If you were wondering why the Empire State Building was lit up red and green last night, it's in honor of the 20th Annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival taking place at Meadow Lake in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. Yesterday's opening ceremonies kicked off the event, which runs through the end of the day today. There are musical events, arts and crafts tents and Kung Fu demonstrations, but the part most people come to see are the dragon boats themselves. more ›

Advocates have been pushing for years to make swimming in the Hudson River a reality for New Yorkers, but one career thief has been doing his part to get the NYPD to explore the possibilities of entering into other local waters that would normally be avoided. Yesterday a police diver went into the 50-degree water of Meadow Lake in Fresh Meadows Park for four hours to fish out four ATMs that were allegedly dumped there by Valentin Garcia, who had been arrested for grand larceny after getting caught lifting the ATMs right into a van, seen in the clip below. more ›

The police say two teenagers have confessed to robbing, beating, and even killing various parkgoers late November. Belter Yovanni Gubara Rivera and Marco Polanco were arrested; 17 year old Rivera was charged with four counts of robbery and the murder of Ecuadoran immigrant Carloes Flores while 17 year old Polanco was charged with four counts of robbery and attempted murder. more ›

With the weather so nice, it's the perfect opportunity to head to Flushing today to check out the final day of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York. Today's races have already started, but the event lasts until 6 p.m., with the last race scheduled for 5:09 (it will undoubtedly be running late). If watching various teams compete in dragon boats from the shores of Meadow Lake in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, there will also be a dumpling eating contest at noon today. more ›

Cue the Jaws music: The snakehead is here! A snakehead fish was found in Queens. Oh, yes, at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park's Meadow Lake, biologists found a couple of the "voracious" snakeheads there. Gothamist remembers when we would read these wild Washington Post articles in 2002 that would get more and more hysterical as more and more snakeheads seems to be spotted. Snakeheads apparently eat everything in its environment, thusly taking over a lake and depleting any other kinds of life there, and officials think that the snakeheads were originally imported from China (of course, as many nutty things seem to originate there) to be future cheap, dish dinners (of course). Biologists will be looking to make sure all the snakeheads are gone, and Gothamist prays they do - rumor has it they can walk out of water, perhaps trying to usurp alligators at the new urban legend. more ›

It's the 13th Annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival. Festivites and races take place today and tomorrow, from 9AM- 5PM, at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Meadow Lake. (Take the 7 train to Willets Point - Shea Stadium; then walk or take the trolley...check courtesy desk Unfortunately, subway maintenance limits service to Willets Point - thanks reader David). There are races, Dragon parades, arts & crafts... more ›