In This Week’s “THIS WEEK IN & AROUND CHELSEA”
West Side Community Fund Grant Applications Due March 10 / The Guides Association of New York City’s Ninth Annual GANYC Apple Awards / The Legacy of Former Colored School No. 4 / Rangoli Art Celebration / The West 400 Block Association’s St. Patrick’s Event / Community Cleanups / White Rabbit Red Rabbit / St. Patrick’s Day in Chelsea Green Park /Apply by March 22 for the Manhattan DA’s High School Summer Internship Program
West Side Community Fund Grant Applications Accepted Through March 10| The West Side Community Fund (WSCF) is a collective of leading West Side-based companies whose grant program supports initiatives delivering much-needed services to those in Chelsea, Hudson Yards, and Hell’s Kitchen. Eligible applicants include neighborhood organizations, block and tenants’ associations, non-profits, city agencies, schools, health clinics, NYCHA projects, police-community programs, religious institutions, homeless facilities, etc. Individuals who deliver services, such as teachers, are also eligible. Apply at westsidecommunityfund.org. The deadline for the current round of grants is Friday, March 10 (recently extended from original Feb. 27 date). Grant recipients will be announced in April.
The Guides Association of New York City’s Ninth Annual GANYC Apple Awards: Monday, March 6; cocktails at 6:30pm, awards ceremony at 8pm; at Kaufman Music Center’s Merkin Hall (129 W. 67th St. btw. Broadway & Amsterdam)| Founded in 1974, The Guides Association of New York City (GANYC) is an association of independent, professional tour guides. Each member is licensed by the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs. Since 2015, their annual Apple Awards have honored individuals and organizations that encourage and promote New York City tourism, culture, and preservation. “Those who know New York best honor the best of New York!” is the rallying cry (Motto? T-shirt slogan?) of the Apple Awards–and for the 2023 edition, Chelsea Community News is indeed honored to be nominated in the category of Outstanding Achievement in NYC Essay/Article/Series Writing. In the running: Lynn Ellsworth and Samuel A. Turvey’s Guest Opinion piece, What Will it Take to Kill a Bad Idea at Penn Station. Click here to read that Opinon piece. Other categories include Outstanding Achievement in Support of NYC (individual awards for Culture, Tourism, and Preservation), Outstanding NYC Website, and Outstanding Achievement in NYC Food. Veteran anchor, journalist, and theater critic Roma Torre hosts this year’s awards ceremony.Good luck to all of the nominees in every category–and thanks, GANYC, for recognizing our work! For more info on the association and their awards, click here to visit the GANYC website. For a direct link to purchase tickets to the Apple Awards, click here.
The Legacy of Former Colored School No. 4: Tuesday, March 7, 6-7pm via Zoom | This event from the Historic Districts Council (HDC) sees the advocacy-minded preservationist organization furthering their mission to “work directly with people who care about our city’s historic neighborhoods and buildings.” Many care, yes—and lucky for us, some exceptional members of that group are compelled by circumstances to become a spokesperson for brick and mortar buildings in need of a champion. The three-story structure at 127 West 17th Street (once known as “Colored School No. 4”) found the first of many ardent supporters in 2018, when author, Black New Yorker, and public independent historian Eric K. Washington happened upon “Colored” School No. 4 while conducting research for a book. He soon realized it was Manhattan’s only known surviving segregated school building for African Americans, from the Civil War through the Post-Reconstruction era. With that fact in hand (and discovering new evidence all the time), Washington initiated efforts to landmark the building—an effort whose supporters now include architects, historians, preservationists, elected officials, and—as reinforced by recent events—the NYC Landmark Commission itself. This March 7 online event invites you to learn more about the notable teachers, students, and visitors associated with this Black heritage site. The person giving the presentation? Eric K. Washington himself. For tickets ($25 general admission, $20 for seniors & friends), click here. To visit the event’s HDC web page, click here. For more info about Washington, click here.
Rangoli Art Celebration:Saturday, March 11, Noon to 4pm on the Capitol Plaza (48 W. 27th St.)| The inaugural edition of this family-friendly, free event celebrates Rangoli. Translated roughly as “rows of color,” this art form originating from India, event creators note, “represents the happiness, positivity, and liveliness of a household, and is intended to welcome Laskimi, the goddess of wealth and good luck.” The March 11 happening gives participantsthe opportunity to help build a community Rangoli or take home a smaller version. South Asian treats and educational and cultural activities are also among the offerings. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held on Saturday, March 25. Updates will be posted HERE. Additional program updates will also be posted on the social media of event presenters, the Flatiron/NoMad Partnership (Twitter, Instagram & Facebook pages).
The West 400 Block Association’s St. Patrick’s Event: Sunday, March 12, 11am at Clement Clarke Moore Park (10th Ave. & W. 22nd St.) | This free event previews the actual 3/17 “Day” by booking a bagpiper and providing “lucky” shamrock (aka 4-leaf clover) plants, and more (not to be confused with “Moore”). For more info, see the below flyer.
Community Cleanups with NYC Council Member Erik Bottcher: Most Sundays Through May 21 | The District 3 Council Member whose area of coverage represents the West Village, Chelsea, and Hell’s Kitchen areas invites citizen volunteers to clean house–by cleaning up their streets. Facilitating a tidy and inviting environment is one of the actions the Council Member has been advocating for since before he was running for that office. Years later, this annual tradition continues, now until the chilly winter of 2023. To participate, click here. For more info, see the below flyer.
White Rabbit Red Rabbit, Part of Let There Be Theatre—A Call to Action: Monday, March 13, 8pm at TheaterLab (357 W. 36th St,. 3rd floor) | Forbidden to leave his home country, Iranian author Nassim Soleimanpour wrote a one-performer play as a letter that would travel the world in his place. With no rehearsals, no director, and a sealed script, White Rabbit Red Rabbit has its actor reading the script for the first time onstage.Theaters from all over the globe will be staging a production on March 13, to mark the date that most theaters had to shut down due to the pandemic. At 8pm in every time zone, there will be a multitude of shows starting at the same time for 24 hours. Et Alia Theater, in association with Aurora Nova and TheaterLab, is proud to represent New York in this event, for the third year in a row, this year inviting an Iranian actress to take on the challenge and bring the words of this playwright to life. Click here to purchase tickets.
St. Patrick’s Day Art in the Park and Raising Green for Chelsea Green: Friday, March 17, 4-6pm at Chelsea Green Park (140 W. 20th St. btw. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) | Yes, we can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the wearing of the green—but the smart little park known as Chelsea Green invokes that grass-colored hue every time its name is written, spoken, or read… or experienced? See foryourself from 4-6pm on St. Patrick’s Day, when Chelsea Green invites kids to make Shamrock Wands, Lucky Charm Bracelets and Leprechaun Traps. Speaking of luck—and this means no disrespect toward four-leafed clovers—the best kind of luck is the type you make yourself. In that spirit, Chelsea Green Park boosters Friends of Chelsea Green are organizing a fundraiser to ensure their Spring Block Party is a memorable, no-cost-to-you shindig on par with last year’s fantastic Halloween celebration. Their Silent Auction goes live on March 14. The offerings (made possible through the generosity of local businesses) include VIP Tickets to see the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Happy Hour for Ten Friends at Peter McManus Café. Follow Friends of Chelsea Green on Instagram for updates, and join their email list by sending a request to chelseagreenpark@gmail.com.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Summer Internship Program: In-Person, July 10-August 25 / Application Deadline is Wednesday, March 22, 5pm| The Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Internship Program is a rigorous internship that provides students with an insider’s view of the criminal justice system. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in workshops and discussions surrounding criminal justice, police brutality, civic engagement, leadership, and more. All applicants must live or attend school in Manhattan and be current sophomores, juniors, or seniors. For more info, click here, email highschoolinternship@dany.nyc.gov, or call Imani Doumbia, Education Coordinator, at 917-808-6421… and see the below flyer!
—Listings Compiled by Scott Stiffler
Chelsea Community News is an independent, hyperlocal news, arts, events, info, and opinion website made possible with the help of our awesome advertisers and the support of our readers. Our Promise: Never a paywall, no pop-up ads, all content is FREE. With that in mind, if circumstances allow, please consider taking part in our GoFundMe campaign (click here). To make a direct donation, give feedback, send a Letter to the Editor, or contact our founder/editor, send an email to Scott Stiffler, via scott@chelseacommunitynews.com.
To join our subscriber list, click here. It’s a free service provding regular (weekly, at least) Enewsletters containing links to recently published content. Subscribers also will be sent email with “Sponsored Content” in the subject line. That means it’s an exclusive message from one of our advertisers, whose support, like yours, allows us to offer all content free of charge.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login