Events
Events
Check out RISE's upcoming Events calendar, and join family, friends, and neighbors in strengthening the resilience of our community! RISE events are free to all and intended to actively engage local residents.
Wine Tasting with New York Times Chief Wine Critic Eric Asimov
Saturday, October 19, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Arverne East Welcome Center, 190 Beach 44th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691
The New York Times Chief Wine Critic Eric Asimov will lead a wine-tasting fundraiser for RISE, transporting participants to a wine tour of Spain, which he described as “the most dynamic wine-producing country in the world." Chef Pasquale Martinelli will offer focaccia, and Claire Weisz, designer of Arverne East Welcome Center, will give a presentation on the building design.
Tickets are $200 per person, and all proceeds go to support the new one-acre, community-owned and operated Arverne East Native Plant Nursery, Seed Bank, and Educational Garden. Click here to purchase advance tickets (select "Wine Tasting Fundraiser with Eric Asimov" in the drop-down menu).
Sandy Anniversary Cleanup & Planting
Saturday, October 19, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Arverne East Welcome Center, 190 Beach 44th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691
For the twelfth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, RISE is bringing people of all ages together to care for our shoreline and create a natural protective barrier for the Rockaway community.
As we learned from the hurricane, the natural vegetation and dunes that exist off our shores serve as a buffer to the homes and businesses in the area. Many of these dunes are compromised by storms, shoreline erosion, and human disturbance, including marine debris and trash, so they need to be cared for to be effective.
Families, friends, and neighbors are welcome to participate in this shoreline cleanup and beach grass dune planting. Students can receive community service hours. This event is rain or shine, so please dress accordingly. Registration is encouraged, in case of changes.
Special thanks to National Sea Grant Marine Debris Community Action Coalition, City Parks Foundation NYC Green Fund, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Trick-or-Treating at Rockaway Market Street
Saturday, October 12, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 60th Street & Rockaway Freeway, under the elevated A-train tracks
Halloween is coming a little early at Rockaway Market Street!
Join us for a day full of Halloween fun as we welcome the spooky season with a special market day.
- Candy for Trick-or-Treaters: Bring your little ghouls and goblins for sweet treats.
- Costume Contest: Show off your creative costumes. Prizes for the best-dressed participants.
Don’t miss this chance to enjoy one last session before the farmers market ends for the season. Fun for the whole family awaits, so mark your calendars!
Daffodil Bulbs Giveaway
Saturday, October 5, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692
It's almost planting time! Don’t miss out on New Yorkers for Parks 2024 Daffodil Project, a citywide living memorial, stewardship opportunity, and catalyst for transformative investment in our beloved parks and open spaces.
A living memorial to the victims of 9/11 and the largest civic effort in city history, Daffodil Project gives away bulbs to plant in public spaces across all five boroughs. RISE will be hosting one of the Queens distribution sites.
Bulb supplies will be distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis. Register to join the waitlist!
Foraging Tour with "Wildman" Steve Brill
Saturday, October 5, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692
"Wildman" Steve Brill will lead a FREE session on plant identification, the natural habitat of the Rockaways, and all the best wild foods of the seashore.
The sandy soil limits tree and grass growth, but it benefits other species that can take advantage of the sun and nutrient-poor soil. Wild greens and dozens of species thrive here.
This event will happen rain or shine. Registration is required.
Special thanks to City Parks Foundation NYC Green Fund.
Community Visioning for the Bayside
Tuesday, October 1, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard
Join us for a workshop with Harvard University Graduate School of Design, to share what you know about your neighborhood and to envision a community-led plan for expanded public waterfront along Jamaica Bay, from Beach 80th Street to the Nassau County line.
There are miles of neglected waterfront sites in the Rockaways, which are inaccessible to the public and could benefit the community as recreational space and protection against flooding.
This is an opportunity to bring your voice to the table. We encourage all Rockaway residents, particularly NYCHA's Redfern, Oceanside, Hammel, Carleton Manor, and Beach 41st Street, to attend. We will focus on each of these areas in connection with Jamaica Bay.
Students and faculty from Harvard's Department of Landscape Architecture, along with RISE Shore Corps students, will be participating to help support this initiative.
Come to ensure your community is represented in this plan!
Food and refreshments will be served. Registration is recommended.
Climate Week NYC Dune Planting
Saturday, September 28, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach Front Road & Beach Way (between Beach 62nd & 65th streets)
Join RISE and Surfrider Foundation for hands-on dune restoration as part of "Greater Rockaway" Coastal Resilience Plan during Climate Week NYC.
The initiative, led by RISE and supported by Surfrider's Climate Action Program, focuses on long-term enhancement and maintenance of coastal dunes to mitigate climate impacts.
Families, friends, and neighbors are welcome to help plant native plants and shrubs to build and restore a natural protective buffer along the east end of the Rockaways. Students can receive community service hours. This event is rain or shine, so please dress accordingly. Registration is encouraged, in case of changes on the day.
Native Plant Nursery Planting
Saturday, September 21, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Arverne East Welcome Center, 190 Beach 44th Street
Join RISE for this special event establishing the new Native Plant Nursery at Arverne East.
Participants will learn to collect seeds from the native coastal plants and help to set up and plant the raised beds for the inaugural season.
People of all ages are invited to participate. Students seeking community service hours are welcome to attend. Dress accordingly for outdoor conditions. Registration is encouraged.
Special thanks to Booth Ferris Foundation, City Parks Foundation NYC Green Fund, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Rockaway Honeyworks & NYC Honey Fest
Saturday, September 14, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Boardwalk at Beach 106th Street
Rockaway Honeyworks, a RISE initiative, will table at the 15th Annual NYC Honey Fest. Student interns from Shore Corps helped to do hive inspections and harvest honey, which will be on sale in eight-ounce, four-ounce, and one-ounce containers.
All proceeds support RISE's youth programs: Environmentor, Living Classroom, Shore Corps. Drop by to say hello and taste of some of the best honey in New York City!
Razing Liberty Square
Friday, July 26, 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard
You are invited to watch a FREE screening of Razing Liberty Square, an award-winning documentary about gentrification. Liberty City, Miami, was home to one of the oldest segregated public housing projects in the United States. Now with rising sea levels, the neighborhood's higher ground has become something else: real estate gold. Wealthy property owners push inland to higher ground, creating a speculator's market in the historically Black neighborhood previously ignored by developers and policymakers alike.
Seating is limited. To reserve your spot, RSVP to Lezah Morgan at lmorgan@council.nyc.gov.
Special thanks to PaleFO Cinema; NYC Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers; NYS Assembly Member Khaleel M. Anderson; NYS Senator James Sanders Jr.; NYCHA: Beach 41st Street-Beach Channel Drive, Carleton Manor, Hammel, Ocean Bay Apartments (Oceanside), Redfern; Ocean Bay Community Development Corporation.
Summer Bird Walk
Saturday, July 6, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692
Join RISE for a FREE birding tour led by NYC Plover Project's knowledgeable and experienced staff. Come and see various birds in Rockaway Community Park in Edgemere. At the end of the tour, we will stop by Rockaway Market Street @ Beach 60th. There will be live music by Billy Sal with Ron Bongo, locally grown fresh produce, and neighborhood vendors.
Please wear proper footwear and bring bug repellent. Binoculars will be provided on a first-come-first-serve basis. Whether you are an expert birder or just starting out, all are welcome!
Photo courtesy of NYC Plover Project.
Bike the Block
Saturday, June 8, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Rockaway Freeway between Beach 56th Place & Beach 59th Street
Join RISE for a day of FREE fun-filled bike-related activities, including a bike helmet giveaway. Supplies are limited on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Youngsters still on training wheels can pedal our smoothie bike to make their own fruit drinks!
This event is hosted across the street from RISE, on a closed roadway, so there is lots of room for new riders to practice.
Special thanks to Bike New York, Transportation Alternatives, New York City Department of Transportation, and New York City Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers.
Shore Corps Year-End Awards Celebration
Friday, May 31, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692
The People's Money
Tuesday, May 28, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692
FRANC (Far Rockaway Arverne Nonprofit Coalition) is hosting Phase 3 of the People's Money, New York City's annual citywide Participatory Budgeting initiative where community members decide how to spend part of the city's budget. This democratic process is open to all New Yorkers, ages eleven and up, regardless of immigration status. Vote for projects that you deem important and worthy, partake in light refreshments, and have a chance to win a $50 gift card!
Core on the Floor
Tuesday, May 21, 11:45 am to 12:15 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692
Ann Fosteris of Fitness to You is holding a special Tuesday morning Core on the Floor! This FREE thirty-minute class focuses on core and lower body. Participants should bring their own mats. All levels are welcome!
Sang Lee Farms & Briermere Farms Tours
Saturday, May 18, 8:30 am to 6:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692
You are welcome to join us for FREE special tours of Sang Lee Farms and Briermere Farms in the North Fork of Long Island.
Sang Lee Farms and Briermere Farms are partners for RISE Farm to Family Share. They provide certified-organic produce and seasonal fruit, which are distributed at RISE every Wednesday, June 5 through November 13, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The charter bus departs from RISE at 8:30 a.m. and will return by 6:00 p.m. The tours and round-trip bus ride are FREE, but you must register in advance because seating is limited. Registration is limited to two (2) individuals, and a child must be accompanied by an adult.
A Fundraiser for RISE
Friday, May 17, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Connolly's, 155 Beach 95th Street, Rockaway Park, NY 11694
Kick-start summer with this warm-up to Memorial Day! Connolly's hosts "Coladas for a Cause," a fundraiser for RISE's youth educational programs: Shore Corps, Living Classroom, and Environmentor. $20 entry includes one FREE drink. There will be a 50/50, a raffle with Patagonia swag, and other great prizes.
Click here to purchase your entry and 50/50 raffle tickets in advance.
Mother's Day Foraging Tour with "Wildman" Steve Brill
Sunday, May 12, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Arverne East Welcome Center, 190 Beach 44th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691
Join us for RISE's special Mother's Day foraging tour with America's go-to guy for foraging, "Wildman" Steve Brill.
We will be exploring Arverne East Nature Preserve, which has an abundance of wild plants and wildlife. The sandy soil of the Rockaways is poor, limiting tree and grass growth, but it benefits other species that can take advantage of the sun and nutrient-poor soil. Wild greens grow great here, and there are dozens of species that thrive. Field garlic is a very tasty relative of onions and garlic.
This event is FREE, but registration is required.
Rockaway Stop 'N' Swap
Saturday, May 11, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Beach 60th Street & Rockaway Freeway, under the A-train's elevated tracks
It's FREE! Give away items you no longer need or take home something new-to-you! You don't have to bring something to take something.
What to Bring
YES: Clean, reusable, portable items such as clothing, housewares, electronics, books, and toys.
NO: Furniture, large items, expired or open food, unsealed personal care products, medicine, dirty or ripped clothing, fabric scraps, incomplete toys and games, nonworking electronics, tube TVs, magazines, and sharp objects.
This event is brought to you by GrowNYC. Stop 'N' Swap is funded by New York City Department of Sanitation.
Native Plant Nursery Planting
Saturday, May 11, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Arverne East Welcome Center, 190 Beach 44th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691
Rockaway residents of all ages are encouraged to participate in this community planting to establish RISE Native Plant Nursery at Beach 44th Street.
This event will take place rain or shine, so please dress accordingly. Students seeking community service hours are welcome to attend. Registration is encouraged.
Special thanks to City Parks Foundation/Green Fund and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Tree Giveaway
Saturday, April 27, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692
RISE is excited to partner with New York Restoration Project to host a FREE tree giveaway! Registration is required because supply is limited.
Click here to complete the required registration.
Community Dune Planting
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach Way & Beach Front Road
Join RISE for a community volunteer day, culminating in a celebration of the land and the water.
We will be cleaning the shoreline and planting native plants and shrubs as part of "Greater Rockaway" Coastal Resilience Plan, to create a natural protective buffer of dunes along the east end of the Rockaways.
Adults and kids alike are welcome to participate. Please dress accordingly.
Students who are looking to do community service hours are encouraged to bring paperwork from their schools.
Special thanks to National Fish & Wildlife Foundation for sponsoring this event.
Community Dune Planting
Saturday, April 6, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach Way & Beach Front Road
Join RISE for our community planting of "Greater Rockaway" Coastal Resilience Plan. To strengthen our natural protective buffer of dunes, we are planting native grasses and shrubs along the east end of the Rockaways.
Adults and kids are welcome to participate in this event. Please dress accordingly.
Students who would like to do community service hours are welcome to bring paperwork from their schools.
Registration is encouraged!
Special thanks to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and City Parks Foundation Green Fund Tree Tops Program.
CANCELED: Community Spring Cleanup
Saturday, March 23, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 60th Street & Rockaway Freeway
Because of flood watch and hazardous conditions in the forecast, this spring cleanup is canceled.
Join RISE for a spring cleanup to help make our community a better place!
We will be cleaning debris and removing invasive plants to prepare for the spring season. This event is rain or shine, so please dress accordingly and expect to get your hands dirty.
Adults and kids alike are welcome to participate. Students who want to do community service hours are encouraged to bring paperwork from their schools.
Special thanks to City Parks Foundation/Green Fund Tree Tops and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Spring Bird Walk
Saturday, March 2, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692
RISE is teaming up with NYC Plover Project!
We invite you to an engaging and informative spring bird walk. Get ready to enjoy the crisp air as we head out on an exciting bird-watching expedition. This promises to be an unforgettable experience for all nature enthusiasts.
Please dress appropriately for the weather. Registration is required.
Winter Bird Walk
Saturday, December 9, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692
Brace the cold, and scout for some birds!
Join RISE for a delightful and educational adventure as we collaborate with NYC Plover Project to bring you a winter bird walk. Get ready to embrace the crisp, invigorating air and embark on a thrilling bird-watching expedition, which promises to be a unique and memorable experience for all nature enthusiasts.
Please dress appropriately for the weather. Registration is required.
Project Underway Community Visioning
Thursday, December 7, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692
Join RISE and Living City Project for a night of youth-led community visioning around Project Underway. Reimagine the space underneath the elevated A train into a safer location for the community to walk, bike, and enjoy open public space.
Featuring presentations by Shore Corps and CityGAP students, art by the Buena Onda Collective, food, raffles, prizes, and more!
This event is free and open to all! Registration is strongly encouraged.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/
Art Workshop: Printmaking
Saturday, October 14, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard Far Rockaway, NY 11692
Kevin Sudeith will host a printmaking workshop during Rockaway Market Street @ Beach 60th. Sudeith infuses petroglyphs, an ancient art form of stone carving, with contemporary life.
We are excited to welcome Kevin back to the Rockaways! The photo depicts his petroglyph work from last year, and the boulder sits by the entrance of the Beach 60th Street subway stop.
Registration is encouraged. This is a FREE event and open to ALL!
Special thanks to National Endowment for the Arts/Artworks, Radical Imagination for Racial Justice by Hester Street and Surdna Foundation, and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Cultural Development Fund.
Art Workshop: Buena Onda Collective
Saturday, October 7, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
RISE Center- 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd, Rockaway, NY 11692
Oneiromancy, divination through dreams, is an animated augmented reality community world-building experience that transforms a multiblock path beneath the A train in Far Rockaway, New York.
This 2 part workshop series, led by the Buena Onda Collective will teach residents and visitors, alike, how to build 3D models that explore their personal histories, dreams, and ecological relationships to the Rockaways.
Registration is encouraged. This is a FREE event and open to ALL!
Special thanks to NEA Artworks, Radical Imagination for Racial Justice by Hester Street and Surdna Foundation, and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs - Cultural Development Fund.
*POSTPONED* A-Train Serpent Sculpture Unveiling
Saturday, September 30, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 60th Street & Rockaway Freeway
**This event is postponed due to weather conditions.**
Join RISE for the unveiling of Zaq Landsberg's A-Train Serpent Sculpture! (The photo is only a rendition of the project, not a final.)
The A train is an integral part of the Rockaways, and waiting on the platform for that glowing blue “A” is a unifying experience for all residents. This project takes a universally recognized object and twists it, to put it in a new context.
Landsberg is a New York City-based artist, who specializes in site-specific, large scale sculptures.
Special thanks to National Endowment for the Arts/Artworks, Radical Imagination for Racial Justice by Hester Street and Surdna Foundation, and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Cultural Development Fund.
*POSTPONED* Art Workshop: Buena Onda Collective
Saturday, September 30, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 60th Street & Rockaway Freeway, under the elevated A-train tracks
**This event is postponed due to weather conditions.**
Oneiromancy, divination through dreams, is an installation and animated augmented reality community world-building experience that transforms a multiblock path beneath the A train in Far Rockway (Queens), New York.
The first of a three-workshop series, Buena Onda Collective will teach residents and visitors, alike, how to build 3D models that explore their personal histories, dreams, and ecological
relationships to the Rockaways.
Registration is encouraged. This is a FREE event and open to ALL!
Special thanks to National Endowment for the Arts/Artworks, Radical Imagination for Racial Justice by Hester Street and Surdna Foundation, and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Cultural Development Fund.
Art Workshop: Paper-cutting
Saturday, September 23, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 60th Street & Rockaway Freeway, under the elevated A-train tracks
Amelia Marzec will host a paper-cutting workshop during Rockaway Market Street @ Beach 60th. Marzec is an artist focused on rebuilding and engaging with local communications infrastructure to prepare for an uncertain future.
Paper-cutting is a Slavic form of decorative folk art common in eastern Europe, and we are excited to share this art form to the Rockaway community!
Registration is encouraged. This is a FREE event and open to ALL!
Special thanks to National Endowment for the Arts/Artworks, Radical Imagination for Racial Justice by Hester Street and Surdna Foundation, and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Cultural Development Fund.
Plants As Medicine Workshop
Saturday, September 16, 10:30 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 60th Street & Rockaway Freeway, under the elevated A-train tracks
Nicole Brooks from Pure Earth Magic will host a workshop on how to use plants as medicine. In this case, mugwort! There will be two sessions: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
This workshop is free and open to all!
Registration is required.
Decorate Your Own Cupcake!
Saturday, September 2, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 60th Street & Rockaway Freeway, under the elevated A-train tracks
Stop by the Rockaway Market Street @ Beach 60th to decorate your own cupcake for FREE! We are partnering up with Cassey's Cookies and Cobblers to bring a little bit of creativity and a little bit of sweetness to the farmer's market.
Bring your friends and family and create a memory that will last a lifetime!
*This will run from 10am-1pm or until the supplies run out.*
Art Workshop: Blob-Flying Insects and More!
Saturday, August 5, 10:00 am to 12:30 pm
Beach 60th Street & Rockaway Freeway, under the elevated A-train tracks
The Rockaways' very own Norma Allende is hosting the first ever Art Workshop of Rockaway Market Street! Start your weekend on the right note, and create watercolor insects and animals with your family and friends.
There are two one-hour sessions from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Registration is suggested but not required. This is a FREE event and open to ALL. Spread the word!
Special thanks to National Endowment for the Arts/Artworks, Radical Imagination for Racial Justice by Hester Street and Surdna Foundation, and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Development Fund.
Greater Rockaway Coastal Plan Exhibition Reception
Tuesday, June 13, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692
**UPDATE** Due to the smoke and poor air quality, the event has been rescheduled from June 8 to Tuesday, June 13. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and we appreciate your understanding and flexibility in this matter.
Join us in celebrating the hard work of all who have contributed to Greater Rockaway Community & Shoreline Enhancement Plan.
We will have a short presentation of the plan by RISE, eDesign Dynamics, and W X Y architecture + urban design, as well as an exhibition of the project followed by a reception for all the gardeners, school groups, local community partners, and stakeholders to celebrate the incredible work accomplished this year!
Light food and refreshments will be served. RSVP is appreciated.
