The sudden drop in temperature in what has otherwise been a warm October did not deter 13,000 people from turning up to an outdoor rally to support Democratic Socialist and New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani in the borough of Queens on Sunday evening.
Both supporters and canvassers filled the seats and the standing area in front of the stage at Forest Hills Stadium for the "New York is not for Sale" rally ahead of the mayoral election on 4 November.
Anticipation and excitement punctuated the air at the historic 1920s music venue. Like any good gig, people looked visibly excited to be there.
Attendees spanned a multitude of backgrounds and ages, representing the diverse movement that Mamdani has built. Queens is widely considered one of the most diverse neighbourhoods in the world and is where the NY state assemblyman is based.
One of the speakers warming up the crowd included NYC comptroller Brad Lander, who ran against Mamdani in the mayoral primary. He elicited laughter from the audience when he told them he was “otherwise known as your second choice in the primary”.
