It\u2019s a rare feat to have the biggest heads in the room and still manage to be most popular, but Mr. and Mrs. Met managed to make it work earlier this month in Albany.<\/p>\n
In a lounge near the state Capitol, well-dressed lawmakers, lobbyists and other members of the political class lined up for photos with the Queens couple as they noshed on finger foods. Restaurants from Jamaica to College Point lined the walls, handing out arepas, cheesesteaks and all kinds of desserts.<\/p>\n
Welcome to Queens Day in Albany, an annual chance for local business leaders to surround the state\u2019s political class with some of the borough\u2019s best food, drinks and attractions.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s one of dozens of free receptions each year in the capital city that\u2019s designed to attract the state\u2019s power brokers, and where various constituents can promote their causes. But the events held by the outer boroughs\u2019 chambers of commerce \u2014 there\u2019s also Brooklyn Night and Bronx Day \u2014 are always among the best attended, drawing all sorts of legislators, commissioners and staff members looking for a drink and a bite to eat at the end of their workday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a day to celebrate our borough,\u201d said state Sen. Nathalia Fernandez, a Democrat from the Bronx who helped resurrect Bronx Day this year after a five-year hiatus. \u201cQueens does it, Brooklyn does it, and we know the Bronx is just as good, if not better. There’s a lot of people that come to Albany and we want them to see the greatness of the Bronx.\u201d<\/p>\n
These types of receptions have been a staple in Albany for decades. Blair Horner, senior policy analyst for the New York Public Interest Research Group, recalled one long-since-gone annual event where a Long Island lawmaker would dole out free clams to a room full of revelers.<\/p>\n
Most are sponsored by organizations that are registered to lobby in Albany.<\/p>\n
Among the sponsors of Queens Day was Hard Rock at Metropolitan Park, the major casino project backed by Mets owner Steve Cohen, who spent millions of dollars in his successful effort to obtain a state casino license<\/a>. The New York Yankees, Montefiore Einstein and JPMorgan Chase were the top sponsors of Bronx Day.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s the kind of thing that unless you’re involved in Albany, unless you’re plugged into some association that has the money to pull this off, you’re left out of the mix,\u201d Horner said.<\/p>\n This year, Bronx Day and Brooklyn Night were in March. Each had their own vibe.<\/p>\n A man dressed in all black served up old-fashioned egg creams while a small jazz band played borough-themed music at Brooklyn Night, including a jazzified version of Notorious B.I.G.\u2019s \u201cBig Poppa.\u201d<\/p>\n Bronx Day was at a convention center, where a DJ played under lights that spelled out \u201cTHE BRONX\u201d over the ceiling while lawmakers cut loose on a makeshift dancefloor.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to understand why they all drew a big crowd.<\/p>\n Brooklyn Night, Queens Day and Bronx Day all had dozens of businesses and cultural institutions participate, with attendees from all across the state getting exposed to what each borough has to offer.<\/p>\n For lobbyists, it’s a chance to get face time with some of the state’s power brokers, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, who attended Bronx Day. That\u2019s a big deal as the state\u2019s leaders continue to negotiate a budget with hundreds of billions of dollars on the line.<\/p>\n And, of course, there are copious amounts of free booze and food.<\/p>\n State law bans most gifts to public officials if the value exceeds $15. But there’s an exception for food and drink at \u201cwidely attended events.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n