Season 7 - Week 3
We’ve got color 🌈
We’re delighted to share that our public mural project, funded by the Department of Small Business Services (SBS)—our biggest grant to date—is officially complete as of this writing. That’s right, folks: five new murals (!!!) are on display each and every day along 31st Ave, thanks to the help of five amazing artists (Talisa Almonte, Bianca Negron, Yuke Li, Jennifer Yung, and Sally Chen) and countless volunteers who helped apply all that paint. So come on by and check out our new look :)
And stay tuned for details on an official ribbon-cutting!
Now, onto le news:
The Clips
So. Much. Bike. News. But our personal favorite? Seeing 31st Ave front and center for the city’s 2026 Bike Map. (NYCDOT)
The Queens Borough Arts Festival—which is still accepting work!—looks like a treat. (Queens Museum)
Repeat speeders are a huge problem for street safety, so we’re glad to see the Stop Super Speeders bill advance in Albany! (NYPost)
Weekend Plans
SATURDAY
Q300 Plant Sale 12:30pm-4:30pm
Jewelry Swap for Black Mamas Matter Alliance 12:30pm-3:30pm
Astoria Love Family Enrichment Center 12:30pm-3pm
Podcast on the Street 12:30pm-6pm
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS 12:30pm-3pm
Astoria Food Pantry 12:30pm-5pm
Healthy Smile, Healthy Body 1pm-2:30pm
Indivisible Western Queens 1pm-3pm
Goods for Gaza 1pm-6:30pm
STARS Rehabilitation Astoria 2pm-6pm
SUNDAY
Khalil’s Friends Sweets & Spells with Queens Families for Palestine 12:30pm-6:30pm
The People’s Pop-Up Cafe 12:30pm-5pm
House of Speakeasy Bookmobile 12:30pm-2:30pm
Goods for Gaza 1pm-6;30pm
Table with Team AOC, Kristen Gonzalez and Diana Moreno 1pm-5pm
For more information and the most up to date schedule, including with weather cancellations, see our events page.
Special Events
Applications to participate in Tikkun BBQ’s annual block party series—the Community Cookouts—close next Friday, May 15.
Since launching, the series has grown into a large-scale community event centered around three things: food, community, and cause, and will now expand from one block to two.
This year, support has already come in from local Astoria businesses, neighbors, and organizations ranging from U.S. Congresswoman AOC’s office to Burlap & Barrel, Diamond Dogs, Chiddy’s Cheesesteaks, Yoga Agora, and many others—through sponsorships, activations, demos, and community partnerships.
The Community Cookouts feature free small portions of live-fire, Queens-Style BBQ, hot dogs, movies, music, art, and community-focused programming, all free and open to the public.
Interested in getting involved as a volunteer, artist, vendor, sponsor, or community partner? Applications close May 15.
• Sponsors / Businesses / Activations / Bands / DJs → click here
• Join the BBQ crew (grill, smoke, feed the people) → click here
Applications to both forms close May 15th.
Questions? Reach out anytime: info@tikkunbbq.com
See you this summer.
Upcoming Markets
If you’re interested in selling on the Open Street, read our FAQs first here to learn more.
We’ll have more info to share on the 2026 market calendar soon!
Support the Open Street
It takes a lot to run the 31st Ave Open Street, such as renting storage space, paying for insurance, or buying supplies like extra chairs, sidewalk chalk, and trash bags to keep our street clean.
We list a few of the materials that we are in frequent need of on our donation page. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, we also take tax-deductible donations via our Givebutter campaign for those who would like to contribute financially.
Every bit helps and we appreciate your support in making 31st Ave a better place for all! Thank you!
Join Your Neighbors!
All are welcome and no prior experience is required
Drop by 31OS this weekend to talk with the 31OS crew to learn more about Setup, Tabling, or Breakdown shifts along with all the other ways people get involved!
The most help is needed 12pm-1pm and 7pm-8pm but shifts are available all day for anyone interested in keeping an eye on things, meeting neighbors, and talking with members of the community who may have questions.
Signing up is also not required! Dropping by the volunteer table anytime is the best way to find out what is happening.
For more info on the types of shifts, or to see what sign-ups are available, check out our Volunteer page.
If you want to help, but can’t make it to the street in person, there are lots of other tasks and projects we’re working on throughout the week. Fill out our Volunteer Interest Form to share what you like to do and we’ll reach out if we have something!
Stay Connected
Want to stay in touch with 31OS and your neighbors even when the Open Street isn’t active?
Send us an email! Address is available on our homepage, 31OS.org
Share Your Feedback
We strive to make the Open Street a pleasant experience for all, so if you have any feedback that you’d like to share with the volunteers we’d love to hear it! Our Feedback form is available 24/7 for members of the community to send their thoughts directly to our team.
