Astoria-Long Island City's Most-Read Stories: 2021 Year In Review

ASTORIA, QUEENS — We are almost finished with 2021, and, boy, has it been an interesting one. Similar to the year before, many people will be glad it's over.

While the coronavirus pandemic continued to dominate the headlines this year, other stories caught our readers' attention, including giant African snails seized at JFK airport.

In no particular order, these were some of the top most read stories of 2021 in the Astoria and Long Island City area:

Astoria Greek Orthodox Ritual Reported As 'Dangerous Incident'

An Orthodox Easter celebration in Astoria was reported as an incident on the Citizen app, which prompted conversations about gentrification.

Giant Snails Found In Bag Of Man Arriving At JFK, Officials Say

Agents at JFK seized 22 Giant African Snails, which can cause structural damage to homes and transmit parasites to humans.

6 Astoria, LIC Spots Make Michelin List As Best Cheap Eats In NYC

Three of the restaurants, including one in Sunnyside, are among the 30 newcomers to the list of best affordable NYC eateries.

Nearly 30,000 People Fled Astoria, LIC In 2020, Study Finds

A new study shows how many people left each NYC neighborhood during the pandemic, including thousands in Astoria and Long Island City.

Astoria Sports Complex To Become Self-Storage, Report Shows

The owner dreamed of adding an ice rink and soccer field, but, after a zoning saga, it will become self-storage, the Real Deal reported.

Astoria's Zenon Taverna Closes, Citing Pandemic-Related Struggles

The beloved Greek-Cypriot restaurant, which closed on Sunday, said that operating a small business during COVID has been "very difficult."

Note: Selected stories were based on total pageviews for the year.