Rockaway Celebrates the Beach Opening

By Katie McFadden

The beaches are open for the season! On the chilly and overcast morning of Friday, May 23, NYC Parks officials, elected officials, community leaders and members gathered at Beach 17th Street for the annual Rockaway Beach opening ceremony. The event sent a reminder to only swim when lifeguards are on duty and served as a celebration of some new initiatives and as a sendoff for NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue, who will be resigning later this year.

The opening event included performances by the Queens College Jazz Quartet, the Queens Carnival Dancers, Stan’s Pepper Steppers and more, as Dredsurfer Grill served up cool drinks and good eats to celebrate. There were also speeches by NYC Parks Commissioner Donoghue, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato, Assemblyman Khaleel Anderson, Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers, Councilman Shekar Krishnan of the City Council Parks Committee, CB14 District Manager Felicia Johnson, Dr. Shoni Rozenberg of Episcopal Health Services and Kate Krause of Rising Tide Effect, plus Comptroller Brad Lander even made an appearance.

NYC Parks Queens Borough Commissioner Jacqueline Langsam kicked off the speeches. She said, “This was my beach when I was a kid. It’s great to be here at Rockaway Beach to kick off the 2025 summer season. Rockway Beach is 7.5 miles long and has a five-mile-long boardwalk. This makes Rockaway not only the biggest beach in the city but the largest urban beach in the United States. It’s the only city beach facing the Atlantic Ocean and the city’s only surfing beach. It’s not just these things that make Rockaway Beach a special place, it’s the residents who call it home, the Rockaway community who makes it special.” She acknowledged the presence of John Ryan, a 91-year-old lifeguard in the audience. She then introduced Commissioner Donoghue, saying, “Sue Donoghue had made green a primary color.”

“I am so excited to join you all today to kick off the beach season. We all know there really is no other beach or community in the city quite like this one and we are thrilled to welcome New Yorkers and visitors back to our free public beaches for another summer of fun,” Donoghue said. “There are so many reasons why Rockaway Beach holds such a special place in the hearts of New Yorkers, from features like the incredible surfing beaches, the beautiful boardwalk or the delicious and diverse cuisine. Truly, Rockaway Beach offers something for everyone. And NYC Parks has accomplished so much in recent years to continue making Rockaway one of the most desirable destinations, if not in NYC but the country.” She mentioned some new additions like the opening of Nameoke Park and the award-winning Beach 98th playground. She also shared a message that many others shared, “We ask that people only swim when lifeguards are on duty and follow their directions.”

Richards called Rockaway, “the best beach on the eastern seaboard. This promises to be another incredible season for swimming, surfing, relaxing, birding, eating and drinking from Beach 3rd to Beach 149th Street. Life in the Rockaways keeps getting better for residents thanks to our investments in housing, playgrounds, hospitals and our libraries.” He spoke of the return of the A train, the Rockaway Reserve and Rocket ferry services, and the new bike ramp on the Cross Bay Bridge. He acknowledged the mother of Elijah Chandler, one of 12 people to drown around city beaches last year. “Thank you for turning your pain into purpose,” Richards told her, before reminding everyone to only swim when lifeguards are on duty. To help address the drowning issue, Richards mentioned Donoghue’s commitment of $10 million toward a $64 million indoor/outdoor pool facility coming to Arverne East in the future, before presenting her with a proclamation for her service.

Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato also thanked Donoghue and discussed all the ways she’s working at the state level to address things like drownings. Assemblyman Anderson addressed his mother and Brooks-Powers’ mother’s birthdays and presented a cake for all to enjoy. He also dropped one of his classic jokes to bring some laughs to the overcast day. “A duck walks into a pharmacy and buys ChapStick. The cashier asks, ‘will that be cash or charge?’ The duck says, ‘Neither, just put it on my bill.’” He acknowledged new NYC Parks Rockaway Administrator Elizabeth Walsack and Deputy Rockaway Administrator Khalil Bratton for all of their hard work. He also reminded folks to support the concessions and acknowledged Charles Jacobs, owner of DredSurfer, in the audience. “I hope you stay here, play here, eat here and enjoy our beaches,” he concluded.

Councilwoman Brooks-Powers thanked Parks for not banning bikes on the boardwalk. “I want to thank the Parks Department for listening to the community voices and continuing to allow cyclists on the boardwalk this summer,” she said. She also acknowledged DredSurfer, saying, “In Rockaway, on this side, we have the only minority-run concession in the city and that is Dredsurfer, which is owned by a resident in the district.” She then presented a $3 million check from City Council for the remodel of the concession bathroom at Beach 17th Street.

Johnson made the much-welcomed announcement that Edgemere Avenue would finally be open later that day after a 20-month closure. Rozenberg said EHS and Impact Melanoma will once again be providing free sunscreen in dispensers around the boardwalk this summer. Lastly, Krause of Rising Tide Effect announced their Water Wise campaign, a public safety campaign around the city’s subways and other areas, to provide water safety tips to New Yorkers and visitors. The message of the day was “Respect the rip.” She advised folks to remember to “relax, raise your hand and ride the current out,” if they get caught in a dangerous rip current.

Rockaway Beach officially opened with lifeguards on duty on Saturday, May 24.

Photos by Katie McFadden.