Some organizations are asking the public to help bring a World's Fair relic back to life. NY1's Shannan Ferry filed the following report.
The New York State Pavilion is typically empty, these days, but several local residents can imagine more festive events happening there.
"Basically once a month to host one country, and expose different cultural aspects of that country," said Maspeth Cindy Pinilla about her idea for the pavilion.
She sketched out her plan at "The People's Tent of Tomorrow" at the Queens Theatre on Sunday.
The tent is enabling local residents to re-imagine the iconic structure, the pavilion, and then submit their ideas as part of the New York State Pavilion Ideas Competition.
"I say, ‘Oh, I got to do something!’ I've been coming to this park for so many years, and I wanted to keep it alive," said Lorena Requejo, a Flushing resident who was also at the tent Sunday.
The pavilion was built for the 1964-65 World's Fair and was also used as a skating rink, a concert venue and a performance space.
It recently got a fresh paint job, but otherwise many say it has not been utilized enough.
"We're not looking for you know an engineered version of what this should be, just kind of anything goes, what would make them the most happy to see at the New York State Pavilion," explained Salmaan Kahn, Co-Founder of 'People for the Pavilion.'
Participants are also given a handbook that details the pavilion's architecture and history.
Organizers say it is important for them to know about the pavilion's past before designing its future.
"It's an interesting project I think to, to be able to preserve a relic, you know, such rich history in Queens," said Ruben Ramales of Woodhaven.
The pop-up tent will be set up at several other locations throughout the borough, and cash prizes will be awarded to the competition's winners.
Submissions will then go on display at an exhibit at the Queens Museum.