Evening Under The Sphere: The Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park Announces 2025 Gala on September 30

Image Courtesy of Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park

–Gala Proceeds Will Help Plan the Next 25 Years for Flushing Meadows Corona Park 

–AFMCP Reveals 2025 Honorees–Human Spirit Award Celebrates Dedication to Queens

–New Alliance-funded Report from the Center for an Urban Future Focuses on Developing a Vision for Flushing Meadows Corona Park

The Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park announced that its annual benefit, Evening Under the Sphere, will be held this fall in the park, under the world famous Unisphere on Tuesday, September 30, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. A festive evening full of park enthusiasts celebrating those dedicated to our local community, Evening Under the Sphere features entertainment, dancing and unlimited food and beverages from over a dozen of our favorite Queens Night Market eateries. (See list below.) Tickets are on sale now. 

Funds raised at Evening Under the Sphere 2025 will support the Alliance’s public programming and the new Vision 2050 planning project for the park. Vision 2050 is a roadmap and strategic plan designed to secure FMCP’s future as a vital community resource. The Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park has taken the first step by commissioning an in-depth policy report from the Center for an Urban Future. 

This publication, titled The Park Queens Deserves, aims to spark a community-wide conversation that will directly inform a strategic plan for the park, ensuring it continues to meet the needs of Queens residents. The Alliance is calling on local partners and media to support this initiative and help shape the future of this beloved borough landmark. The second phase of Vision 2050 will focus on community engagement, using direct feedback and survey data to identify popular capital priorities and develop community-first programming. 

“We are so excited to welcome everyone to FMCP for this wonderful celebration. Evening Under the Sphere is not only an opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate, but it is our primary fundraiser for the Alliance which supports so many of the dynamic programs we run annually,” said Anthony Sama, Executive Director of the Alliance and FMCP Administrator. “This year we are hoping to raise a record amount to help grow and invest in the future of this great park.” 

This is a night where we show our gratitude to the people who keep our parks beautiful, the leaders who have dedicated themselves to Queens, and, with the support of the Queens Night Market and local business partners, throw a fantastic party!” says Sama.  

Confirmed Queens Night Market vendors include:

• Italian Sweets by DiLena’s
• Jamaican Jerk Chicken from Treat Yourself Jerk
• Grenadian Food from Ella Spice Catering
• Pan-Fried Noodles by Hong Kong Street Food  
• Colombian Arepas by Arepalicious 
• Argentine Sandwiches by Super Chori
• Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken by Bstro
• Mexican Tacos by Tacos El Guero
• Hawaiian Musubi by Eemas Cuisine
• Korean BBQ by Lettuce Meat 
• Polish Pierogies by Matylda’s Food 
• Indian Roomali Rolls, by Chomu Chacha 
• Pizza Bagels by Pizza Bagel NYC

Beer and Wine will be provided courtesy of Queens Night Market, SingleCut Beersmiths, and Monsieur Touton. 

Guests will be able to participate in a World’s Fair-themed photo booth and dance to live music from Jet City throughout the night. 

The diverse array of food and beverages offered to Evening Under the Sphere guests are provided by Queens Night Market, whose culinary contributions have defined the annual fundraiser from its inception. 

Information about the Alliance’s programming and supporters can be found at allianceforfmcp.org/programs. 

Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park Awards

A key highlight of the Evening Under the Sphere is AFMCP’s Freedom of the Human Spirit Award which this year will honor Patricia Ornst, Managing Director of State and Local Affairs at Delta Airlines and Tom Russell, Founder of Governor’s Ball (Gov Ball) for their work to benefit Queens communities.

Delta Airlines is receiving the award in recognition of their $4 billion investment into Queens via the LaGuardia Airport Terminal C transformation and strong civic engagement through regular employee volunteer projects at the park’s Flushing Bay waterfront. Patricia Ornst is also one of the Alliance’s longest serving Board members, leading the organization from its early beginnings. 

Gov Ball’s award commemorates the festival’s third successful year in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, where it has turned the park into one of New York City’s premier outdoor music venues. Through its philanthropic initiative, Gov Ball Gives Back, the festival has supported the park’s volunteer community with free tickets for dedicated volunteers and a novel charitable contribution of $1 for every ticket sold, inspired by a policy proposal from the Center for an Urban Future. 

AFMCP also will present the third Claire Shulman Award for Public Service, created in memory of Former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman. The award will go to Jean Silva, a dedicated steward of the park who served as President of the Alliance’s Community Advisory Board.

Jean has volunteered countless hours to the Pat Dolan Trail and other initiatives around FMCP. Jean’s commitments also extend to her public advocacy, exemplified in her service on the Alliance’s Community Advisory Board and the borough’s Community Board 6. Stewardship Team projects and the maintenance of Flushing Meadows Corona Park’s Natural Areas are supported by generous grant funding from Consolidated Edison, Citizens Bank, and the City Parks Foundation. 

The Freedom of the Human Spirit Award 

Named for the iconic bronze statue sculpted by Marshall Fredericks for the New York World’s Fair of 1964-65, this award celebrates outstanding work done by civic and community organizations that have positively impacted Flushing Meadows Corona Park and its communities.

2024 Honorees

New York City FC, represented by COO Jennifer O’Sullivan. NYCFC was recognized for their dedication to fostering a healthy, prosperous athletic community all over New York City through their nonprofit organization City in the Community. In Flushing Meadows Corona Park, they have improved access to soccer facilities by building a mini-pitch near the Fountain of the Planets, donated tickets to the Alliance’s volunteer programs, and planned their own park clean-up events in coordination with FMCP’s Stewardship Team. In addition, New York City FC have chosen to make Willets Point their permanent home and will continue to be a fixture of the Queens community for years to come.

Consolidated Edison (Con Edison), represented by Project Manager Jackson Koo. Con Edison is one of the Alliance’s oldest supporters, going back to the founding of AFMCP in 2015. Since then, Con Edison has been a champion of the park’s Natural Areas Stewardship and Environmental Education initiatives. In particular, the care of Flushing Meadows Corona Park’s Pat Dolan Trail and waterfront on Flushing Bay has been bolstered by continued grant funding from Con Edison. In recent years, the Alliance and Con Edison have placed an emphasis on Stewardship projects that improve the park’s role as a climate change mitigator for Queens. One of the most successful results of this has been the park’s rain gardens and bioswales that combat flooding from severe weather. 

The second annual Claire Shulman Award for Public Service was presented to Christopher Caltieri, one of the park’s most dedicated Super Stewards who supported innumerable volunteer initiatives throughout the coronavirus pandemic. 

2023 Honorees

In 2023, the Alliance honored the Association for a Better New York and LaGuardia Gateway Partners with the Freedom of the Human Spirit Award. They received this in recognition of their many contributions to the Borough of Queens and the cultivation of strong civic engagement in the community. 

The inaugural Claire Shulman Award for Public Service was presented to the New York State Pavilion Paint Project. This all-volunteer team dedicated themselves to the restoration of Philip Johnson’s monumental World’s Fair structure. 

2022 Honorees

In 2022, the Alliance honored the following hospitals with the Spirit Award: Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, New York Presbyterian Queens, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. They were recognized for their heroic work during the COVID-19 pandemic and for their community-driven philanthropic efforts.

The Claire Shulman Award for Public Service 

In 2023, the Alliance posthumously dedicated an award in honor of former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman. During the Borough President’s 16-year tenure she was a relentless advocate for Flushing Meadows Corona Park and all Queens residents. The Claire Shulman Award for Public Service honors her lifelong dedication to bettering Queens and fostering the public servants of the future.

To purchase tickets and for more information about this year’s Evening Under the Sphere, visit the 2024 Eventbrite page.

About the Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park

The Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park, launched in November 2015, is a public-private partnership created to support Flushing Meadows Corona Park with enhanced programming and services. The Alliance board is made up of civic, business and community leaders. Funds raised by the Alliance go directly into the park, unlike monies generated by the City, which goes into the General Fund. allianceforfmcp.org 

About Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Queens’ flagship park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park was officially designated a City park June 3, 1967. Visited by approximately nine million people annually, the 898-acre space is home to several cultural institutions (Queens Theatre, New York Hall of Science, Queens Zoo and the Queens Museum) and some of New York City’s most famous sporting venues (Citi Field and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center). The park provides free, open space in the heart of Queens providing access to athletic fields, picnic and barbecue areas, wetlands, meadows, lakes, and playgrounds, as well as free concerts, outdoor movies, walking tours and nature hikes for its highly diverse surrounding communities. As the original site of both New York City World’s Fairs, the park is still home to 40 World’s Fair sites and structures throughout its grounds.