ASTORIA — The city's newest arts district is getting its first block party.
Queens Council on the Arts is throwing an outdoor bash next month on the backlot at Kaufman Astoria Studios that will feature live music, barbecue from local eateries and screenings of movies from Queens-based film festivals.
The party is the one in a series of fundraisers by the arts organization to support its High School to Art School program, which works with high school students on portfolio development so they can apply to top-notch art colleges.
The event, scheduled for June 21, will include musicians from Make Music New York — the annual event that places performers at public spaces through the city — and barbecue eats from yet-to-be-finalized local restaurants.
An outdoor screening will also show a "best of" collection of films from three Queens-based film festivals: the Rural Route Film Festival, The Sparrow Film Project and the Queens World Film Festival.
Tickets to the block party cost $35 and can be purchased here.
"This exciting event will kick off an eclectic calendar of upcoming arts events that will attract visitors, tourists, and arts lovers to Astoria," Queens Council on the Arts said in a statement.
The area surrounding Kaufman Astoria Studios — which includes Queens Council on the Arts' headquarters — was designated an officials arts district by the city in March, called the Kaufman Arts District.
The backlot at Kaufman Astoria Studios opened in December, and is the city's first and only outdoor working stage. It is also the site of a new outdoor flea market on weekends.
