Longest Table in Chelsea Draws Record Setting 2,000 Participants

Despite periods of light rain, the Longest Table in Chelsea, an event that stemmed from the isolating weirdness of the pandemic, drew a record setting 2,000+ participants on Oct. 4 to its fourth annual event.

The rapidly growing outdoor feast is the brainchild of Maryam Banikarim, a resident of West 21st Street who said it was inspired by the “Iftar” of the Muslim culture where people gather after a period of fasting to share often lavish feasts with their community, solidifying connections and unifying participants. While The Longest Table has no religious relevance, it most certainly brought the communal spirit of Chelsea together on a somewhat overcast Sunday afternoon with some light drizzle.

The weather could’ve been better, but it certainly could’ve been worse. The rain that started to fade around 11 a.m. tapered off by noon, and by then the tables were set and banquets were rolling out. The format of the afternoon is loose and casual, but that is all because of the intensive pre-planning that goes into an event whose popularity has grown four-fold since its incipience.

The first Table, in 2022, drew five hundred participants, which grew to 700 in 2023, 1,000 in 2024 and doubled to 2,000 this year. In fact, it is beginning to outgrow its boundaries between 9th and 10th Avenues, and there were some piggy-backing tables set up on the curb, as well as a more formal set-up in the newly reappropriated Vanderbilt campus to handle the overflow.

Already the initiative has infiltrated not only the other boroughs, but the nation. Nearly forty Longest Table lunches are now being held throughout the country from Spokane, WA to Pensacola, FL and even one in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which took place the same day as Chelsea’s.

Birikarim has ambitions to expand her table even further. She is currently eyeing the Brooklyn Bridge, a monumental task that will require the cooperation of the city and the DOT, but given that both Assemblyman Tony Simone and Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal were in enthusiastic attendance, she is hoping they can cut through some of the red tape.

Simone came bearing pastries, accompanied by his husband, Chase, and their adorable new rescue pooch, Bailey. Hoylman-Sigal was ebullient about the gathering, expressing how it illustrates “the best of Manhattan.” “It’s magical,” he beamed. “It creates connections in the community” like no other event does, a sentiment that was shared by every attendee I encountered.

Everyone wears a nametag, which would have delighted Elaine Benes’ in one classic episode of “Seinfeld” and worked exactly as she had imagined (Jerry the skeptic be damned).

People shared food table-to-table, and there was a lively deejay, Raam Band, to keep the energy level high. Even he was a volunteer, as were all the staff, ushers, hosts and facilitators clad in bright yellow and orange t-shirts for easy identification.

Eric Parker, a public space advocate at Open Plans, offered that “when you make a space, people will fill it” and no better example of that is there than The Longest Table. There is “power in public space,” and when it is utilized for events that are non-exclusionary and accessible, the result is a Malcolm Gladwell-esque improvement in respect, care and community relations.

It’s almost baffling that such a well-conceived, smoothly-run event could be free, but as a 501(c)3 charity, donations fund the set-up and permitting costs. The popularity of the event has attracted contributions from such heavy hitters as Innova security out of McMinville, OR, and The Knight Foundation. Alternatively, some table hosts shell out anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 for fancy catered repasts; I saw tables well-appointed from nearby Qanoon and a more casual spread from Carrot Express.

There were fancy chrome plates, candle holders and floral arrangements at some, but others were happy with a simple gingham sheet, some Chinet papers plates and homemade sandwiches or take-out pizza. And despite the variety, none of the food offerings were deemed better or worse, and everyone was happy to share with their neighbors.

Leftovers are salvaged by One Love, a food recapture organization founded by Asmeret Berhe-Lumax to donate to local community fridges throughout the city. That which cannot be safely redistributed ends up in Citibin compost bins, a company founded by Liz Picarazzi to provide more secure, more attractive rat- and pest-proof outdoor trash compartments.

A Happy Birthday song dedicated to Maria broke out at one table around 1 p.m. just as the rain began to pick up and shoo some of the less resilient attendees to drier ground. Those that remained (of which there were many) popped up umbrellas and rode out the drizzle. The youngest attendee might have been Arlo, a gorgeous seven month old, who was there with his mom, alongside other residents that have lived in Chelsea for decades.

And next year, there could be you.