Somewhere between a circus, a bike rodeo and a block party, a mile and a quarter of car-free Jackson Heights fills with mountain unicyclists, world-class performers and a lot of eight-year-olds falling over and getting back on. The learn-to-ride area is the point: staff hold your arms while you wobble. This is the free, strange, extremely photographable thing to do in Queens.
What to expect
The avenue is closed to cars, so the whole width is in play. Expect a race lane, a basketball and hockey area with actual games running, a workshop zone, and performers doing tricks between events. Neighbors bring chairs and set up along the curbs, and the surrounding blocks of Jackson Heights are wall-to-wall Colombian, Ecuadorian, Nepali and Tibetan food.
Good to know
- 7, E, F, M or R to Roosevelt Avenue-Jackson Heights, then walk two blocks north to 34th Avenue.
- The festival runs along the open street between roughly 69th Street and Junction Boulevard; drop in anywhere along it.
- Riders are asked to sign the festival waiver before taking part; spectating requires nothing.
- Bring your own unicycle if you have one, but the learn-to-ride area supplies them for beginners.
- Excellent for kids, and one of the few free festivals where they can actually participate rather than just watch.
- Eat in the neighborhood afterward; 37th Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue are two of the best food corridors in the city.
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Common questions
Do I need to know how to ride a unicycle?
No. There is a learn-to-ride area with equipment and instructors, and most of the weekend is spectating anyway.
Is it really free?
Yes, the Jackson Heights days are free and open to all ages. Riders sign the festival waiver before participating.
Where exactly on 34th Avenue is it?
Along the 34th Avenue Open Street in Jackson Heights, roughly between 69th Street and Junction Boulevard, the longest open street in the city.
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