Woodside, Queens : NYC Tourist Guide

Woodside

Woodside is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is bordered on the south by Maspeth, on the north by Astoria, on the west by Sunnyside and on the east by Elmhurst and Jackson Heights. Its ZIP code is 11377. Some areas are widely residential and very quiet, while others (especially closer to Roosevelt Avenue) are more urban. The neighborhood is located in Community Board 1. In the 19th century the area was part of the Town of Newtown (now Elmhurst). The adjacent area of Winfield was largely incorporated into the post office serving Woodside and as a consequence Winfield lost much of its identity distinct from Woodside.

Throughout its history, Woodside has been the largest Irish American community in Queens, and has a large number of Irish expatriates. In the early 1930s, the area was approximately 80% Irish. Woodside has served as the primary destination for more recent immigrants from Ireland as well, with many arriving in the mid-eighties searching for economic opportunities in New York City. Even as the neighborhood has seen growth in ethnic diversity today, the area still retains a strong Irish-American presence with many Irish, although the growth in the Irish economy since the mid-1990s has slowed the arrival of new Irish. There are Irish pubs/restaurants scattered in Woodside.

In the late 1990s, many Asian American families moved into the area, particularly east of the 61st Street station. Woodside's population is now 39% Asian-American. Woodside has a large population of Koreans, Chinese and Filipinos (see Koreatown, Chinatown, and Filipinotown), each with their own respective ethnic enclaves. There are also sizable numbers of South Asians, particularly Indian, Bengali, and Pakistani groups, as well as a large Hispanic-American population, mostly immigrants from Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.

Reflecting its longtime Irish flavor, the neighborhood is filled with Irish pubs, many catering to natives of particular cities and regions in Ireland. It is also home to some of the city's most popular Thai, Filipino, Colombian and Ecuadorian eateries. A rather unofficial Little Manila stretches from 65th-71st Streets at the strip of Roosevelt Avenue, where many Filipino businesses have flocked to serve Woodside's large Filipino-American community.

Woodside's diversity lends itself to a number of festivals and street fairs. It commemorates Saint Patrick's Day with a parade prior to the famous celebration in Manhattan; it also hosts several events in the summer, including an Independence Day street fair.

The neighborhood has many places of worship, as well as many schools (including PS 11, PS 12, PS 151, PS 152, PS 229, IS 125, Corpus Christi Elementary School, and Saint Sebastian's Elementary School). The parks in the area include Windmueller Park, Big Bush Park , and Laurel Hill Park.

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