Good afternoon, Astoria!
Last week gave us plenty to talk about, and this week is already shaping up to be just as busy. There’s karaoke, dating, trivia, free yoga, art nights and a few very good excuses to linger by the waterfront. Plus, if you’ve been meaning to actually make plans instead of saying “we should do something soon,” consider this your sign!
Local Gossip:
- Ditmars got some fresh paint — New graffiti artwork has appeared on a train at the Ditmars Blvd subway stop.
- PureGym is losing its sauna — The sauna at the former Matrix is officially being removed, and judging by the reaction from gymgoers, this is not going over particularly well.
- QED needs some hot guys — The Hot Guy Auction is coming back to QED Astoria, combining comedy, dating and charity as women in the audience bid for a date with a single guy on stage. The catch? They need more guys to actually auction off. "Hot single guys" can apply here.
- The Broadway Dollar Tree is back — After being closed, the Dollar Tree on Broadway has officially reopened.
- A tiny new cafe has entered the Astoria Blvd rotation — Truffle & Co. has opened next to Astoria World Manor in a storefront with quite the résumé. In the last six years alone, it’s been a dressmaker, laundry drop-off, fake art gallery/weed store and luxury IV spa. The cafe didn’t have iced coffee on opening day, so… we’ll be watching.
- The Bohemian Beer Garden is adding a 20% gratuity — Allegedly, they are now automatically charging a 20% gratuity on every transaction, including individual beer purchases.
- A major development is moving forward — Developers have secured a $250 million loan for a planned 27-story, 560-unit development on an Astoria site that was once part of the proposed Innovation QNS project. Construction is expected to begin this month, with completion slated for 2029. The project will incorporate the existing P.C. Richard & Son site on Steinway Street. Read more from QNS.
- Astoria and LIC made it into Troye Sivan’s latest music video — Keep your eyes peeled for some familiar neighborhood scenery in his new video.
- Free communication sessions are available in Astoria — A local practitioner-in-training is offering free one-hour typing-for-communication sessions for nonspeaking autistic people who are interested in learning to type or spell to communicate. To inquire about sessions, email mariaguarino07@gmail.com.
Cheers,
Angelina & Stacey
This week in Astoria
August 17th - August 23rd |
Monday, August 17, 2026
Make Your Mark! Abstract Painting with Alice Lipping Art Studio
7pm, Fifth Hammer Brewing Co., @alipp_paintnsipp
Get creative and Paint Outside the Box at Fifth Hammer Brewing in LIC! Explore abstract painting, mark-making, texture, and playful techniques with guided instruction from Alice Lipping Art Studio. No experience necessary—just come ready to de-stress, express yourself, and create something uniquely yours. $40 Ticket includes all supplies plus a 5oz beer or soft drink. Bring a friend/ date for $70
Book Talk: RAVENOUS: A Novel by Sara Cooper, w/Anna K. Jacobs
7pm, The Astoria Bookshop, @astoriabookshop
Join us for a conversation about playwright Sara Cooper's debut novel -- the horror-novel meets-Momfluencer-satire RAVENOUS. Convo partner: Anna K. Jacobs, co-writer of the musical "Teeth" (based on indie film). Free!
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Fiber Craft Circle
6:30pm, The Collaboratory, @qnscollsboratory
Join us for our first of a recurring monthly Fiber Craft Circle! We’ve got sewing machines, assorted yarns, scrap fabric, notions, and a super sick cutting table for laying out larger projects. ALL kinds of fiber arts are welcome (and encouraged)—knit, crochet, embroidery, cross stitch, sewing, mending, quilting, insert ur fav craft here! No experience is necessary. All ages welcome.
Sunset Meditation with Mindful Astoria
7pm, Socrates Sculpture Park, @socratespark
Unwind with a free guided sunset meditation featuring mindful breathing, gentle movement, and loving-kindness practices. All experience levels are welcome.
Trivia Tuesday
8pm, The Bonnie, @zoehoststrivia @thebonniebar @nyctrivialeague
Trivia is every Tuesday at 8pm at The Bonnie! Free to play and tons of fun. Great food and drinks!
Toku Tuesdays
9pm, QED, @qedastoria
A monthly curated screening series of vintage Japanese Special Effect Film & TV (think Godzilla and Power Rangers). Free with one-item minimum at QED's bar!
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Sewing 101 - Stripe Patch Pillow
6:30pm, Home Ec NYC, @home.ec.nyc
By the end of this 3-hour beginner sewing class, you’ll learn to sew and complete your own stripe patchwork pillow cover to jazz up your space with something homemade, removable and washable! $95
Brolly Dating
7pm, Let Love Inn, @brollydating
Music Lovers Speed Dating is bringing main-stage energy to Astoria this Wednesday, Aug 19th, 7-9pm at Let Love Inn. Grab your brolly, ages 21-40, and come find your front row connection before the encore. 🎤🎶🌂
90s Karaoke Night + Dance Party!
7:30pm, Pig Beach BBQ, @nexus.trivia
We're throwing it back to the ’90s with a night of iconic hits, big singalongs, and all your favorite karaoke classics! Come to sing, to dance, or to sit back and enjoy the vibes! All are welcome; singing ability is not required.
Thursday, August 20, 2026
Joy Is A Spell with Jessi Bennet
4pm, Medusa Art Studios, @spellbound_oracle
This isn't your typical vision boarding workshop. We're Joy Mapping! ✨️ We'll cozy craft our own Joy Maps, filled with the things that make us happy *right now* instead of always looking toward "someday."
Sculpt Your Sweetie
6pm, Mostly Good Studios, @mostlygoodstudios
Bring your sweetie (bestie, boyfriend, betrothed, lover) to mostly good studios, for a date night event! Sculpt a portrait bust of one another under the romantic moonlight (studio lights). A silly, flirty, muddy way to have fun! Beginner friendly! One ticket purchase admits 2 people (one ticket per pair!)
In Conversation: The Affordability Series
6:30pm, HANAC Harmony JVL Older Adult Center, @WNYC
WNYC’s IN CONVERSATION: THE AFFORDABILITY SERIES brings New Yorkers together across lines of income, identity, and experience to explore how the affordability crisis impacts their lives—and where shared interests can lead to deeper understanding and solutions. In this live taping of the "NYC Now" podcast, we’ll hear from tenants and property owners to explore how rising costs, public policy, and an increasingly strained housing system affect their daily lives—and whether shared challenges can create opportunities for common ground and practical solutions.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Trivia Night!
7pm, Pig Beach BBQ, @nexus.trivia
Get ready to journey through the Four Nations for a night of Avatar: The Last Airbender trivia! Test your knowledge of Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko and more alongside fellow Avatar fans! Big prizes and Avatar-themed cocktails await you on your quest!
Friday, August 21, 2026
Shuck & Sip for Socrates
4pm, Chateau le Woof, @chateaulewoof
Socrates Outdoor Cinema has been bringing free films to the waterfront for decades. Let’s bring it back. Fresh oysters shucked on-site (raw & baked, available for purchase), live jazz all evening, and a surprise pairing matched to your oysters. Anyone and everyone is welcome. Come for the oysters, stay for the music, leave having done something good.
Cannavita Art Gallery Nights
6pm, Cannavita Dispensary, @cannavitadispensary
Every Friday, Cannavita transforms into Astoria’s only weekly art gallery inside a dispensary, featuring a rotating lineup of New York City artists. From paintings and drawings to graffiti-style work, sculpture, and mixed media, each week highlights original pieces from creators across the city.
Saturday, August 22, 2026
Yoga in the Courtyard with The Yoga Room
9:45am, Museum of Moving Image, @movingimagenyc
Join local studio The Yoga Room for a free class in the beautiful MoMI Courtyard! Museum doors will open at 9:45 a.m. for check-in, and the class will begin at 10:00 a.m. Stick around after the class to enjoy a treat from the MoMI cafe, or visit the Museum galleries. One RSVP per person, bring your own mat. Note that space is first come, first served. In the event of rain, the event will be cancelled.
Live in the Lot!
5pm, Culture Lab, @culturelablic
Live in the Lot is Culture Lab's free summer concert series, featuring live music every weekend! Enjoy live music, curated pop-up vendor markets, and a variety of drinks and snacks from the concession stand.
Sunday, August 23, 2026
Yoga at Socrates with Astoria Yoga
10am, Socrates Sculpture Park, @socratespark
Socrates is delighted to offer FREE yoga classes of Vinyasa yoga – a series of flowing poses linked to the awareness of breath with instructors from Astoria Yoga (on Sundays). Classes are designed for all experience levels. Please bring a mat or a towel. No RSVP or pre-registration required.
Creature Crafting
12pm, Mostly Good Studios, @mostlygoodstudios
Mostly Good Studios presents- Creature Crafting! A ceramic creature sculpting and painting experience! Guests will learn the hand building techniques needed to bring animal companions of the past, present, or imagined - to life!
Astoria Farmer's Market
12:30pm, 31st Ave Open Streets, @astoriafarmersmarket
Happens the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month! Support our independent farmer's market.
She Was Here x Women of Astoria
3pm, Chateau le Woof, @chateaulewoof
Join us for this co-hosted evening to hear stories from our tour (women you won't believe you've never heard of) as well as real women from the Astoria community who are doing incredible things. We'll have some conversation prompts so that we can brainstorm and share stories of women who are changing Astoria every day, for the better. Come solo, come with a friend, come with an opinion about who deserves more credit than they got.
Make Your Mark! Abstract Painting with Alice Lipping Art Studio
5pm, Single Cut Beersmiths Qns, @alipp_paintnsipp
Looking for something different to do in Astoria? Grab a friend, date, coworker, or come solo — and Paint Outside the Box! Join us at SingleCut Beersmiths for a relaxed afternoon of abstract painting, color, texture and creative experimentation. No experience needed and no copying the person next to you — you’ll create something completely your own.
Make sue to confirm all event details with the organizers!
Around the Boroughs
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