Queens’ Pop-Up Book Fair Flips in Astoria

Astoria paged last night with Queens’ Pop-Up Book Fair, browsing NYC’s spring at a 30th Avenue lot. Curator Tariq Evans stacked tomes as 300 shopped, a $5 ticket haul of reads. It’s borough tales—pure Queens vibe, spines hot. A kid nabbed a comic; a pro bagged a novel. ‘Queens reads—this is it,’ Evans says, sorting stacks. The stalls turned library.

The fair’s fresh—March 16’s start, it tripled since RSVPs, packing rows by noon. Evans, a LIC bookworm; last night’s crowd hit max—pages turned. A latecomer nabbed a spot; dust flew—NYC grit glowed. Runs one day—words ruled. #QueensBooks trended; Brooklyn wants a shelf.

Some griped—’Too packed,’ sniped a newbie, dodging elbows. Wind flipped—tables held; finds rolled. A rival’s pitching a Flushing fair, splitting spines. Still, 400 stayed—tomes reigned. Astoria’s never flipped so bold.

Evans hints at a monthly run, maybe a swap if spring bites. ‘NYC’s mind—this feeds it,’ he says, packing crates. The fair’s a Queens win—grit meets prose. It’s a book rush; catch the next. Bring a bag—reads call.