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Hundreds of New Yorkers ate lunch on the street, with a table of dishes taking up an entire block

'07.10.2024'

ForumDaily New York

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On October 6, hundreds of New Yorkers gathered around a block-long table in Chelsea for the third annual Longest Table party. NYPost tells how foodies from Chelsea, Harlem, New Jersey and Lithuania broke bread to strengthen community ties.

"We live in such a big city that it's easy to walk past people just talking about 'how's the weather,'" said longtime Chelsea resident and event volunteer Nathaniel Hawkins.

Large scale event with lunch held at Open Street on West 21st Street between 9th and 10th Avenues. It all started in 2022 after the pandemic forced event co-founder Maryam Banikarim to find safe new ways to connect with her Chelsea neighbors.

“I knew my neighbors superficially before, but during COVID-19 I really got to know them because we became each other’s lifelines,” Banikarim explained.

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“There’s a bit of an epidemic of loneliness and mental health issues,” she added. “People have an incredible desire, especially since COVID-19, to connect with each other in real life… The Longest Table has changed my experience of socializing in this area.”

How does it work

Photo of a meal in the open air the air in Egypt that went viral on social media inspired Banikarim to organize a similar dinner experience with the help of about eight volunteers. News of the event spread on the neighborhood social media site Nextdoor. The first evening drew 500 people.

"Table captains" set up furniture, brought chairs, and coordinated the communal meal. It included a variety of cuisines, from Indian to Chinese, and even simple burgers. The food was brought by the participants.

“That’s the diversity of the city,” Banikarim noted. “Everyone is curious about what everyone else has brought.”

Positive influence

The 2023 event attracted nearly 700 participants and was even studied by Barnard College students to understand the project's impact on society.

“We found that a lot of people were from Chelsea and other parts of the city. It’s a microcosm of New York,” Banikarim concluded. She noted that 92 percent of those who came were able to connect with other participants. By the end of the event, more than 60 percent felt less alone.

In her own neighborhood, Banikarim said the event has encouraged more communication and help, from renting ladders to helping with new projects.

"As a result, more people start to communicate with each other. They can be there in times of need," she emphasized.

Newcomers and veterans alike seemed to agree that the boisterous event helped New Yorkers get to know each other better.

“This party was the biggest surprise since moving here,” said the 41-year-old Chelsea resident, who moved from Lithuania two years ago. “That’s why a lot of people want to live in this area and in this city.”

Banikarim has big plans. She dreams of one day having the longest table span the Brooklyn Bridge to connect the neighborhoods, and another table spanning the coasts for America's 250th anniversary next year.

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful to share food and come together to celebrate humanity?” she concluded.

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