Past Events
Browse through our archives of past BHS events, from 2019 back to 2014.
Programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
BHS Vintage Car Show 2019
November 10, 2019
Cost: FREE
Time: 9:00am – 1:00pm
Ride back in time with our annual classic car show! A variety of vintage and antique automobiles will be showcased on the lawn of the BHS Castle at Fort Totten.
The car show is presented by the Long Island Sound Region of the Classic Car Club of America, in conjunction with Bayside Historical Society. For more information, contact Jim Barnes at 917-428-4499 or jimbarnes05@aol.com.
Image by GSONE, carzhunt.blogspot.com
Author Talk with Richard Panchyk
November 07, 2019
Cost: Free for BHS members; $5.00 for non-members
Time: 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Part of Bayside Historical Society's Author Talk at the Castle Series
Bayside Historical Society welcomes author and native New Yorker Richard Panchyk for a presentation about his books, Hidden History of Queens and the newly published Abandoned Queens. Join us at the Castle as Richard takes us back through our borough's hidden history and uncovers fascinating remnants of the past.
18th Annual Totten Trot 5K Foot Race & Kids' Fun Run
October 27, 2019
Entry Fee: $25 until August 31; $30 until October 12; $35 until October 26; $40 on race day
7:30am: Registration begins
9:00am: 5K Foot Race & Walk
10:00am: Kids' Fun Run
Waterfront course in historic Fort Totten Park on Little Neck Bay in Bayside, a pristine stretch surrounding a preserved Civil War fortress. Runners will pass through the Historic District, which consists of buildings dating to the late 1800s. The Fort is situated where the Long Island Sound meets the East River at the Throgs Neck Bridge. The start and finish are located at the landmarked Officers’ Club, home of Bayside Historical Society. The course includes a loop out onto Little Bay Path to the Throgs Neck Bridge and back to the Fort. Timing and scoring are provided by elitefeats on a USATF Certified Course. Check in at 7:30am; start at 9:00am. The 10:00am Kids’ Fun Run is a short-distance sprint for tiny tots and kids up to 12. Halloween costumes encouraged for adults and kids
Open House New York
October 20, 2019
Cost: FREE
Time: 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Bayside Historical Society is proud to be participating in the Open House New York weekend, a five-borough-wide event that celebrates architecture and design.
Since 1984, BHS has been located at the Castle in Fort Totten Park. Built in 1887, the building was originally used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as their Officers’ Mess Hall and Club. The Castle is one of the finest surviving examples in New York City of Gothic Revival castellated architecture, and is a NYC designated landmark that is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
We will be participating on Sunday, October 20th, from 12:00pm to 4:00pm. Our staff will be on hand to give tours and talk about our beautiful building and its history. This event is free to all!
Open Sew at the Castle
October 19, 2019
Cost: $8 BHS members; $10 non-members
Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Do you quilt, sew or just love textiles? Join other sewing enthusiasts in an afternoon of creating and socializing. Bring something you are currently working on and enjoy the camaraderie of community sewing! While this is not a sewing class, beginner seamstresses and quilters are most welcome and will find inspiration and guidance. There are a limited number of sewing machines available, but please try to bring your own if you have one. Also, do not feel obligated to sew on a machine — hand work (cross-stitch, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, etc.) is always welcome!
Daffodil Planting
October 19, 2019
Cost: FREE
Time: 12:00pm to 2:00pm
Families, friends, and garden enthusiasts are invited to join Bayside Historical Society in a Fall Daffodil planting at the Castle. We will plant bulbs provided by the New Yorkers for Parks and NYC Parks as part of the Daffodil Project which began in 2001. The daffodil bulbs will bloom in the spring as a living memorial to September 11th. This event is free to all participants. Bulbs, hand trowels, and gardening gloves will be provided.
Bell Boulevard Fall Crawl
October 06, 2019
Cost: $5 for BHS members and $10 for non-members
Time: 12:00pm to 2:00pm
After the success of our historic walking tour event in May, Bayside Historical Society welcomes local historian Jason Antos back for an all-new "Fall Crawl" event! We will meet at noon on Bell Boulevard and 42 Avenue in front of the Chase Bank to begin our crawl through the history of Bayside. Jason will beguile us with tales of yesteryear as we stroll through Bayside south of the railroad to the location of the former Snell Hotel at the corner of Bell and Northern Boulevards and then back to OSP for refreshments. We'll hear the stories behind the workers row houses, the cigar factory, The Woman's Club of Bayside, and landmarked buildings along the way. We encourage participants to bring their old photos of Bayside to share at the event!
Outside Meetup Location: Chase Bank, 41-22 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY 11361
Author Talk with Donna Gentle Spirit Barron
October 04, 2019
Cost: Free for BHS members; $5.00 for non-members
Time: 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Part of Bayside Historical Society's Author Talk at the Castle Series
Donna Gentle Spirit Barron is the family Historian and Genealogist for her Matinecock tribe, and a published author of five books on her family's native history. She will share the history of her family's nine generations in Little Neck and the Matinecock settlements that once were located in Bayside.
The evening will also feature the following honored guests, who will speak about their history and their craft:
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Matinecock Chief / Medicine Man Reggie Ceaser of the Turkey Clan
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Matinecock Chief Martin Jones of the Wolf Clan
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Chief Harry Wallace of the Unkechaug Nation
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Tecumseh Ceaser Matinecock Wampum Maker
Please join us to hear about the Native Americans who lived here in the past and in the present.
Living History at Fort Totten
September 29, 2019
Cost: FREE
Time: 10:00am to 4:00pm
Enter the camp of Company K of the 67th NY Infantry for a day of Civil War Living History at Fort Totten, where you can walk in the footsteps of Union soldiers and discover all aspects of life in the 1860s. Interact with the 67th NY and learn of lives of the soldiers they imitate: what they thought, how they ate, how they were clothed, how they fought, and how they endured through the greatest war in America's history. For more information, visit the 67th NY Infantry's website at www.newyorkcivilwar.com.
Open Sew at the Castle
September 21, 2019
Cost: $8 BHS members; $10 non-members
Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Do you quilt, sew or just love textiles? Join other sewing enthusiasts in an afternoon of creating and socializing. Bring something you are currently working on and enjoy the camaraderie of community sewing! While this is not a sewing class, beginner seamstresses and quilters are most welcome and will find inspiration and guidance. There are a limited number of sewing machines available, but please try to bring your own if you have one. Also, do not feel obligated to sew on a machine — hand work (cross-stitch, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, etc.) is always welcome!
80th Anniversary of the 1939-40 New York World's Fair
September 06, 2019
Cost: Free for BHS members; $5.00 for non-members
Time: 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Part of Bayside Historical Society's Author Talk at the Castle Series
Eighty years ago, our borough of Queens hosted one of the most memorable events in history: The New York World’s Fair. A world weary from the Great Depression turned its hopeful eyes to an optimistic view of the “WORLD OF TOMORROW,” and thrilled to the predictions of industrial and technological marvels that an exciting future held in store.
Bayside Historical Society is honored to host a presentation by World's Fair authority, expert, and author Bill Cotter. Join us for a trip back in time! Bill will be signing and selling copies of his book, "Images of America: The 1939-1940 New York World's Fair." Fun memorabilia and souvenirs will be on display!
Volunteers in the Vaults
September 05, 2019
Cost: FREE
Time: 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Bayside Historical Society will host this special Queens Memory event in our landmarked Castle at Fort Totten. Attendees will be able to engage with special treasures prepared for us by the BHS staff, and will have the chance to discuss their ideas for Queens-related oral history projects and network with Queens Memory volunteers and staff. Please join us!
Open Sew at the Castle
August 24, 2019
Cost: $8 BHS members; $10 non-members
Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Do you quilt, sew or just love textiles? Join other sewing enthusiasts in an afternoon of creating and socializing. Bring something you are currently working on and enjoy the camaraderie of community sewing! While this is not a sewing class, beginner seamstresses and quilters are most welcome and will find inspiration and guidance. There are a limited number of sewing machines available, but please try to bring your own if you have one. Also, do not feel obligated to sew on a machine — hand work (cross-stitch, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, etc.) is always welcome!
Open Sew at the Castle
July 27, 2019
Cost: $8 BHS members; $10 non-members
Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Do you quilt, sew or just love textiles? Join other sewing enthusiasts in an afternoon of creating and socializing. Bring something you are currently working on and enjoy the camaraderie of community sewing! While this is not a sewing class, beginner seamstresses and quilters are most welcome and will find inspiration and guidance. There are a limited number of sewing machines available, but please try to bring your own if you have one. Also, do not feel obligated to sew on a machine — hand work (cross-stitch, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, etc.) is always welcome!
5th Annual Independence Day Celebration
June 26, 2019
Cost: FREE
Time: 6:00pm to 9:30pm
Bayside Historical Society is hosting the 5th Annual Independence Day Celebration with a free concert and fireworks display by Grucci in Fort Totten Park. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs for an evening of community fun! Food vendors will be on site. Free parking and shuttle buses available! This event is sponsored by Councilmember Paul A. Vallone and Queens Borough President Melinda Katz.
80th Anniversary of the Whitestone Bridge
June 20, 2019
Cost: Free for BHS members; $5.00 for non-members
Time: 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Part of Bayside Historical Society's Author Talk at the Castle Series
2019 marks the 80th Anniversary of the Whitestone Bridge, which opened to traffic on April 29, 1939. Jason Antos, author of Images of America: Whitestone, will do a presentation on the remarkable history of this connection between Queens and the Bronx, and gateway to the 1939 World's Fair. Learn some fascinating facts as Jason chronicles this facet of Whitestone’s development.
Open Sew at the Castle
June 15, 2019
Cost: $8 BHS members; $10 non-members
Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Do you quilt, sew or just love textiles? Join other sewing enthusiasts in an afternoon of creating and socializing. Bring something you are currently working on and enjoy the camaraderie of community sewing! While this is not a sewing class, beginner seamstresses and quilters are most welcome and will find inspiration and guidance. There are a limited number of sewing machines available, but please try to bring your own if you have one. Also, do not feel obligated to sew on a machine — hand work (cross-stitch, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, etc.) is always welcome!
Planting Day at the Castle
June 15, 2019
Cost: FREE
Time: 10:00am to 12:00pm
Thanks to our Spring Garden Clean-Up volunteers, the Castle grounds have been weeded, raked, and cleared. Now it's time to beautify our gardens with new flowers and plants. Come join us for a day of planting — all levels of gardening expertise welcome!
From the Archives: Bayside Yacht Club
June 13, 2019
Cost: Free for BHS members; $5.00 for non-members
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Bayside Historical Society invites you to join us for the opening of our new exhibit series “From the Archives,” which will feature historically significant documents, artifacts, photographs, and other archival materials from our vast collections. The first installment of the series will showcase the history of the Bayside Yacht Club and its activities throughout the 20th Century.
Dermody Triangle Memorial Ceremony
May 31, 2019
Cost: FREE
Time: 7:30pm to 8:15pm
Please join Bayside Historical Society and honored guests at Dermody Triangle, the site of one of NYC’s oldest war memorials, as we lay a wreath to honor the memory of Baysider Captain William C. Dermody and all those who bravely fought in the Civil War.
Captain William C. Dermody was an outspoken abolitionist who was mortally wounded at the Civil War Battle of Spotsylvania, Virginia in May 1864. He volunteered with the 67th New York Infantry and served in Company K, the first regiment of Long Island volunteers. In 1866, the Dermody Triangle site was dedicated to the memory of Captain Dermody by a ceremonial meeting of a Union and Confederate veteran, each planting a special tree: a maple to represent the North and a sycamore to represent the South. The trees were to grow together as a symbol of the communal hope for a better union. To this effect, a monument was placed in the square with the inscription “For a Better Union 1861-1865,” which remains there today.
Representatives from Company K, 67th New York Infantry, will attend the ceremony on May 30th in period-correct Civil War uniforms and include an honor guard carrying a reproduction of their Regimental Flag and drummer during a "present arms" salute. The 67th New York will share about the mission and activities of their living history organization, including their well-regarded educational programs in schools.
Outside Meetup Location:
Captain Dermody Triangle, 216th Street & 48th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11364
Photo courtesy of The 67th NYVI (First Long Island Volunteers)
Bell Boulevard History Crawl
May 18, 2019
Cost: $5 for BHS members and $10 for non-members
Time: 12:00pm to 2:00pm
Historian Jason D. Antos takes you on a "then and now" journey through numerous points of interest along Bell Boulevard in Bayside. We'll be meeting up at the Cobblestone House on 36th Avenue & Bell Blvd. and working our way to the Bayside LIRR Train Station. Enjoy a fun afternoon with fellow history buffs and learn about the rich cultural heritage of our neighborhood!
Outside Meetup Location: 35-34 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY 11361
Our history walk will honor the memory of Bayside Historical Society’s beloved board member, Alexandria Dunne.
Spring Garden Clean-Up at the Castle
May 04, 2019
Cost: FREE
Time: 10:00am to 12:00pm
Help Bayside Historical Society celebrate Earth Day by making our garden beautiful again! We’ll be clearing out last year’s weeds and old plants and refreshing the beds with new flowers and plants.
Open Sew at the Castle
May 04, 2019
Cost: $8 BHS members; $10 non-members
Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Do you quilt, sew or just love textiles? Join other sewing enthusiasts in an afternoon of creating and socializing. Bring something you are currently working on and enjoy the camaraderie of community sewing! While this is not a sewing class, beginner seamstresses and quilters are most welcome and will find inspiration and guidance. There are a limited number of sewing machines available, but please try to bring your own if you have one. Also, do not feel obligated to sew on a machine — hand work (cross-stitch, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, etc.) is always welcome!
Native American Story Time and Craft
April 27, 2019
Cost: $5 per child/$15 maximum per family
Time: 12:00pm to 2:00pm
Come and join Bayside Historical Society for a very special family event on Saturday, April 27! In celebration of Mother Earth (Earth Day), Author Donna Gentle Spirit Barron — a Matinecock Family Historian and Genealogist — will show the children how to make Mother Earth Storytelling necklaces with beads and lead them in the art of storytelling, a Matinecock Tradition. Storytelling is suitable for all ages. Younger children will be assisted with the craft.
Spring Crafts for Kids
March 23, 2019
Cost: $5 per child/$15 maximum per family
Time: 12:00pm to 2:00pm
Join us in welcoming spring at the Castle! Families are invited to create spring crafts, share a snack, and participate in other spring activities. Crafts are suitable for children ages 4-12. Preregistration is preferred, but walk-ins are welcome.
BHS Annual Membership Meeting
March 21, 2019
Cost: Free for BHS members and $5 for non-members
Time: 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Election of BHS Board of Trustees and Installation Ceremony, plus Volunteer Recognition. Our meeting will feature Irish music & refreshments to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, including performances by The Malone Men, Ken Curtin, and the Fitzpatrick Academy of Irish Dance.
Open Sew at the Castle
March 16, 2019
Cost: $8 BHS members; $10 non-members
Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Do you quilt, sew or just love textiles? Join other sewing enthusiasts in an afternoon of creating and socializing. Bring something you are currently working on and enjoy the camaraderie of community sewing! While this is not a sewing class, beginner seamstresses and quilters are most welcome and will find inspiration and guidance. There are a limited number of sewing machines available, but please try to bring your own if you have one. Also, do not feel obligated to sew on a machine — hand work (cross-stitch, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, etc.) is always welcome!
Open Sew at the Castle
February 16, 2019
Cost: $8 BHS members; $10 non-members
Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Do you quilt, sew or just love textiles? Join other sewing enthusiasts in an afternoon of creating and socializing. Bring something you are currently working on and enjoy the camaraderie of community sewing! While this is not a sewing class, beginner seamstresses and quilters are most welcome and will find inspiration and guidance. There are a limited number of sewing machines available, but please try to bring your own if you have one. Also, do not feel obligated to sew on a machine — hand work (cross-stitch, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, etc.) is always welcome!
Sunday Jazz Brunch
February 10, 2019
Cost: $40 BHS members; $45 non-members
Time: 12:00pm to 3:00pm
Liven up those winter doldrums with our Valentine buffet and the smooth jazz stylings of The Carl Bartlett, Jr. Quartet. Plus, try your luck with our 50/50 drawing!
Reservations are required. Please RSVP by February 5, 2019. Purchase your tickets online or call 718-352-1548.
Valentine Crafts
February 02, 2019
Cost: $5 per child/$15 maximum per family
Time: 12:00pm to 2:00pm
Come join us at the Castle for Valentine crafts, activities and snacks. Crafts are suitable for children ages 4-12. RSVP online or call 718-352-1548.
BHS 18th Annual Winter Art Show
January 13, 2019
Cost: Free for BHS members; $5 non-members
Our annual Winter Art Show features contemporary Queens artists working in all media. The registration deadline is Saturday, December 29, 2018. Artists may exhibit up to two works. Get all the details and find out how to submit your artwork!
Opening Reception: Sunday, January 13, 2019 at 2:00pm
On View: January 13-27, 2019
Hours: Thursday-Friday, 10:00am-4:00pm; Saturday-Sunday, 12:00-4:00pm
Admission: Free for BHS members; $5 non-members