MOMA PS1
FOREST HILLS STADIUM
Built in 1923 to host the U.S. Open’s center court matches in
conjunction with the nearby West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills
Stadium had its first heyday in the 1960s and 1970s, when it was
also an iconic concert venue. Not only did Arthur Ashe and Chris
Evert win Grand Slam tennis championships there, but the Beatles
played two consecutive sold-out shows there in 1964. The Doors
and Simon & Garfunkel, graduates of Forest Hills High School,
did a double bill in 1967. Even Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand,
and Diana Ross performed there before the venue shut down in the
mid 1990s due to financial concerns.
As West Side Tennis Club continued operation, Forest Hills
Stadium lay dormant until undergoing a roughly $3 million
renovation in 2013 that included a complete structural overhaul,
seat replacement, and the installation of a state-of-the-art stage.
The site re-opened in August of that year with a concert by British
rock band Mumford & Sons. Since then, it’s attracted a wide range
of musical performers, including The Who, Van Morrison, and
Carlos Santana.
Inside scoop: The stadium is located right off the E, M, F, R
subway lines as well as a Long Island Rail Road stop. Because
it’s located in a residential neighborhood, public transportation is
definitely the best way to go as parking in the area is very limited.
Address: One Tennis Place, Forest Hills,
www.foresthillsstadium.com.
GREATER ASTORIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Chartered in 1985, the Greater Astoria Historical Society is
a never-ending source of guest speakers, tour guides, slide
presentations, and rental space. The nonprofit runs the gamut
between preserving and remembering the past while promoting
and preparing for the future. The society makes frequent
presentations to groups at its 750-square-foot, 75-guest-capacity
lecture hall, but members also speak in schools and at parties.
Discussion topics can be as varied as local beer gardens, the
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Forest Hills Stadium