Events
Events
Designed to engage the public in understanding the potential eco-system that a well-informed community and healthy coastal environment can provide for themselves and their families.
Rockaway Holiday Market
Wednesday, December 11, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The RISE Center, RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Join RISE for our annual Holiday Market! We will have a large selection of local Rockaway based vendors. Products include locally made soap, baked goods, jewelry, stationary, and much more. So, come purchase local produce and holiday gifts on December 11th!
If you are interested in being a vendor, please contact info@riserockaway.org for more information.
Pajama and Coat Drive
Thursday, December 19, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
RISE Center
Join RISE, Askhrcart, and J. Backer Group for a free pajama and coat drive for children this winter. The pajamas and coats will be geared towards kids ages 4-12 years old. We will also be providing festive food, drinks, and music. We ask that all parents register here noting their child's age, gender, and clothing size. The giveaway will continue while supplies last.
Spring Pickling Workshop
Wednesday, March 4, 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm
RISE Center, 5803 Rockaway Beacb Lvd
Join our Shore Corps teen interns, who along with our own chef extraordinaire Tiffany, will be cohosting a Pickling Workshop.
Pickling is the process of preserving or expanding the shelf life of food in brine or vinegar. You can pickle vegetables, fruits, eggs and even meat! For this workshop we will be pickling a variety of organic vegetables.
This event is FREE and open to all ages.This is an up-cycle project. We encourage "Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle!" So please bring your own cleaned jar(s).
Beach Cleanup & Dune Planting
Saturday, April 18, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
RISE Center, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Come join RISE for a community volunteer day culminating in a celebration of the land and water.
For this event we will be cleaning the shoreline and planting native beach plum and shrubs to create a natural protective buffer of dunes along the east end of the Rockaways.
Adults and kids alike are welcome to participate in this event. Dress accordingly.
Registration is not required but students looking to do community service hours are encouraged to bring paperwork from their schools.
Special thanks to Patagonia for sponsoring this event.
14th Annual Earth Day Rockaway
Saturday, May 2, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
RISE Center, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Come out and enjoy a day of fun in Rockaway with free environmental activities and programs for families and kids of all ages.
This year's event will include: Live music and food along with activities like kite-making, recycling Olympics, mock dolphin rescue, plantings, composting, face painting, water testing, raptor demonstration, firehouse safety obstacle course, and art-related booths to learn how to appreciate and conserve the earth's resources.
All activities are free and intended to raise awareness of the natural resources along the Rockaway shoreline.
Organizations interested in participating in tabling at this event are encouraged to contact Judah Asimov at: jasimov@riserockaway.org
Mother's Day Foraging Tour with Wildman Steve Brill
Sunday, May 10, 10:00 am to 12:30 pm
RISE Center, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd
On Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10th, RISE will be hosting a special tour with America's go-to guy for foraging, "Wildman" Steve Brill. Steve will lead one of his world-famous foraging tours of the Far Rockaway seashore.
This vastly under-appreciated natural habitat offers all the best wild foods of the seashore. The sandy soil is poor, limiting tree and grass growth, but benefiting other species that can take advantage of the unblocked sun and nutrient-poor soil.
Wild greens will be doing great here, and there are dozens of species that thrive in sunny fields in mid-spring. Pokeweed is well-known in the Deep South, but virtually unknown in NY. Poisonous raw, "Wildman" will instruct participants how to prepare it properly. His Vegan Poke Sallet will still cause death, only those who try it will die of happiness!
This is a rain or shine event. In the case of rain, Wildman Steve will do an indoor talk (and sampling!) on a variety of local plants. The tour is free of charge but registration is suggested.
Visit to Sang Lee & Briermere Farms
Saturday, May 16, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
RISE Center, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Join us for an exciting all day tour of Sang Lee Farms in the Northfork of Long Island.
Sang Lee Farms is the farm partner for Rockaway's first official Farm Share. Sang Lee provides low cost, seasonal, certified organic produce for the Rockaway Farm Share Market that meets at RISE every Wednesday from 4-7PM. Please click here to learn more about the farm share.
The general public is welcome to join us for this special tour of Sang Lee Farm in Peconic, NY.
The bus departs from RISE (5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd, Rockaway, NY 11692) at 8:30AM and will return by 6:30PM. The bus is free of charge but interested parties must register in advance as space is limited.
Jamaica Bay Community Clean Up & Paddle
Saturday, July 11, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
RISE Center, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Join RISE for a clean up and paddle day along Jamaica Bay. Local residents and children of all ages are encouraged to participate in this stewardship event.
There will be a limited number of kayaks for the public to use at no cost. Kayaks will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis to those who participate in the clean up. Participants are required to sign waiver on the day of the event. Children under 16 must have a parent present to sign their waiver.
Special thanks to NYS DEC, and Patagonia for sponsoring this event.
Jamaica Bay Paddle & Clean Up
Saturday, July 18, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
RISE Center, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Join RISE for a Community Paddle & Stewardship Day along Jamaica Bay. Local residents and children of all ages are encouraged to participate in this stewardship event.
Special thanks to NYS DEC, and Patagonia for sponsoring this event.
Community Health Day
Saturday, August 1, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
RISE Center, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Join us for a day under the El, in our garden, and inside as we raise awareness about our community's health! Community Health Day will be focused on providing information and services about mental and physical health.
In addition to a variety of organizations that will be tabling, the day will include plenty of wellness activities. Local groups will lead sessions in meditation, yoga, and more! RWA students will lead arts activities for kids.
Local clinicians will also be providing talks such as Choosing the Right Doctor/Therapist, and Race and Mental Health. Others will provide free screenings for diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions.
Participating in activities and talking to tablers will earn participants stickers for their 'Health Passport.' Those that fill up their passports will be eligible for prizes at the end of the day! This event is free and open to the public.
This event is made possible by the NYC DOT Weekend Walks Initiative, the TCNY 2020 Mental Health Day, and the NQ PPS Community Health Forum.
Spring Dune Planting
Saturday, September 19, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
RISE Center, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Come join the Rockaway Waterfront Alliance for a community volunteer day culminating in a celebration of the land and water.
For this dune restoration we will be planting shrubs and native grasses to create a natural protective buffer of dunes along the east end of the Rockaways.
Adults and kids alike are welcome to participate in this event. Dress accordingly.
Registration is not required but students looking to do community service hours are encouraged to bring paperwork from their schools.
Special thanks to NYS DEC, and Patagonia for sponsoring this event.
Daffodil Giveaway
Saturday, October 3, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
RISE Center, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd
New Yorkers for Parks is offering free daffodil bulbs for any Rockaway community groups or individuals interested in hosting projects at their schools', businesses' or neighborhood's blocks.
RISE is hosting a distribution event at the RISE Center located at 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd, Rockaway, NY 11692. Click here to register with New Yorkers for Parks.
Fall Dune Planting
Saturday, October 3, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 44th St & Rockaway Beach Blvd
Come join the RISE for a community volunteer day culminating in a celebration of the land and water. For this dune restoration we will be planting shrubs and native grasses to create a natural protective buffer of dunes along the east end of the Rockaways.
Adults and kids alike are welcome to participate in this event. Dress accordingly.
Registration is not required but students looking to do community service hours are encouraged to bring paperwork from their schools.
Special thanks to NYS DEC, and Patagonia for sponsoring this event.
7th Annual Hip Hop Halloween
Saturday, October 10, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
RISE Center, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Join RISE for the 7th Annual Hip Hop Halloween. Celebrate Halloween with family and friends in the Hip Hop Community Garden by taking part in painting a pumpkin, face painting and festive food. This event is free and open to the public. No registration required.
Sandy Anniversary Planting & Clean Up
Saturday, October 17, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
RISE Center, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd
For the anniversary of Storm Sandy, RISE is bringing people of all ages together to create a natural protective buffer for the Rockaway community.
As we learned from the storm, the natural vegetation and dunes that exist off our shores served as a protective buffer to the homes and businesses that exist in these areas. Many of these dunes were compromised by the storm and need to be replenished to be effective.
Families and people of all ages are welcome to participate in this dune restoration project. Students can receive community service hours. No registration is required. This event is rain or shine, so please dress accordingly.
Special thanks to NYS DEC, and Patagonia for sponsoring this event.