LIC Festival returns with weeklong celebration as the city begins summer

Long Island City is celebrating summer with a weeklong festival. Photo via Long Island City Partnership

By Rachel Vick

A weeklong festival celebrating local business, artists and restaurants returned to Long Island City for the eighth year on Monday. 

This year’s iteration has been dubbed LIC Springs to Summer by organizer Long Island City Partnership and is taking on a new format — spreading out around the neighborhood and encouraging exploration ahead of the first day of summer. 

“It has been a delight for us to bring the ‘Springs!’ program back and offer it in a new and exciting way that encourages participants to explore all parts of Long Island City,” said Elizabeth Lusskin, president of LICP. “We have an exciting cross-section of businesses ranging from restaurants to yoga studios to dance companies, reflecting the diverse offerings LIC serves up every day to our diverse community.”

Visitors and residents will be able to take free workout classes, visit a local brewery or give back some of their time with volunteer events. There are also kid-friendly classes and performances throughout the week.

An event passport includes a full list of events and special discounts with local businesses, including restaurants, fitness classes and art institutions. Event attendees can download the LIC Passport, complete with a map and QR codes, or pick one up at select locations.

Participating businesses include Adda Indian Canteen, Centro Pizza Bar & Italian Kitchen, Chairman Sun, Culture Lab LIC, Dance Entropy, Flux Factory, Hunters Point Parks Conservancy, ICONYC Brewing, Kuku Chicken, LEVANTE, LIC Beer Project, Long Island City School of Ballet, Manducatis Rustica VIG, MoMA PS1, Museum of the Moving Image, QED, SAPPS, SculptureCenter, SHI, Sweet Chick, Tacombi, The Chocolate Factory Theater and The Noguchi Museum.

“Long Island City is a dynamic, thriving, and growing community that is back in business,” said Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer. “I’m so proud to have sponsored this event which brings residents, customers, businesses and visitors together to celebrate all that there is to do in LIC. 

A full list of participants is available online.