SUNNYSIDE — Celebrate the return of spring with a life-sized game of chess.
The Sunnyside Shine Business Improvement District will set up giant board games in the plazas under the 7 train tracks starting this month, part of a weekly series of outdoor events planned for the spaces as the weather warms up.
The "Spring Into the Plazas" series will run every Friday afternoon from March through June, alternating each month between Lowery Plaza at the 40th Street station and Bliss Plaza at the 46th Street station, according to BID Director Rachel Thieme.
Activities will include oversized games of chess and "Connect Four," as well as bean bag toss games (also known as cornhole). Certain weeks will feature kid-friendly crafts, including building your own mini-greenhouse or decorating greeting cards with paper that can be planted.
"We want people to kind of come by, feel free to drop in, play some chess and then go about their day, or spend the entire afternoon," Thieme said.
On April 29, the Uni Project will set up an outdoor library with books that passersby can sit and read. Musical performances, including tango lessons and a hip-hop opera, are planned for May and June.
Local restaurants and businesses will supply free beverages for many of the events. A full schedule can be found on Sunnyside Shine's website.
The BID hosted an outdoor summer concert series in the plazas last year — which is set to return this year — but the "Spring Into the Plazas" series is new.
"We wanted to do a more robust program," Thieme said.
The series is scheduled to kick off Friday with the giant board games at Lowery Plaza from 12 to 3 p.m., though the event is weather permitting (snow is expected Thursday night into Friday.) Attendees should check Sunnyside Shine's Facebook page for potential cancelations.
