Why is so much pollen in the air? Everybody – and everything – loves to be in Queens, especially this week, which is full of Earth Day fun, apples, Marilyn Monroe, cartoons, great food, and Grunge Rock. Please read on.
April 9, Newsies JR., April 12. The Secret Academy’s young artists present a high-energy adaptation of a Disney musical inspired by the true story of the 1899 Newsboys’ Strike. Shows are April 9 at 7 pm, April 10 at 7 pm, April 11 at 3 pm and 7 pm, and April 12 at 1 pm and 5 pm. $25. The Secret Theatre, 10-10 44th Ave., Long Island City.
April 11, Apple Blossom Children’s Carnival, April 26. Carnival rides, midway games, hayrides, and farm fun from 10 am to 5 pm on April 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, and 26. $19-39 (free for ages three and under). Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Glen Oaks.
April 11, Marilyn Monroe in New York, April 12. A selection of the eternal movie star’s NYC films, including The Seven-Year Itch, How to Marry a Millionaire, and Don’t Bother to Knock. The museum will also highlight photographer Sam Shaw, whose images of Monroe charted the actress throughout her career. (Yes, he took the iconic shot of her standing over the subway grate.) Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District.
April 11, Brooklyn World Wide Comes to Queens, 7 pm. Guachinangos brings a high-energy fusion of Mexican Son Jarocho, Colombian Cumbia, and Afro-Latin rhythm. Then, award-winning Indo-Caribbean master Shiva Lakhan performs chutney, bhajans, and Indian classical music. The bands jam together for a grand finale. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
April 11, Michal Shapiro: Knot NOW, May 3. Shapiro’s work explores abstraction through structure, color, and surface—creating compositions that are visually compelling and deeply personal. Her paintings offer rhythm, tension, and quiet resonance. Opening reception on April 11 from 4 pm to 6 pm. The Garage Art Center, 26-01 Corporal Kennedy St., Bayside.
April 11, Kew Gardens Flea + Craft Market, 9 am. Local crafters sell a wide variety of products. Proceeds benefit cat and kitten rescue. LIRR North Parking Lot, 82-60 Austin St.
April 11, Street Tree Care with the Big Reuse, 2 pm. A volunteer effort to clean, care for, and mulch street trees. All supplies will be provided. King Manor Museum, 150-03 Jamaica Ave.
April 12, Sunshine & Cheer Cartoons, 2 pm. Film historian Tommy Jose Stathes shares his vintage prints from the 1920s-40s. These cartoons are projected on 16mm film in the manner families enjoyed movies in their homes through much of the 20th century. Voelker Orth Museum, 149-19 38th Ave., Flushing.
April 12, E-Waste, Textiles, and Paint Collection, 10 am. Drop off old computer parts, textiles, paint, and other electronics. The Lower East Side Ecology Center will discard them in an environmentally friendly way. Queens Botanical Garden Parking Garden, 42-80 Crommelin St., Flushing.
April 12, Fertile Ground, 7 pm. Choreographers present works-in-progress before the audience discusses the pieces over wine and cheese during this monthly program. Araya Morris, Claire Wagner, Leiticia Cirne, Lex Levandowski, and Rainey Scarborough present on this night. $20 or $22 at the door. Green Space, 37-24 24th St., Ste. 211, Long Island City.
April 31, Kupferberg Holocaust Center Open House, noon. Explore the venue and the permanent exhibition, The Concentration Camps: Inside the Nazi System of Incarceration and Genocide, as well as the latest exhibit, Genocide and Mass Atrocities: Connecting History, Violence and Accountability. Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Center, 222-05 56th Ave., Bayside.
April 13, Astoria-Ditmars Restaurant Week, April 26. Almost 30 eateries are participating. Each one offers its own bargain.
April 14, Hospitality Hiring Event, 10 am. Several dozen companies and hundreds of aspiring employees meet each other with the hope of hiring and filling posts in the hospitality world (hotels, museums, restaurants). LaGuardia Community College, 45-50 Van Dam St., Long Island City.
April 15, Planet in Bloom, 3 pm. A four-hour Earth Day celebration blending urban beekeeping, recycled art, spring giving, and a special appearance by K-pop group EVERGLOW at 6 pm. The Shops at Skyview, 40-24 College Point Blvd., Flushing.
April 15, Scarhaven, 8 pm. This band is gaining fame and recreating the traditional Grunge sound. This concert shows that Ridgewood has become a main stop on the Indy music scene. Bar Freda, 801 Seneca Ave., Ridgewood.
April 16, Greater New York 2026, Aug. 17. The sixth edition features 53 artists and collectives living and working in the NYC area. Experience site-specific installations, new productions, and recent works, most of which have never before been exhibited. The fun includes a performance program premiering works by eight artists over three dates in May and June. MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave., Long Island City.
April 16, Irish & Moroccan Gnawa, 7 pm. The Crossroads Concert series continues with Atlas Phoenix (Moroccan gimbri), two qraqeb percussionists (TBD), PJ Doran (piano, accordion), Dylan James (banjo, fiddle, dance), and Colin Harte (vocals, piano, bodhrán). $28.52. New York Irish Center, 10-40 Jackson Ave., Long Island City.
April 16, Flamenco & Lorca, April 26. Flamenco music and dance with Danza España and Artistic Director Yloy Ybarra. The show includes a tribute to Federico García Lorca on the 90th anniversary of his death. Thalia Spanish Theater, 41-17 Greenpoint Ave., Sunnyside.
April 17, Sõ Percussion Unplugged, 8 pm. This immersive concert reimagines percussion chamber music with marimba, drums, hand-held instruments, and everyday objects. Featuring works by Caroline Shaw John, Cage, Vijay Iyer, and others, this program transforms ordinary materials into a captivating journey of sound, rhythm, and visual artistry. $32. LeFrak Concert Hall, 153-49 Reeves Ave., Flushing.