Forest Hills Gardens

Bayside Council member Vallone has announced that the Fourth Annual Independence Day Fireworks Show & Concert will be hosted by the Bayside Historical Society and is set for Wednesday, June 27th. It will take place at Fort Totten and festivities will begin at 5 p.m.

Musical performances will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and vending trucks with many options of food and beverages will be present. At exactly 9:15 p.m. the fifteen minute fireworks show by Grucci will be launched from a barge on Little Neck Bay.

Parking will be available at the Little Bay Parking Lot, underneath the Throgs Neck Bridge and along Bell Boulevard west of Fort Totten with additional parking at the Clearview Golf Course (starting at 5pm). Because of the large number of people coming, walking, biking, or public transportation is encouraged.

Shuttle buses provided by Vallo Transportation will bring guests to and from offsite locations starting at 6p.m.

No alcohol will be permitted at this event. Bags will be checked before entering the park.

“There’s no better way to kick off the summer than with a fireworks show and concert in Fort Totten. For a fourth straight year, residents in Northeast Queens won’t have to travel far to enjoy world class fireworks with friends, family and neighbors,” said Council Member Vallone. “These types of family events really bring the community together in celebration and I thank everybody who has worked tirelessly to organize the event, as well as everybody who will be working and volunteering on June 27^th to ensure everything goes off without a hitch.”

The longtime owner of Ben’s Best Delicatessen at 96-40 Queens Blvd. in Rego Park has announced that the eatery will be closing.
Ben’s Best opened in 1945 by Benjamin Parker and was purchased by his son Jay Parker in 1984. It is currently one of 12 kosher delis left in the borough.
Jay is open “to continue the business through other hands,” according to Michael Perlman, chair of Rego-Forest Preservation Council.
Ben’s Best scored a Zagat excellent rating of 4.3 and has been featured on numerous shows and movies such as “The Comedian” and “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” Israeli President Shimon Peres, actor and comedian Jerry Lewis, Senator Jacob Javits, Governor Nelson Rockefeller, Mayor Ed Koch, and Mayor Rudy Giuliani have all eaten at the establishment.
Currently, the deli is scheduled to close for good on June 30th.

DON’T FORGET YOUR CAMERA! 
Rego Center is located at 61-35 Junction Blvd, Rego Park

Due to the concerts at Forest Hills Stadium on Friday and Saturday nights, the 112th precinct have announced the street closures in the area. According to the 112th Precinct Community Council, they include:

Belle & Sebastian will be performing on Friday at 6 p.m. while Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats perform on Saturday at 6 p.m.

On May 25, Queens Community House and Senator Joe Addabbo hosted their fourth annual Senior Job Fair at the Kew Gardens Community Center. The job fair was exclusively offered for adults aged 55 and over and provided career resources and contacts in a wide variety of employment fields. More than 100 people attended and spoke with representatives from 15 organizations including New York Life Insurance Company, the Department for the Aging and the Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center.

“Our older generations have so much to offer in the workforce,” says Kew Gardens Community Center Director Rachel Epstein. “Hiring managers have to look past the stereotypes that surround older employees and look at the facts. They are reliable, motivated, and often outperform their younger colleagues.”

The Forest Hills Memorial Day Parade kicked off despite rainy weather last Sunday. Residents gathered on either side of Metropolitan Avenue to watch parade participants march in honor of those who served and lost their lives.

For a full recap and more photos on the parade, check out the Forest Hill’s Times story.