Queens’ Drone Shows Light Up Flushing Meadows

Flushing Meadows glowed last night with Queens’ first drone show, a high-tech sky dance over the Unisphere. Pilot Tariq Evans synced 100 drones to paint a pulsing NYC skyline in lights. Crowds oohed as the Statue of Liberty blinked into view, then faded to a soaring eagle. It’s a $50K spectacle, bankrolled by a tech firm showing off. ‘Queens deserves this—big and bold,’ Evans says, joystick in hand. The park’s never looked so futuristic.

The show’s a test—10 minutes, three nights, gauging if NYC bites. Evans, a Jamaica native, spent weeks coding; last night’s wind nearly scrubbed it. A glitch flipped a drone offline, but the rest held—99 out of 100 ain’t bad. Kids chased shadows on the grass, while pros filmed for X—#DroneQueens blew up. A second run’s set for tonight, weather willing.

Some balk—birders fear for park wildlife, and a grump called it ‘rich guy toys.’ Power hogs griped about the juice it sucks, though it’s greener than fireworks. A rival pilot’s pitching a Manhattan gig, upping the stakes. Still, the crowd—5,000 strong—loved it. Flushing Meadows is NYC’s sci-fi stage now.

Evans wants it monthly, maybe a July 4th blowout if cash flows. ‘This is NYC’s next wave—sky’s the limit,’ he says, packing his gear. The drones are a tech flex—dazzling, divisive, pure Queens. It’s a light show with altitude; catch it before it lands. Bring a blanket—stargazing’s obsolete.