Design, Drama, Murals and Music: Sunnyside Arts and Culture
Sunday, September 20, 2026
1 – 2:30 PM
In-person
Sunnyside, Queens
Architects and city planners have long celebrated Sunnyside’s Art Deco buildings and the historic Sunnyside Gardens district, but everyone can appreciate the many sights and stories of the neighborhood’s culture and creativity. This tour traces some highlights, from Thalia Spanish Theater (the first and only bilingual Hispanic theater in Queens), the Bliss Theater (a rare surviving example of an Egyptian Revival movie palace), and iconic Sunnyside Arch, to murals and memorials commemorating pioneers of folk, jazz, and punk rock. Stops along the way include treasures of progressive urban housing design, as well as galleries and storefronts that are showcasing artists in this close-knit community just a 20-minute subway ride from Grand Central Station.
The tour will be led by Eric Narburgh – a 17-year Sunnyside resident and Queens Community Board 2 member, serving as vice chair of its Arts and Cultural Affairs Committee.
Sunnyside Shines BID was one of HDC’s 2025 Six to Celebrate priorities – New York’s only targeted citywide list of preservation priorities that provides strategies and resources to neighbourhood groups at a critical moment to reach their preservation goals.
The tour will take place outdoors, rain or shine and covers a total distance of 1 mile at a moderate pace.
Please e-mail [email protected] with questions about accessibility.
General Admission $15
Friends of HDC / Seniors $10
Six to Celebrate is generously supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. Additional support is provided by New York City Council Members Gale Brewer, Virginia Maloney, Christopher Marte, and Lincoln Restler.
Image Credit: Eric Narburgh.