You are reading

Ditmars Boulevard Open Street Program to Return Saturday, Revived by Local Business Owners

The Ditmars Boulevard open street will return Saturday (Photo DOT)

July 22, 2022 By Michael Dorgan

Two local business owners are spearheading the revival of a popular open street program on Ditmars Boulevard in Astoria.

The open street — which sees a section of Ditmars Boulevard closed off to vehicular traffic — will return Saturday and stretch four blocks from 33rd Street to 37th Street.

The car-free street will run from noon to 10 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through to the end of December, organizers say. Eateries will be able to expand seating onto the street while there will be music and other family-friendly activities in front of Queen’s Room, a cafe-restaurant located on the corner of Ditmars and 36th Street.

The Ditmars Boulevard open street was held in 2020 and 2021 but the DOT could not find any local organizers to host the program for this year. The DOT typically partners with local business owners or volunteers to organize the program.

The open street was not included in the DOT’s full list of 156 open streets announced in April — and it looked doomed to be canceled this year.

However, business owners Nicole Panettieri and Antonia Joannides have stepped in and secured a permit to host the program for the rest of the year. Panettieri owns The Brass Owl boutique and The Tiny Owl baby store while Joannides owns the Queen’s Room. All three establishments are situated within the Ditmars Boulevard open street.

Panettieri said they decided to help revive the open street because it boosts the local economy and brings the neighborhood together. She said it was very successful over the last two years.

“This community is important to me and doing things that help support the community and bring attention to our neighborhood in general, is important to me,” Panettieri said.

She said the open street will mostly benefit the area’s restaurants as owners will be able to expand seating on the street.

However, Panettieri said that all stores along the street will gain from the extra foot traffic.

This year’s open street will also be larger than in previous years — running one extra block up to 37th Street.

Panettieri said workers for Dave’s Lesbian Bar, a local pop-up bar, will set up an area outside Queen’s Room

Panettieri said workers for Dave’s Lesbian Bar, a local pop-up bar, will set up an area outside Queen’s Room at 2 p.m. Saturday where performers will play live music, tattoo artists will showcase their work, and family-friendly activities will take place. The bar’s workers will also be taking donations to support local mutual aid causes.

“It will be very community-oriented,” said Panettieri, who said she is excited to get the program up and running again.

Panettieri is also appealing to other local businesses, groups and vendors to contact her about hosting events along the open street over the coming months.

Those interested can email ditmarsboulevard@gmail.com.

She also asked that residents follow the open street’s official Instagram page for updates and to share information about the program.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ditmars Blvd. (@ditmarsblvd)

email the author: news@queenspost.com

One Comment

Click for Comments 

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Repeat hate crime offender charged in anti-Muslim subway attack in Forest Hills: DA

A Southeast Queens man is being held without bail after he was criminally charged with assault in the first degree as a hate crime and other charges for allegedly punching and kicking a Muslim woman on an E train in Forest Hills during the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 18.

Naved Durrni, 34, of 106th Avenue in Jamaica, was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on Thursday and additionally charged with aggravated harassment in the first and second degrees.

Hate Crimes Task Force investigating bomb threats against Mamdani: NYPD

The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force launched a probe into multiple death threats made against Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani after his district office at 24-08 32nd St. in Astoria received four expletive-filled phone voicemails, on various dates, making threatening anti-Muslim statements by an unknown individual, including a threat to blow up his car.

The calls were made from an untraceable number and labeled the mayoral candidate a “terrorist who is not welcome in New York or America” in a message phoned in on Wednesday morning.

Seven teens indicted for attempted murder in brutal Kissena Park gang attack on two girls: DA

A Queens grand jury indicted seven teenagers for attempted murder, gang assault, robbery, and other crimes for an attack on two girls inside Kissena Park in Flushing in early May.

The defendants, who are all 17 years old, were variously arraigned in Queens Supreme Court between June 4 and Wednesday in two separate 25-count indictments with two counts of attempted murder in the second degree. If convicted, they face up to 25 years in prison.

Queens Defenders founder charged with stealing nonprofit funds as second scandal unfolds

The founder of the Queens Defenders and her husband have lawyered up after they were indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the non-profit organization.

Former Queens Defenders executive director Lori Zeno, 64, surrendered Wednesday at the Brooklyn federal courthouse. Zeno was arraigned on an indictment charging her and Rashad Ruhani, 55, with wire fraud conspiracy, theft, money laundering conspiracy and other crimes.