Rockaway
JOURNAL Since 1883
www.liherald.com
JUNe 25 - JUlY 1 2026
$1.00
A festival, watch parties, art and MUJI Gregorian Festival Catch the last few days of the Gregorian Festival is at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Academy in Bellerose from through Saturday. This 45th annual bash brings amusement park rides by Newton Shows, games, food, concerts and thousands of happy revelers. Open from 7 to 11 p.m. each night is dedicated to a different cultural heritage, reflecting the Easter n Queens neighborhood’s multicultural spirit. Ethnic foods are prepared in the church kitchen by parishioner volunteers. The remaining schedule includes — June 25, German/ Polish Night Dance, food and live music with Christopher Karwowski. June 26, Italian/Alumni Night Sal Manzo takes care of the music with a special welcome back event for St. Gregory graduates. June 27, Italian Night/Last Day of Festival A big celebration of Italian culture with live music by Mike Taylor.
World Cup watch parties
Fresh from the New York Knicks capturing the franchise’s first NBA championship in 53 year, the World Cup soccer tour nament is the focus of watch parties and, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr.’s office is sponsoring three free events across the borough. Quarterfinals, July 11, afternoon and evening Outdoors at Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing. Free admission and large screen viewing of the matches. Semifinals, July 14 and July 15, 3 p.m. Lawn at Pilot House Bar &
Grill, 1-90 Beach 69th St., Rockaway, 3 p.m. Large screen viewing with family-friendly g ames and activities, access to the restaurant, patio and bar for patrons, and more. Finals, July 19, 3 p.m. Steps of Queens Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Blvd., Kew Gardens. Large LED screens with activations and food vendors in partnership with the Street Vendor Project. Along with the watch parties there is MoMA PS1’s Courtyard, 22-25 Jackson Ave., Long Island City. Co-sponsored by LIC Partnership, this screening coincides with the opening of a new exhibition.
Urban art
The Museum of Urban Arts is bringing street art, murals and community-centered creativity to visitors in Long Island City. At 45-25 Davis St., the museum showcases ar twork t h ro u g h o u t 5 Po i n t z L I C , a 50-story residential tower built on the former 5 Pointz site, once known as a landmark destination for graffiti and street artists. Several large-scale murals can be viewed on the building's exterior, including some visible from passing 7 trains. Inside, visitors can explore a gallery space and four stairwells ador ned with artwork ranging from colorful animal portraits to surreal cityscapes. The museum also offers selfguided tours of the building and a nearby art-filled park, as well as guided walking tours by reservation. Museum founder Stephanie Sulaiman, a Queens native and graduate of P.S. 151, J.H.S. 10 and William Cullen Bryant High School, said she hopes to add QR codes to the artwork
Queens Tourism Council
Across Queens there are World Cup watch parties setup for soccer fans to see the global tournament. that will link visitors to videos telling each artist's story. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free with a $10 recommended donation. For schedule, go to Calendar.google. com/calendar/
MUJI in Queens
A distinctly Japanese shopping experience has arrived in Queens. MUJI, the global Japanese retail brand known for its minimalist design and everyday lifestyle products, opened a new mixed-use store at Tangram in downtown Flushing. Its first location in Queens. The store offers a wide range of merchandise, including apparel, home goods, kitchenware, skincare products, travel accessories and wellness items. Customers can also personalize
purchases through embroidery and iron-on patch applications featuring more than 300 designs. The Flushing location introduces a first-of-its-kind U.S. collaboration between MUJI and object sangga, a South Koreabased lifestyle and DIY brand known for handcrafted embroidered patches. The partnership brings a new collection of ironon patches and designs to American shoppers for the first time. "We're thrilled to celebrate this opening weekend with the Flushing community and offi-
c i a l ly i n t ro d u c e M U J I t o Queens," MUJI USA President Richard Rappaport said in a statement. "We want to be embedded in the energy and culture that make Tangram and Flushing so special.” Founded in Japan in 1980, MUJI has grown into a global lifestyle brand with more than 1,000 stores across 33 countries and a product catalog exceeding 7,000 items. The company is known for its simple aesthetic, functional design and emphasis on quality everyday essentials. — Jeffrey Bessen