Long Island City Partnership’s Signature Community Event LIC Springs! Returns to Vernon Boulevard for First Time Since 2019
The popular annual street festival showcases more than 100 local businesses and organizations with quirky activations, performances and activities for all ages
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sierra Brown | sbrown@licpartnership.org | (718) 705-9941
Long Island City, New York (June, 1 2022) – Long Island City Partnership’s (LICP) signature festival, LIC Springs!, returns Saturday, June 18, featuring 100+ local businesses and organizations, including many of the community’s marquee arts and dining establishments. Now in its ninth year, the event is back along Vernon Boulevard as a single-day street festival after a re-imagining over the past two years in response to the pandemic. The event has historically welcomed 10,000+ attendees and features live music, dance and performances, plus interactive lessons, art, fitness classes, outdoor dining, pop-up activities, games and more.
“We’re thrilled to bring back LIC Springs! as a street festival and as a key event to showcase why Long Island City is a great place to live, work and visit, and also operate a small business,” said Patricia Dunphy, board chair of Long Island City Partnership. “With more than 100 participants, it’s a testament to the endurance of our great community and I encourage everyone to show their support by joining us for what is sure to be a fun-filled day out.”
“For years LIC Springs! had become one of the highlight events in the neighborhood, showcasing the vibrancy of Vernon Boulevard, one of Long Island City and the Long Island City Business Improvement District’s (LIC BID) major corridors,” said David Brause, board chair of the LIC BID. “After a tumultuous few years, we welcome everyone back to this year’s LIC Springs! which speaks to the community’s diversity and optimism. I encourage everyone who has found something to love about LIC to show up and support some of its finest businesses and organizations.”
During the event, Vernon Boulevard is closed to traffic between 46th and 50th avenues. While only brick & mortar businesses along the thoroughfare are allowed to sell items due to permitting restrictions, the scores of participants use pre-assigned booths to showcase special activations, giveaways and promotions. There is also a stage where performances will take place throughout the day. Unique activations include a bubble party, Irish dance lessons, a puppy meet & greet, LEGO robotic coding, strength and board breaking contests, massages, costume making and more. Select local business owners are charged as ‘block captains’ to further inspire participation.
“As one of LIC’s long-time businesses I like to say we’ve seen it all,” said Gianna Cerbone, chef and owner of Manducatis Rustica, which opened on Vernon Boulevard in 2008 and whose family has had a presence in the community since the 1950s. Cerbone also serves as one of the event’s block captains. “But what’s really exciting is to see this community rebound and how pioneering and new businesses are coming together to shape what is one of the most talked about neighborhoods in NYC,” Cerbone said.
“Providing opportunities for local creators to showcase their art or music is central to our mission,” said Edjo Wheeler, executive director of Culture Lab LIC, which hosts popular indoor and outdoor programming throughout the year and is activating a ‘sounds space’ at LIC Springs! with music from their nearby facility. “LIC Springs! has always been unique in its ability to engage all facets of the community. The return of this event has been a long time coming and I hope ‘LIC-ers’ will enjoy our eclectic musical playlist and feel encouraged to check out our live performances throughout the summer.”
“We’ve operated in LIC since 2018 and it’s events like LIC Springs! that help to connect us with the families we aim to serve,” said Jessica Stasi, owner of Snapology of Long Island City, which offers play-based science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.) enrichment programs for children. “LIC is a family-friendly neighborhood in every sense and it brings me great satisfaction, both personally and professionally, to see the community in full swing and supporting local businesses after two very trying years for our neighbors.”
“As a business that opened just a few months ago, and that is located along the boundaries of LIC, I was really pleased to learn about LIC Springs! as an opportunity to help residents discover venues like ours that are slightly off the beaten path,” said Leon Dubov, Founder and CEO of QBK Sports, a 17,000 square foot indoor beach volleyball facility that opened in February along the border between LIC and Sunnyside. Dubov is offering a mini volleyball clinic at the festival. “A deep sense of community is one of the reasons why we opened QBK Sports here and we anticipate that LIC Springs! will help generate awareness and new business opportunities,” Debov said.
A few notable participants include:
Bareburger, Culture Lab LIC, Hunters Point Parks Conservancy, Long Island City School of Ballet, Madera Cuban Grill, Manducatis Rustica, MoMA PS1, Socceroof LIC, Sweet Chick, The Chocolate Factory Theater and The Noguchi Museum. The full participant list can be viewed here.
LIC Springs is organized by the Long Island City Partnership and the Long Island City Business Improvement District, with support from the office of Council Member Julie Won and former NYC Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer. A variety of elected officials and special guests are expected to share remarks at the event.
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About Long Island City Partnership:
Long Island City Partnership Long Island City Partnership (LICP) is the neighborhood development organization for LIC. Our mission is to advocate for economic development that benefits the area’s industrial, commercial, tech, cultural, tourism, and residential sectors. The goal is to attract new businesses to LIC, retain those already here, welcome new residents and visitors, and promote our vibrant and authentic mixed-use community. LICP also operates the LIC Business Improvement District and LIC Industrial Business Zone (LIC IBZ), providing business services and assistance.
About The Long Island City Business Improvement District:
Long Island City Business Improvement District The Long Island City Business Improvement District (LIC BID) serves a diverse and growing community. Created in 2005, the original LIC BID encompassed the commercial corridors along Queens Plaza and Jackson Avenue to Court Square. In 2017 the BID expanded to include the commercial corridors continuing along Jackson Avenue, Vernon Boulevard, and 44th Drive. Managed by the Long Island City Partnership, the BID provides supplementary sanitation, horticulture and visitor services within the District, and carries out community development and marketing initiatives that benefit the neighborhood.