What to Do in Astoria This Week: Live Jazz, State of the Union, Pitch Talk Mets, and More

Each week we bring you highlights and ideas for what to do in Astoria for the week through our What to Do This Week Series.  Got suggestions of your own? Share in the comments!

Want your event included? Submit it here: weheartastoria.com/share-a-scoop

JANUARY 10-16—HAPPY NEW YEAR! AGAIN! Our orthodox readers celebrate the new year on January 14.
Martin Luther King Day is right around the corner, too.

MulchFest

Join the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, the New York City Department of Sanitation, and GreeNYC to recycle your Christmas trees into wood chips. These wood chips are used to nourish trees and plants on streets and gardens citywide. Or, take home your very own bag of mulch to use in your backyard or to make a winter bed for a street tree. More than 30,000 trees were recycled last year. Help us top this number!

Please remember to remove all lights, ornaments, and netting before bringing the tree to a MulchFest site. Bags will be provided if you wish to take some free mulch home.

Saturday, January 9, 10am-2pm
Astoria Park Parking Lot
Free

Learn more, here.

Live Jazz

Jazz/R&B Band will be playing at this beautiful Italian Restaurant in Astoria
on this Sunday evening). Come and have lovely dinner with us! Jam session will follow, please come and enjoy with us. I know there are many great musicians/Jazz lovers in Astoria. It will be a great opportunity to connect each other.

There is no cover charge, it’s a special event. It could become a weekly event if there is enough participation. Please come out and have some fun! It will be our honor to meet beautiful Astorians.

Sunday, January 10, 7pm
Plaza Lounge | 29-20 30th Avenue
FREE

Learn more, here.

LIC Forum Lecture: Two Guys From Astoria – with Joe Cicchelli Jr & Steven Fella

A talk with slides about what was trendy and what was hot on the block – 44th Street. Share what it was like being a teenager in Astoria back in the day. Bring your stories and your crew, too! Last days for exhibit on Astoria in the 1980s!

Monday January 11, 7pm
Greater Astoria Historical Society | 35-20 Broadway, 4th Floor
Suggested Donation: $5 / FREE GAHS for Members!

Learn more, here.

State of the Union Watch Party

Join Powhatan Democratic Club, Queens County Young Democrats (QCYD), and New York State Young Democrats to watch President Obama’s final State of the Union address.

Tuesday, January 12, 8:30pm
Raven’s Head Public House | 38-04 Broadway
No cover charge

Learn more, here.

Pitch Talk: Mets

We’re coming back to Queens for another show dedicated to the NL Champion New York Mets!

We’ll have Marc Carig, Anthony DiComo and Steve Gelbs on-stage for an interactive, wide-ranging talk about what’s next for the Mets, joined by moderator Pete McCarthy. We’ll also have a live taping of the “Mostly Mets” podcast with Matt Cerrone, Maggie Wiggin & Toby Hyde!

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW, METS FANS!

Wednesday, January 13, 7-9:30pm
Raven’s Head Public House | 38-04 Broadway
$25 (ticketing link)

Learn more, here.

Live Music Series – Tosh Sheridan Band

Tosh, a guitarist and composer, earned his Bachelors of Arts degree in Jazz Composition from Berklee College of Music in 1998. In 2004, he went on to earn his Masters in Jazz Performance from City College of New York. While at City College, Tosh studied with the world-renowned solo jazz guitarist Gene Bertoncini.

Tosh has been performing throughout the tri-state area since the age of 16 when he first started playing guitar. He has had a great deal of experience teaching private lessons, classes and ensembles (National Guitar Workshop, Borough of Manhattan Community College, City College and Trevor Day School).

Tosh has composed music for dance productions and short movies. His latest score is featured in Coleman Hough’s (writer of Stephen Soderbergh’s feature film Full Frontal and Bubble) short movie The Tale of Two.

He has also had the pleasure of sharing the stage with many great artists including, Gene Bertoncini, John Stowell, Paul Meyers, Robin McKelle, and Norah Jones.

Friday, January 15, 9-11:30pm
The Queens Kickshaw | 40-17 Broadway
No cover charge

Learn more, here.

Role Models

Hosted by Kambri Crews, ROLE MODELS is all about the people who made a difference. For better or worse.

We’ll be talking about smoking and drinking and inspiring, horses and magicians, moms and dads. This night of FREE storytelling will also include a birthday cake for David, $3 Queens Lagers from Queens Brewery, and hopefully some dancing in the street.

Kambri Crews (NY Times Bestseller, Mortified, Moth Mainstage) hosts*:

Christian Finnegan (Netflix special “The Fun Part” and co-star of TBS’s “Are We There Yet?”)
Anthony DeVito (This American Life)
Nelson Lugo (Story Collider, RISK!, Ringmaster for the Big Apple Circus)
And more!
*Lineups subject to change.

Friday, January 15, 7:30-9pm
Q.E.D. | 27-16 23rd Avenue
FREE
RSVP by “purchasing” your FREE ticket to guarantee your spot or by emailing QEDAstoria@gmail.com.

Learn more, here.