QUEENS DAY
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Queens Day is the day during the US Open when New York’s Grand Slam celebrates the borough it has called home for the last 100 years. The second annual Queens Day, held on the second day of the US Open Qualifying Tournament, will feature free entertainment from local performers, exhibitions from Queens cultural institutions and world-class tennis for Queens residents of all ages to enjoy at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. Admission is free.
Activities and Exhibitions
Gates open to the public at 10 a.m. Activities and entertainment will commence shortly after and will take place throughout the site, including Youth Tennis, face-painting and exhibitions from, among others:
o Queens Zoo
o Queens Botanical Gardens
o Queens Theater
o New York Hall of Science
The Queens Theater will also host a free, advance screening of ‘Althea,’ the documentary about tennis legend Althea Gibson, the first African-American to play at and win the US Open, at 7 p.m., ahead of its nationwide premier on September 4.
Live Cultural Entertainment
Queens Day also features a full day of performances from a variety of local acts. This year’s Queens Day expects to have performances from, among others:
o Ayazamana Cultural Center, Ecuadorian dancers
o Uruza Queens Center for Performing Arts
o Ballet Folklorico Riviera Maya, traditional Mexican dancing
o N’YCE (Derrick Anderson) and J.Dollaz (Jahron Black), blind rap artists
o Alex Cummings Quartet, jazz quartet
o Mestizo, Latin dance
o Bethany Wild, vocalist and songwriter
o DeRosa, acoustic Americana blues rock
o Mambo Fitness, interactive Zumba
o Giant Flying Turtles, blues rock trio
Further, in conjunction with the Queens Economic Development Corporation and Chamber of Commerce, information and other offers for Queens businesses will be provided to fans and visitors, all while some of the best men’s and women’s tennis players in the world compete in the US Open Qualifying Tournament, vying for spots in the US Open, on field courts all over the grounds.
And, from 8-10 a.m., the ACEing Autism program will be hosting a free tennis clinic for players of all ages (8-9 a.m.: 10 and under; 9-10 a.m.: 10 and older).