visitor Center.
• It’s My Park Third Annual Puppalooza with workshops, meet and greets and a park cleanup! from 12 to 3 p.m. at Forest Park Barking Lot.
• Ice Age New York hiking event to see how the Ice Age is still important part of natural history from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Forest Park Visitor Center.
• Nature Center Adventures from 2 to 3 p.m. at Forest Park Visitor Center.
• The Great Miguelino magician show from 2 to 4 p.m. at Forest Park Carousel.

Sunday 07/14:

• Nature Center Adventures from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Forest Park Visitor Center.
• Nature Center Adventures from 2 to 3 p.m. at Forest Park Visitor Center.

Enjoy the last weekend of June with these summer festivities around Woodhaven!

Friday 06/28:

• 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Nature Center Adventures at Forest Park’s Visitor Center.
• 3 to 5 p.m. – Queens Symphony Orchestra concert at George Seuffert Sr. Bandshell in Forest Park.
• 5 to 7 p.m. – Meet The Author: “Bars, Taverns & Dives NYers Love” at Neir’s Tavern.

Saturday 06/29:

• 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Nature Center Adventures at Forest Park’s Visitor Center.
• 12 to 5 p.m. – Smells Like Summer Music Festival at George Seuffert Sr. Bandshell in Forest Park.
• 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. – Salsa Night Saturdays with Victor Rosso at Pop’s Cocina & Bar.
• 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. – Zeo Munoz concert at Pop’s Cocina & Bar.

Sunday 06/30:

• 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Boxing Certification Course for Fitness Professionals and Martial Arts Instructors at Mayo Academy Kickboxing & MMA.
• 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Nature Center Adventures at Forest Park’s Visitor Center.
• 3 to 5 p.m. – Queens Symphony Orchestra concert at George Seuffert Sr. Bandshell in Forest Park.
• 3 to 4:30 p.m. – “A Symphonic Salute to America” Concert on the Green at Forest Park.
• 6 p.m. – Jazz Sundays with Cassandra Nunez at Pop’s Cocina & Bar.

Weekend Weather:

Friday: Partly cloudy with a high of 89 degrees.

Saturday: Scattered thunderstorms with a high of 90 degrees.

Sunday: Mostly sunny with a high of 89 degrees.

Start off your summer with some rock n’ roll this Saturday, June 29 from noon to 5 p.m. in Woodhaven’s Forest Park at George Seuffert Bandshell! Presented by Loss 4 Words Productions, the fourth annual event presents NYC bands like IROC, Harmonic Asylum, and Damaged Goods plus more! The event will be hosted by pro wrestling star Eric James!

The event is free, open to the public and recommended for the entire family! Other highlights of the festivities include tons of food trucks, art exhibits and giveaways! Check out the full line-up below!

Scheduled performers are IROC, Harmonic Asylum, Damaged Goods, Pipe, Midnight Jack, AyOh, Ivan Polanco, Marz Covers, Unglued, Lyxx and James Avatar & the Blacklist with a DJ set by DJ Ian and special opening performance by Broadway sensation Emmy Liu-Wang.

To find out more details, go to the event’s Facebook page.

ShapeUp NYC instructor Annette will lead this fitness class designed for adults that includes a combination of high and low impact aerobics and incorporates dance moves to the beat of salsa, merengue, and a variety of music.

Space is limited. Bring a bottle of water and wear comfortable clothing. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Woodhaven Library is located at 85-41 Forest Parkway. The event will run from 6 to 7 p.m.

Are you still looking for a fun Father’s Day event? Well, you could take dad to see a wonderful local concert.

Jerry Costanzo & His Gotham City Swingers will be performing on Sunday, June 16 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the George Seuffert Bandshell in Forest Park.

The bandshell is located at Forest Park Drive and Woodhaven Boulevard.

The School Sisters of Notre Dame Educational Center for Women wrapped up the 2019 academic year with a lovely closing ceremony at Monsignor Mulz Hall on Monday.

The School Sisters of Notre Dame have been offering tuition-free education classes for over a decade, and well over 1,000 women have passed through their doors, either learning a new language or preparing for their high school equivalency.

At the end of each school year, the teachers, students and supporters gather to celebrate their ongoing achievements. Nearly 75 students came together Monday to cap off the year and speak about what the center has meant to them.

“I like the center because I have made many friends,” said Jannat Akram, a Level 1 student from Pakistan. “Our teacher Tehmina is nice and helpful. See you in September.”

Many people get nervous speaking in public, so consider the achievement of learning a new language well enough to speak before an entire room.

Level 2 student Mirella Murillo thanked the teacher at the center for their patience and for “day by day, helping us to be better.”

To read the full story, visit the Leader-Observer.

For the second year in a row, Queens RockFest will take over Forest Park with live bands and fun for everyone! This year, eight bands will perform in addition to food trucks and giveaways. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, July 27 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Forest Park Bandshell and is free for everyone!

The event was created by producer and musician George Wasek in efforts to get local musicians back on the stage and introduce them to the community. This year’s lineup includes The Stony Rollers, Two Ton Turntable, Damsel, Arc’d Angel, Ophelias Pain
The Unbroken, Sabretooth and The Phoenix Within.

Check out the photos below from last year’s inaugural event and find out more about Queens RockFest here.

Once a month, “Our Autism Lifestyle”, a parent support network for those who care for loved ones with autism, holds a meeting to share information and support for those families, parents and caregivers in the community.

May’s meeting will be moderated by Cheryl Ocampo, MS who is an Autism Training Specialist, ABA Therapist and Parent Advocate. The meeting will be held at Woodhaven Library in the Meeting Room on Saturday, May 18 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

The event is exclusive to adults and pre-registration is required. If you are in the community and would like to attend, you can register here.

If you would like to learn more about the moderator, check out her here.

To find out more about what is happening at Woodhaven Library, check out their events here.

If you plan on staying local for Mother’s Day Weekend, here are some happenings around Woodhaven that you can get into:

• Friday 5/10:
  • Mother’s Day Event hosted by Woodhaven BID starting at 1 p.m. at Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Senior Citizens Center located at 89-02 91st St. Live music, refreshments and surprises!
  • Samuel Gonzalez from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Pop’s Cocina located at 8522 Jamaica Ave. Ticketed event.

• Saturday 5/11:
  • Woodhaven Reunion from noon to 5 p.m. at Forest Park’s picnic area. BYOEverything and reconnect with Woodhaven residents from past and present!
  • Salsa Night Saturdays starting at 9 p.m. at Pop’s Cocina located at 8522 Jamaica Ave.
  • You’re The Star Karaoke with DJ Chris Forde starting at 8 p.m. at Neir’s Tavern located at 87-48 78th St. Free shot with your first performance!

• Sunday 5/12:
  • Mother You Are Loved Brunch Hosted by Dree and The Boujie Platter from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 83-10 Rockaway Blvd. Ticketed event.

Weekend Weather:

• Friday: Scattered thunderstorms with a high of 65 degrees.

• Saturday: Partly cloudy with a high of 65 degrees.

• Sunday: Showers with a high of 52 degrees.