31-Hour Summer Festival
The Peninsula Community Library will be open for 31 hours straight.
Program Schedule*
*Programs and schedule are subject to change. All programs and activities will be at the library, unless indicated otherwise.
All boardwalk and beach activities will be located near Beach 94th Street.
Saturday, August 26
9am - 3pm | Mobile Library at the Boardwalk Visit the mobile library to check out books, get a library card, connect to free wi-fi, and learn about Queens Library’s programs and services. |
10am - 11am | Community Breakfast |
10am - 12pm | Knitting Group Come learn from experienced knitters or share your “purls” of wisdom. Knit hats or scarves to donate to a local food bank. Bring your own supplies and materials. All ages and levels are welcome. |
10am - 3pm | Community Resource Fair Various community organizations will provide information and resources, including Ready New York (NYC Emergency Management), ThriveNYC, Department of Sanitation, Safe Sleep (NYC ACS), Queens Library Job & Business Academy, NY Rising, Planned Parenthood NY, St. John's Hospital, AIDS Center of Queens County, and more. |
10:30am - 12pm | Social Services Referrals A Queens Library Case Manager will be available for one-on-one counseling to provide information on locating the right the social service providers to meet your needs. |
11am - 12pm | Storytime with the NYPD Join our children’s librarian and local police officer as they read stories and sing songs. Followed by a suncatcher jellyfish craft. |
11am - 12pm | "Paint Out" with Rockaway Beach Civic Association Experience painting outdoors. The Rockaway Beach Civic brings you a whale tail and shark fin paint out. All levels welcome. |
11am - 1pm | Gouache Painting Learn to paint with gouache while exploring themes of community and nature. Open to all ages. |
11am – 2pm | STEM Fun for Kids with the Discovery Team (Interactive Exhibits about Sun, Sand, and Surf) on the Boardwalk Hands-on science at the beach! Dissect the sunlight. Make a UV detection bracelet. Take a micro-scale surf safari exploring sand and the hidden habitat of the tide line beneath our feet. All ages welcome to discover with us. |
11am - 3pm | Pop-Up Library on the Boardwalk Visit the pop-up library for book giveaways, library card sign-ups, help connecting to library e-resources, and storytimes. |
12pm - 1pm | Balloon Twisting Show Learn about the history of balloons and see how balloons affect art, science, math, geography, and safety. Nick the Balloonatic will twist familiar characters and other exciting creations. |
1pm - 2:30pm | Rockaway Story Share Join neighbors in sharing old and new memories of the Rockaways. Bridget Bartolini of the 5 Boro Story Project will lead a discussion of our neighborhood’s past, present, and future. |
1pm - 2:30pm | Mason Jar Design Mason jar crafts are simple and fun. Come explore all the possibilities and take home your creation. Open to all ages. |
1pm - 4pm | Children's Face Painting, Balloon Twisting and More Children will receive elaborate face painting designs and fun balloon sculptures. First come first served. |
2pm - 3pm | Kinetic Sand Squeeze, sculpt, and build with kinetic sand. |
2pm - 3pm | Storytime on the Beach Join us at the beach for beach-themed stories, songs, and rhymes, followed by a seashell craft. |
2pm - 4pm | Teen UNO Tournament Teens are invited to play this classic game in a friendly competition for prizes. |
2:30pm - 5pm | Queens Memory Program Add your Rockaway memories to the Queens Library Archives through an interview or portrait. Look for a Queens Memory staff member to contribute your neighborhood stories and images. |
3pm - 4:30pm | Book Jeopardy How well do you know your books? Challenge your friends to test their knowledge of authors, characters, and famous literature at Book Jeopardy! |
3pm - 5pm | Culture Share Peninsula Community Library’s Adult Learning Center students will present culturally important objects from their native countries, sharing stories of their significance and providing insights into their various cultures. |
3pm - 6pm | Free Legal Assistance (Queens Legal Hand, CIANA) Get free one-on-one legal consultation and referrals about housing, immigration, and other issues. |
5pm - 7pm | Hand Crafts, Origami, and Greeting Cards Explore your creativity with a variety of materials and crafts. Open to all ages. |
6pm - 7pm | Free Refreshments |
7pm - 8pm | Concert on the Plaza: Steel Impressions Steel Band Caribbean rhythms washed ashore with authentic sounds of calypso, reggae, and soca performed by the Steel Impressions Steel Band. |
9pm - 10:30pm | Double Feature #1: "Finding Nemo" (Rated G) Enjoy this family-friendly, Oscar-winning movie outdoors. After his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home. |
10:30pm - 12:30am | Double Feature #2: "Jaws" (Rated PG) Watch this classic thriller under the stars. A giant great white shark arrives on the shores of a New England beach resort and wreaks havoc with bloody attacks on swimmers, until a local sheriff teams up with a marine biologist and an old seafarer to hunt the shark down |
Sunday, August 27
12:30am - 2am | Bonfire and Scary Storytime Gather around our late-night “bonfire” to share scary stories and sing songs. |
2am - 4am | Karaoke Dance Party Fancy yourself a star or just eager to dance the night away? Come to our karaoke and dance party! Sing and dance for prizes. |
4am - 5am | Board Games for Insomniacs Can't sleep? Join your fellow insomniacs or night owls for chess and board games. Challenge your friends and make new ones. |
6am - 7am | Sunrise Yoga on the Beach Bring in a beautiful new day with sunrise yoga. This class will help align your mind, body and breath. Feel free to bring a mat if you have one, or a towel or blanket if you don't. This class will provide a welcoming environment for all. Call 917-702-4295 if you have trouble finding the group. |
7am - 8am | Guided Meditation on the Beach Guided Meditation calms the mind and relaxes the body. Those who practice it may experience reduced levels of stress and increased inner peace. The instructor will help you focus on relaxing your mind and making positive mental changes. All are welcome. Call 917-702-4295 if you have trouble finding the group. |
8am - 9am | Community Breakfast |
9am - 10am | Healthy and Holistic Self-Care Come experience natural self-health practices of acupressure, tai chi and breathing methods. We will provide you with credible health resources and have time for Q&A. |
9am - 3pm | Mobile Library at the Boardwalk Visit the mobile library to check out books, get a library card, connect to free wi-fi and learn more about Queens Library’s programs and services. |
10am - 12pm | Materials for the Arts Craft A Materials for the Arts facilitator will lead participants in creating sea creature masks from reusable materials. All ages welcome. |
10am - 12pm | Jewish Community Council of Rockaway Peninsula (JCCRP) Learn about the JCCRP, which has been providing services to those in need and advocating around issues of concern to the community since 1972. The JCCRP offers services for SNAP food stamp enrollment, client choice kosher food pantry, Medicaid/Medicare enrollment, and housing advocacy. |
10am - 3pm | FDNY Fire Safety Education Learn important fire prevention strategies. The goal of the Fire Safety Education Program is to eliminate residential fire deaths in New York City. |
11am - 12pm | Balloon Twisting Show Learn about the history of balloons and see how balloons affect art, science, math, geography, and safety. Nick the Balloonatic will twist familiar characters and other exciting creations. |
11am - 12:30pm | Screening of "Saving Jamaica Bay" with Producer/Writer Daniel Hendrick This documentary film tells the story of how a community came together to restore the largest open space in New York City, and highlights the importance of citizen action and the role of urban nature in protecting cities from the effects of climate change. Producer Daniel Hendrick will lead a discussion about the documentary film after the screening. |
11am - 1:30pm | Bloomberg Startup Wiggle Bot Station Volunteers from Bloomberg will introduce STEAM and robotic concepts to children as they create and test their own “wiggle bots” from common craft materials. |
11am - 3pm | Pop-up Library at the Boardwalk Visit the pop-up library for book giveaways, library card sign-ups, help connecting to library e-resources, and storytimes. |
11am - 4pm | Introduction to Queens Library Samsung Tablets (Hourly Workshops) Every hour on the hour, learn how to download e-books, songs, and movies on the library’s new Samsung tablets. Check out a tablet with only your library card. Inventory limited. |
12pm - 1pm | Back-to-School Information and Giveaway Get ready for school with back-to-school activities and a family meditation. We will have giveaways for children. (Quantities limited) |
12pm - 3pm | Children's Face Painting, Balloon Twisting, and More Children will receive elaborate face painting designs and fun balloon sculptures. First come first served. |
1pm - 2pm | Rockaway Trivia The Rockaway Peninsula has a long history. Come join the friendly competition in groups and learn! |
2pm - 3pm | Storytime on the Beach Join us at the beach with our library mermaid for beach-themed stories, songs, and rhymes, followed by a fun whale craft. |
2pm - 3pm | Free Refeshments |
2pm - 4pm | DIY Tie-Dye Transform old or new clothing or fabrics with colorful patterns and designs to create something spectacular. Bring your own white fabric items. Open to all. |
2:30pm - 4pm | Build Your Own Skateboard for Teens Learn to assemble and design your own skateboard. Perfect for teens interested in trying out skateboarding. Register at reference desk. Space is limited. |
3pm - 4 pm | Language Learning Games Learn common words and phrases in multiple languages through spirited activities. |
3pm - 4:30pm | Jazz Concert: Asen Doykin Trio Featuring Jasmina Asen Doykin has played at some of the city's best venues and jazz clubs, including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Blue Note, Birdland, and Smalls Jazz Club. Jasmina and the Asen Doykin Trio will be playing bossa nova, Latin, swing jazz and classic rhythm and blues. |
*Programs and schedule are subject to change. All programs and activities will be at the Peninsula Community Library, unless indicated otherwise. All boardwalk and beach activities will be located near Beach 94th Street.
Queens Library at Peninsula
92-25 Rockaway Beach Boulevard | (718) 634-1110