I love me a good market. And even though tomato season is on it’s very last legs (I keep finding some that have made their way in from NJ), there are so many gorgeous fresh fruits and veggies to buy from local farms this season. Luckily, a new player is heading into the game this weekend, joining Borough Hall and Carroll Park markets. Foodshed, which has it’s grand opening 17 October, is a year-round, indoor farmers’ market on Atlantic Avenue (388 Atlantic between Hoyt and Bond)–open every Sunday from 11:00-5:00. And in addition to the expected fresh vegetables and fruit, meats, milk and eggs–it will feature regional vendors offering “added-value” products like cheeses, yogurt, ice-cream, jams, honey, sauces and salsas, milled grains, breads and baked goods, pickles and other healthy ferments, juices, ciders, wines and beers. WOO HOO! Talk about one-stop shopping. The new market will be run in support of The Commons, a community and educational center, and promises the likes of dry-aged Angus beef from Drover Hill Farm in Earlville, New York; Flour City Pasta, a product-line from Fairport, NY; and organic dairy from Milk Thistle Dairy Farm. The opening party starts at noon and will include apple bobbing and face-painting for the kids as well as cooking and sprouting demos.
BococaLand
Archive for ‘Fairs’
New Farmer’s Market in Boerum Hill
Great Idea: Costume Exchange
Yup, it’s that time again. Halloween. Or, as we like to call it, a marketer’s wet dream. Some parents may be handy with a needle and thread, but most of us have to buy a costume every year. And that means loads of crumpled up, barely used Luke Skywalkers, Disney princesses and Buzz Lightyears lying around. So I’m loving the idea of the Costume Exchange being held 1 October at the the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum (and subsequently, every day until 12 October) from 1- 4pm. Parents can drop off their child’s costume from last year at the museum and receive a ticket which allows them to receive a different costume at the costume exchange on 17 October from 12 – 3:30p.m. Obviously, they will only accept costumes that are clean and in good condition, but seems like a friendly, green and inexpensive way to get through this Halloween. The address is 5816 Clarendon Road and the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday in case you want to stop by for a day of fun and history.
Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a Million
For the first time, the U.S. Small Business Administration will be sponsoring a free event here in Brooklyn to help pair off small business owners needing credit with the lenders who are looking to extend credit. Adorably named “Lender & Small Business Matchmaker,” the event is free and will take place tomorrow, 28 September, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street. Beginning with a panel discussion on the loans and financial incentives available from New York City, New York State and the federal government, you”ll hear from Brooklyn’s SBA Representatives, SCORE, Brooklyn Small Business Development Center at City Tech and Women’s Business Center at the LDC of East New York. You’ll also be invited to visit with more than 20 different SBA-participating lenders ranging in size from the city’s largest banks, to community banks, to microlenders. Nobody’s handing out bricks of cash, but if you’re running a small business or thinking about it–it sounds like a good place to hit up.
One Huge Stoop Sale
If you’re planning on hitting the Atlantic Antic Sunday–or want to give the crowds a miss–here’s something to keep in mind: the Brooklyn Heights Association will be making the area into one community-wide stoop sale. The Antic promises to bring foot traffic so the BHA is encouraging everyone to get all their old stuff out on the sidewalk and join in the fun. Have something specific you think will be of interest? Just email a description along with your address to rsvp@austeragency.com–they’ll list your address with any special items you wish to mention. In addition, a self-guided walking tour book, “Enjoying Brooklyn Heights”, will be sold ($20) at the following stoop sale locations: 39 Garden Place, 266 Hicks Street, 192 Columbia Heights, 289 Henry Street, 140 Joralemon Street, 32 Orange Street.
Atlantic Antic This Sunday!
If you haven’t seen the signs posted all over the neighborhood, here’s a heads up: the 36th annual Atlantic Antic will take place this Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Spanning Atlantic Ave from Hicks St to 4th Ave, this street fair on steroids is a barrel of fun–with food, shopping and festivities for the whole family. I’d suggest getting out early if you have small children–it gets more packed as the day goes on (the count is at about one million visitors according to Atlanticave.org). This year, there will be 600 vendors and music throughout the day–think bbq at Pete’s Waterfront Ale House, falafel and schwarma at Waterfalls and cheapie kitchen utensils at Cook’s Companion, among many other deals, delights and surprises (oh, and beer–don’t forget the beer). Also expect a visit from Melanie Hope Greenberg, Children’s Book Illustrator, to read and sign her books, ‘Mermaids on Parade’, ‘Digger’, ‘A City Is’ and more at Gumbo, 493 Atlantic Avenue, between Nevins Street and 3rd Avenue. Here’s the schedule in case you want to make your plans now.
Come Sample Snacks at the Oscars of Street Foods
Some of the best food I remember comes from something on four wheels. That gyro I used to get with extra hot sauce after parties at college. The extra-long hot dog hanging out of a crusty baguette in a park in Paris. Those fish & chips leaking translucent grease on a brown paper wrapper in London. So what better way to pay tribute to all things yummy and awesome (and come from a food truck) than the Vendy Awards. Called “the Oscars of food for the real New York” by Chef Mario Batali, the website touts them as New York City’s annual competition for the title of Best Street Food Vendor, and a fundraiser to support the Street Vendor Project of the Urban Justice Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a voice for the thousands of people who sell food and merchandise on the streets of our city. Sounds good to me. Finalists include Schnitzel & Things, Big Gay Ice Cream Truck and Mexicue. Want to get in on the action and taste some of the city’s best street food? The Vendy’s are taking place this Saturday, 25 September on Governor’s Island from noon to 5pm. Many of the cheaper seats have sold out but click here to see the few tickets left over. And if you decide to head over just to spend the day, two past Vendy winners–Treats Truck and NY Dosa–will be selling to the general public.
Montague Street Summer Space-Family Style
This coming Sunday, 19 September, Montague Street’s annual pedestrian-plaza event series will be holding a day for family fun and games. Called Summer Space, Montague St. will be car-free between Clinton and Hicks from noon to 5pm. Local arts groups and non-profits will provide free activities and events, and Montague Street businesses will offer promotions and sidewalk sales. Participating businesses include: Armando’s, Cafe Buon Gusto, City Chemist, Daphne Art, Design Within Reach, Eamonn’s, Irene Dinov Salon, J. McLaughlin, James Weir Floral, MAC Cosmetics, New York Kids Club, Pearle Vision, Prudential Douglas Elliman, Radio Shack, Ricky’s NYC, Sleepy’s, St. Marks Comics, SuperCuts, The UPS Store and Yoga People.
Here’s a list of events and programming:
* Brooklyn Eagle – challenge a chess master
* Brooklyn Heights Association – neighborhood dog show
* Brooklyn Historical Society – free walking tours
* Dodge YMCA – free health and fitness activities
* fun and games – chalk art, bubbles, hula hoops, and more
* Grace & Spiritus Chorale – free vocal performance
* Martha Cardona Theater – free musical performance
* NY Toy Museum – free arts and crafts activities
A Bococa County Fair
Food! Music! Agriculture! Art! These are just some of the things promised us at The Fair at Farm City, a festival of urban agriculture. Presented by the Invisible Dog & Crossing The Line, the event takes place on 12 September and promises fun for the whole family. The Invisible Dog’s building at 51 Bergen Street (between Smith street and Boerum Place) will be transformed into an actual farm from 11am to 7pm, and here’s some of what you can expect:
Festivities engage all the senses: hear live music performed by local Bang on a Can marching band Asphalt Orchestra; taste delicacies prepared by local chefs inspired by ingredients from Brooklyn farms; view specially commissioned work exploring the culture of agriculture by local artists; get a feel for materials needed to produce your own food in workshops by Brooklyn Food Coalition; participate in a Blue Ribbon Competition hosted by GreenThumb; and browse a marketplace with some of Brooklyn’s small-batch artisanal food purveyors curated by Greenpoint Food Market. Cap it off with The Food Experiments’ live cooking competition—Brooklyn Roots—featuring savory samples and refreshing drinks from Brooklyn Brewery, Six Points Brewery, Red Hook Wines, Brooklyn Oenology, Kings County Distillery and others.
Also on the bill:
Miwa Koizumi, Brooklyn-based ice cream maker of “NY Flavors,” will create a geographically inspired new ice cream flavor based on Bergen Street and the festival.
Wylie Dufresne, renowned chef of wd-50, creates a new downloadable recipe based on re-imagining local ingredients, to be sampled at the Fair.
Mathilde Roussel-Giraudy, a Brooklyn-based artist, presents Ça Pousse!, human form sculptures made from material such as wheatgrass that change as they grow.
Unicycle’s Take Over Governor’s Island
This Saturday, those skilled in the art of one wheeled biccyles–otherwise known as unicycles–will get their day in the sun
at Governor’s Island. The NYC Unicycle Festival’s main event goes from noon to 5pm, and includes all kinds of family-friendly games, demonstrations and lessons. Think unicycle hockey; unicycle basketball; unicycle relay races and freestyle demos. And kicking off the festival, Friday 3 September, there will be a mass exodus of unicyclists across the Brooklyn Bridge, beginning in Manhattan and going long-distance to Coney Island. That’s certainly something you don’t see every day
Come Skim the Shelves
Bibliophiles of the borough unite–12 September marks the date for the 5th annual Brooklyn Book Festival at Borough Hall. And if you want to rub elbows with the well-read and well-written alike, this event promises lots of big names. The all-star literary lineup includes some of my faves, like Jennifer Egan (I just started her newest, “A Visit from the Goon Squad” this week), Salman Rushdie, Sarah Silverman, Gary Shteyngart and Russell Banks. And some stars from the Young Adult world of lit will also be on hand for family fun, such as Rebecca Stead, Sara Shepard, Jacqueline Woodson, Jon Scieszka and Jenny Han. Want to put in a little extra time? Check out the “Book End” events, which run in partnership with cultural organizations like BAM, Bell House, The Brooklyn Kitchen, Brooklyn Public Library, Greenlight Bookstore, Littlefield, St. Ann’s Warehouse, PEN American Center, Irondale Center, Brooklyn Public Library, powerHouse, Debut Lit, WORD, Light Industry, Triple Canopy and Mainspring Collective, from 10-12 September. And if all this wasn’t enough, here’s the 2010 tagline: With a festival this hip, smart and diverse—Brooklyn is indeed Book-lyn! Indeed.
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