December 2023 Edition
Happy first month of winter!
It may be freezing outside, but the community of the Open Street keeps our hearts warm! But, make sure to bundle up and grab some hot drinks to keep warm when you come visit us as we close out the season with these last winter weekends :)
Looking for a great way to get gifts for your friends and family this season? We'll be having holiday markets throughout our final month of operation! Come shop from dozens of local creators - we're sure you'll find something for everyone.
Have you been wanting to volunteer with the Open Street all year but just never got around to it? Here's your last chance! Sign up here to join our team for a shift during our holiday season!
Finally, we want to send a HUGE thank you to our community for helping us reach (and surpass) our season's fundraising goal of $10,000 earlier this week! We truly couldn't keep this public space running without your support.
Check out our holiday schedule below!
This Month's Events
Saturday, December 2nd
1pm-5pm: Build wooden benches for the Open Street with Astoria Woodworking Collective!
Sunday, December 3rd
12pm-6pm: Fundraiser for Mental Health Film: No Strings Attached
12pm-4pm: NG Fitness: Ask a Trainer
1pm-5pm: Witchy Winter and World Holiday Market!
Saturday, December 9th
1pm-5pm: QNS Collaborative Holiday Market!
Sunday, December 10th
1pm-5pm: QNS Collaborative Holiday Market!
3pm-6:30pm: 31st Ave Holiday Bar Crawl! (Sign up here)
Reminder: Events are subject to change. Please check our website or Instagram for the latest updates and event information.
Business Highlight: Bar Dalia
The businesses on the blocks are what made 31st Avenue so special in the first place. We love getting to highlight one in particular each month that we really love.
Grab a hot mulled cider from Bar Dalia to warm up during your holiday shopping on the Open Street this month!
Right on 31st Ave and 34th St, you'll find fun cocktails and warm drinks you can order to stay or to go! We all know the best part of winter is carrying around a hot drink - Give in to the temptation and stop in!
And, if you work up an appetite while shopping, Bar Dalia's got you covered, too! Choose from a wide array of tapas - including empanadas, maudros, and guacamole - and mouth-watering entrees, like tacos and fajitas!
(Image Courtesy of Bar Dalia's Instagram)
The Open Streets News Corner
We're proud to share the Western Queens Street Safety Plan, developed in coordination with Council Member Tiffany Cabán's office and other elected officials and advocates. It's an ambitious blueprint to make our neighborhood safer and more livable for all, including more Open Streets. We were excited to play a role in it.
(Lead organizers Erin Dennis and John Surico spoke to Streetsblog and PIX11 about the plan, respectively. The photo above is from the press conference.)
Manhattan's 5th Avenue is turning into an Open Street for more holiday shopping - check them out after shopping at our markets! (New York Post)
This article from Fox 5 NY details all of the streets off of 5th Ave that will be holding holiday markets through the month!
After years of work from the Berry Open Street volunteer group, Berry has become a permanent bike boulevard! We promise that checking it out is worth the trip to Brooklyn. (Patch)
The mayor announced that 1,000 intersections will be daylighted each year! Our bike corral is a good example of what this looks like: greater visibility for all.
And finally: Long Island City got some new protected bike lanes!
