Lauren’s Lil Guide: Brooklyn Summer 2016
Ahh, summer in BK! Scents composed of equal parts incense, trash, and vintage windbreakers swirl delicately into your nostrils as you stroll through the streets of your neighborhood. Warm sunrays reflect off a nearby boutique yoga studio and gently stroke your cheek as you buy dried papaya chunks at a moderate price. But, midway through a pick-up soccer game with the kids on your block, you stop in your tracks and call a time-out, realizing that it’s almost summer and you were so busy trying to perfectly Instagram kimchi Buddha bowls that you have no idea what events are coming up.
Don’t stress—Lauren’s Lil Guide is designed to give you the 411 before time-in.
When: Saturdays and Sundays @ 11am – 6pm
Where: Saturdays – Williamsburg, East River State Park, 90 Kent Ave. (at N. 7th)
Sundays – Prospect Park, Breeze Hill (at Lincoln Road)
Basically: A food market of ~100 food vendors that the New York Times once called “The Woodstock of Eating.”
How Much: Free admission! (with potential to be expensive if you eat as much as I do)
Also see: Brooklyn Flea, Berg’n
When: April 30th – May 1st @ 10am – 6pm
Where: Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
Basically: Dance, drum, and J-pop performances, martial arts, regular arts, lectures by tea masters, workshops, markets and, of course, cherry blossoms in full bloom.
How Much: $25 for adults, $20 for seniors students. Buy tickets here and here.
Also see: Waku Waku Festival
When: June 11th –12th & August 13th – 14th
Where: Governors Island (Okay, this is legally in the jurisdiction of Manhattan but I wasn’t going to exclude it from the list. Deal with it.)
Basically: Dance lessons & contests, carnival games, a vintage photo booth, pie contests, and live jazz performances (obviously).
How Much: $55 General Admission. Buy tickets here.
Also see: New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks—Prospect Park, Barbès
When: June 18th @ 1pm
Where: Parade begins @ West 21st St & Surf Avenue, ends @ Steeplechase Plaza
Basically: A mythological, creative, honky-tonk, all-ages parade created by artists, full of handmade costumes, wildly decorated floats, and tons of self-expression.
How Much: Free admission! (Register here to be in the parade)
Also see: New York Pet Expo
When: July 13th – 16th
Where: Various locations in BK
Basically: Performances by huge hip-hop artists, film screenings, lectures, panels, workshops, and a showcase/gathering for young emerging dancers, graffiti/visual artists, mc’s, deejays, beat makers, and sneakerheads.
How Much: $61.50 General Admission. Buy tickets here.
Also see: AFROPUNK Fest