Forest Hills' Street Fair Returns To Austin Street This Sunday

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — Following a year of citywide event closures amid the pandemic, Forest Hills’ bi-annual free street fairs are returning this June.

The Forest Hills Festival of The Arts, which is hosted by the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce (FHCC) and several co-sponsors, will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. this upcoming Sunday, June 13, on Austin Street from 69th Road to Ascan Avenue. The FHCC is also planning to host a fall festival on September 19.

At this weekend’s event, the seven-block corridor will be closed to cars, and instead food, craft, and local business vendors will fill the street.

The festival puts an emphasis on local businesses. In addition to the array of restaurants on Austin Street, many of which have outdoor dining set ups for people to enjoy during the day, 60 local chamber member businesses will set up on the street.

“Everyone is really excited to get back and meet their customers, and have the residents meet their local business people,” FHCC president Leslie Brown told Patch, adding that this year it’s especially important to show support for local businesses, since so many struggled to stay afloat during the pandemic.

Some vendors from around the city will also set up at the festival, including tables with jewelry, crafts, and food —offering everything from international cuisines to classic festival fare, like funnel cakes.

A stage will also be set up at Queens Boulevard and 71st Street for a series of free performances.

Brown said at 11:00 a.m. a group of local dancers with All Star Studios NYC will take to the stage, followed by a kickboxing and self defense demonstration by Tiger Schulmann.

Then, at 3:00 p.m. a newly-opened sandwich shop, called Stacked Sandwich Shop, will host a sandwich eating contest. The following hour at 4:00 p.m. the Jewel Tones, an a cappella group, will sing a lineup of songs that Brown says are “good to dance to, like all the oldies.”

The festival and performances are all free, but throughout the day FHCC will be collecting money for organizations that help people who have autism.

Brown explained that donations will specifically be collected at the 11:00 a.m. dance performance, and an ice cream truck set up near the stage, which is donating all proceeds.

In addition to all of the regular vendors and performances, the festival is taking a few COVID precautions.

“We’re having hand washing stations throughout the fair and social distancing around the vendors and masking is optional” said Brown, adding that the festival is complying with the state’s COVID guidelines.

Brown said that most of the things locals know and love will be at the festival like year's past, but that this year the event has a new slogan.

“It’s ‘happy street fairing,’ so I hope people have a good time and have a happy street fairing day,” she said.