When Madeline Hatcher tried to start a walking club here in Astoria during the pandemic, she had a tough time getting it going. It wasn’t until March of 2024 that she decided to reach out to local Astoria community chats such as Discord to see if there was interest from residents for the club. Excitement grew through likes, responses, and residents publishing it on local platforms such as Reddit and Instagram.

That’s when she really knew it was time to create Astoria’s own walking club, Walking Queens. “I was a little nervous about starting the Walking Queens group, but with a push from friends and family, I finally did it. We’ve grown little by little this past year, and I’m excited to see where it goes! You may be wondering, why are we called Walking Queens? Well, we’re in Queens! But we’re all about walks for everyone. “Queens” means showing up, being proud that you got out of bed, and making a new connection along the way!” Madeline Hatcher, creator of Walking Queens Walking Queens meets every Sunday around 10am in Astoria where walks last for about an hour. Mid walk, the group ventures off to a surprise coffee shop where walkers can get coffees, teas, and morning bites. In the summertime, the group takes advantage of the outdoors and rests outside while sipping their iced drinks.

A few of many businesses they have been to are Balancero, Seek Coffee, and Under Pressure. It is important to the group to try local coffee shops to support the community. Anyone and everyone is welcome to join the club at any time. Club members have expressed their gratitude that they can now begin their Sunday on a productive and social note. Sometimes members even bring their dogs, which is a joyful surprise to the group. As of April 26th, 2025, Walking Queens celebrated their one year anniversary by completing what is commonly known as “The Gauntlet,” walking from the top of Manhattan in Inwood to the bottom of Manhattan in Battery Park. Sporting Walking Queens hats, the members completed 17 miles in 6 hours with a lunch break in between.

After a few hours of rest, the group met up at night for a discounted happy hour just for club members at The Wolfhound to celebrate. The long walk inspired the members to get to know each other on a deeper level, whether it was through excitement for completing it, or a connection of shared body soreness!  “Exploring Astoria with walking Queens has become a delightful staple of my Sunday mornings – I’ve met so many amazing people in the community, including my wonderful girlfriend!” Jonathan, member Walking Queens is a perfect example of what it means to be an Astorian. Waking up on a Sunday to meet new people and create connections through likeminded interests encapsulates the eagerness residents have to develop new connections.

Many New Yorkers want to meet new people but can struggle with where to start. Joining a walking club is low stakes where people can come and go as they please. This is an opportunity to show up for yourself, whether that means making a new connection or getting your steps in. Most of all, it is done here in Astoria, one of the greatest neighborhoods in New York City!

Support the club and stay updated with the meeting schedule on Instagram: @walkingqueensastoria