Tag: BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival

c. BRIC

BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Announces 2023 Lineup

May 11, 2023

Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s time to get ready for a season of music, dance and more at the Lena Horne Bandshell! The 2023 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!, kicks off on Wednesday, June 7 for a season of 20+ free shows, benefit concerts, dance performances, film screenings, discussions, special activations and more. The festival, presented in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks, is back for its 45th annual season of bringing communities together for summer fun in Brooklyn’s Backyard.

“BRIC is about community, art and culture and there is no greater example of that than BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!,” said BRIC President Wes Jackson. “For 45 years our team has brought free and affordable programming to Prospect Park, and low-cost media education to the people of Brooklyn. We’re honored to serve our neighborhoods in this way every summer, and we look forward to 45 more years at the Bandshell and beyond. Thank you to our friends and partners at the Prospect Park Alliance and the Parks Department. I’ll see you out there.”

“BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park is a beloved flagship event, and a clear sign of summer for our community,” said Morgan Monaco, President of Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that operates the park in partnership with the City. “Music and performing arts are what help keep us thriving in good times and in bad, and I’m grateful that the park serves as an important inspiration for artists of all kinds. The festival has brought a wide range of free music, performances and family programming to Brooklyn’s Backyard and we look forward to coming together this season with the many diverse communities of Brooklyn.”

Tickets are available for many of this season’s benefit shows, and the majority of the festival’s performances are free to the public. For more information, check out our BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! page, and for the full line-up, scroll down!

Wednesday, June 7, 2023 Opening Night: Taj Mahal | Corinne Bailey Rae | The Harlem Gospel Travelers

Saturday, June 10, Family Day: Soul Science Lab | Olivia K and The Parkers

Thursday, June 15, Jake Wesley Rogers | Kara Jackson | Bright Light Bright Light

Saturday, June 17, Juneteenth UNITYFEST 2023

Friday, June 23, Antonio Sanchez: Birdman Live | Takuya Kuroda

Saturday, June 24, Benefit Concert: NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge) | Robert Glasper with Lalah Hathaway & Bilal | BJ The Chicago Kid

Saturday, July 1, Ibrahim Maalouf | Hermanos Gutiérrez | 2023 Tiny Desk Contest Winner

Saturday, July 8, Kelela | Liv.e

Thursday, July 13, Rennie Harris | Decora

Friday, July 14, Oumou Sangare | Vox Sambou

Saturday, July 15, Marcia Griffiths | Brown Rice Family | Dj Miss Hap Selam

Friday, July 21, The Chelsea Symphony feat. Lady Jess | Lucrecia Dalt

Saturday, July 22, Ali Sethi | Raja Kumari | Roshni Samlal

Thursday, July 27, The Wallflowers | treya lam

Saturday, July 29, Rickie Lee Jones | Thornetta Davis | Chris Pierce

Thursday, August 3, Jorge Drexler | Cimafunk | Julieta Rada

Friday, August 4, Indigo De Souza | Vundabar

Thursday, August 10, Benefit Concert: The Revivalists and Band of Horses

Friday, August 11, BRIC Hip-Hop 50th Anniversary Weekend

Saturday, August 12, BRIC Hip-Hop 50th Anniversary Weekend

Friday, August 18, iLe | Divino Niño | Sara Curruchich

Saturday, August 19, John Cale | Tomberlin

Tuesday, August 22, Benefit Concert: Alex G and Alvvays

Wednesday, August 23, Benefit Concert: Alex G and Alvvays

Thursday, August 24, Closing Night: The Head And The Heart | Izzy Heltai

BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival Announces 2021 Season

June 2, 2021

Today, BRIC, a Brooklyn-based leading arts and media institution, announced its artist lineup for the 2021 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, which recently confirmed it will return to the Prospect Park Bandshell with live, in-person performances. For the past 43 years, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival has grown to become one of the city’s foremost cultural attractions and a beloved summer tradition. This year’s festival will take place from Saturday, July 31st through Saturday, September 18th with doors opening at 6:00pm for all shows, except the family day performance.

“The opportunities we have been afforded to provide a platform for incredible talent from Brooklyn and around the globe, brings up indescribable joy,” said Kristina Newman-Scott, President of BRIC. “This year’s line-up marks a momentous time for BRIC, continuing our tradition of bringing some of the best talent to the Prospect Park Bandshell stage, which we have called home for 42 years. We can’t wait to see everyone there.”

“After the past challenging year, it is such a thrill to welcome the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival back to the Prospect Park Bandshell,” said Sue Donoghue, President of the Prospect Park Alliance. “This is one of our flagship events, and for our community a clear sign of summer. Over the past four decades, this festival has brought a wide range of free music and family programming to Prospect Park, to the delight of the many diverse communities we serve.”

The festival will boast  an impressive lineup showcasing musical artists from Brooklyn and around the world including: Neo soul phenom Ari Lennox; grandson of the reggae legend Bob Marley and GRAMMY award-nominated singer/songwriter Skip Marley; Global Afrobeats superstar Mr. Eazi; Multi-instrumentalist Trombone Shorty with his notorious brass funk band Orleans Avenue; Brooklyn-bred hip hop powerhouse Junglepussy; folk rock icon and climate activist Buffy Sainte Marie and singer/songwriter/advocate Naia Kete for a special evening dedicated to highlighting the impact of climate change; Latinx alternative multi-lingual quartet Ladama, Haitian born, Brooklyn based multi-instrumentalist Tiga Jean-Baptiste and a set by DJ Ali Coleman for a family-friendly daytime performance; local Jazz artists including rhapsodist Vijay Iyer, vibes innovator Joel Ross, singer and multi-instrumentalist Melanie Charles, and renowned poet/author, and educator Mahogany Browne for an evening in remembrance of the impact of COVID-19 on the Jazz community; Colombian-Canadian singer/songwriter Lido Pimienta; Korean-American Brooklynite Yaeji, who curated a hand-picked lineup for the evening that includes up and coming singer/songwriter/instrumentalist KeiyaA and prolific local writer/rapper/producer, and emcee Nappy Nina; politically conscious rapper and poet KAMAUU; Jamaican R&B singer Gary “Nesta” Pines; Philly-based rapper and producer Ivy Soly; Jamaican-born multi-disciplined musician Tygapaw; celebrated Dominican-born, Puerto Rico-based cult hero Rita Indiana; the GRAMMY award-winning Attacca Quartet and Brooklyn based indie rock collective led by Ellis Ludwig-Leone San Fermin; R&B musician Son Little, and boundary-pushing singer Yendry.  

The 2021 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival will also offer a movie night featuring the 1973 documentary Wattstax, which highlights the 1972 Watts Summer Festival, as well as an evening dedicated to dance co-conceived by Tatiana and BRIC featuring the Passion Fruit Dance Company with DJ sets by Soul Summit Dance Party and St James Joy. Founded in 2016 with a mission to promote the authenticity and contributions of social dance styles and cultures like street and clubbing, Passion Fruit Dance Company comes to the park for the world premiere of TRAPPED, a brand-new work commissioned by BRIC. After the show, stay for a very special iteration of legendary Brooklyn party Soul Summit. To open the night will be St. James Joy, a streetwise celebration that sprang up in Fort Greene during the pandemic honoring the distinguished history of black house music.  Additionally, there will be a ticketed benefit concert with British Rock Band Glass Animals.    

In accordance with New York State and CDC guidelines, BRIC is currently planning for reduced capacity within socially distanced pods. While the Festival will remain free of charge, RSVPs will be required to manage capacity, and either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test will need to be shown; however, these terms remain subject to change. BRIC hopes all music, film, and dance lovers will prioritize getting vaccinated as a step towards bringing back live performances in their fullest form. BRIC will ensure the Festival is accessible to the community at large by creating both a web-based RSVP portal as RSVP by telephone system. RSVPs officially open July 1 for opening night and then every two weeks after that for subsequent performances. 

Learn more at the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! website. 

Major Art Installation Celebrates Brooklyn Community

October 5, 2020

BRIC and Prospect Park Alliance, in partnership with NYC Parks, have commissioned the collaborative duo Brooklyn Hi-Art! Machine to create a public art project at the Prospect Park Bandshell, on view from October 3, 2020 through June 2021. Titled, Inspired By “What Is Left,” the text-based installation quotes the late poet Lucille Clifton and offers the Brooklyn community a message of resilience and perseverance. 

With this new public art installation, BRIC and Prospect Park Alliance present a powerful message for the Brooklyn community. It is the first major public art project in Prospect Park since the pandemic, and one of the first installations at the Bandshell in its history.

“This public art work provides a message of strength and joy, celebrating and uniting our community during these difficult times,” states BRIC’s President, Kristina Newman-Scott. “We are delighted to continue our important partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance through this meaningful activation of the Bandshell inspired by a local and engaged arts collective.”

“In the past six months, Prospect Park has played an essential role in our community, and we could not be more delighted than to welcome the Brooklyn Hi-Art! Machine to Brooklyn’s Backyard,” said Sue Donoghue, President, Prospect Park Alliance. “We are pleased to be able to extend this new collaboration to our partnership with BRIC, and to celebrate and illuminate the resilience of our community through public art.” 

Inspired By “What Is Left” is an extension of Brooklyn Hi-Art! Machine’s ongoing project in Crown Heights which reimagines unoccupied public spaces with new alternative purposes. Brooklyn Hi-Art! Machine was created in 2010 by artists Oasa DuVerney and Mildred Beltre. Their monumentally-scaled text-based fence weavings, inspired by the neon colors of protest posters, publicly address the current moment by often unheard voices in Black Radical Thought and take a barrier meant to separate an immigrant community and envision it as a space for community knowledge and uplift. The artwork aims to remind viewers of the struggles that have been faced and the work yet to be done for racial equity. It references lines from a poem by Lucille Clifton (1936-2010), a prolific poet and two time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Clifton wrote about the Black experience and endurance in the face of adversity, using substantive yet pared down lines.

“won’t you celebrate with me” by Lucille Clifton  
won’t you celebrate with me
what i have shaped into
a kind of life? i had no model.
born in babylon
both nonwhite and woman
what did i see to be except myself?
i made it up
here on this bridge between
starshine and clay,
my one hand holding tight
my other hand; come celebrate
with me that everyday
something has tried to kill me
and has failed.

Source: Book of Light (Copper Canyon Press, 1993)

Prospect Park has always played an important role as a gathering space for the melting pot of people and cultures that make Brooklyn unique. This has come even more to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, where it has served as the backdrop for moments of protest and joy, celebration and memorialization, making it the perfect location for this installation.  

For over 40 years, BRIC has presented its signature summer concert series, the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, at the Prospect Park Bandshell. From its very first performance in summer of 1979, the mission of the Festival has been to bring Brooklyn together. These free experiences at the Bandshell enhance the quality of life and understanding of the world by centralizing diverse voices and illuminating the vibrant cultures that make Brooklyn unique. 

c. BRIC

2019 BRIC Celebrate! Brooklyn Festival Line Up Announced

May 1, 2019

Summer is on the horizon, and in Prospect Park, the season means the return of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival. In 2019, the festival celebrates its 41st season with 29 performances, running from June 4–August 10. The programming, reflective of Brooklyn’s eclecticism and diversity, will feature a wide array of free, world-class performances at the beautiful Prospect Park Bandshell. Winner of the Village Voice Readers’ Poll and Critics’ Picks for “Best Free Concert Series,” the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, presented by BRIC in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance, is New York’s longest-running, free outdoor performing arts festival, and takes place each summer at the Prospect Park Bandshell.

Sue Donoghue, President of Prospect Park Alliance, said, “Prospect Park Alliance is delighted to host the 41st season of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival at the Prospect Park Bandshell. Over the past four decades, this festival has brought a wide range of free music and family programming to Prospect Park, to the delight of the many diverse communities we serve. Congratulations to our partners at BRIC for this tremendous success.”

Tickets are still available for many of this season’s benefit shows, and the majority of the festival’s performances are free to the public. For more information, check out our BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! page, and for the full line-up, scroll down!

Tuesday, June 4, 8:00 pm
Opening Night Concert: PATTI LABELLE
Free

Saturday, June 8, 7:00 pm
American Express Women in Music Series: IBEYI | SUDAN ARCHIVES | ORION SUN
Free

Wednesday, June 12, 7:00 pm
THE NATIONAL AND COURTNEY BARNETT
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert
Sold Out

Thursday, June 13, 7:00 pm
THE NATIONAL AND COURTNEY BARNETT
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert

Saturday, June 15, 3:00 pm
Family Concert: RICH MEDINA | SHAREEF KEYES AND THE GROOVE
Free

Wednesday, June 19, 6:30 pm
FATHER JOHN MISTY | JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT | JADE BIRD
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert

Thursday, June 20, 7:30 pm
TANK AND THE BANGAS | CORY HENRY & THE FUNK APOSTLES
Free

Friday, June 21, 7:30 pm
Bud Light Music Series: CALEXICO AND IRON & WINE | ADIA VICTORIA
Free

Saturday, June 22, 7:30 pm
TORTOISE: TNT | EMILY WELLS WITH METROPOLIS ENSEMBLE
Free

Wednesday, June 26, 7:30 pm
CHUCHO VALDÉS – JAZZ BATÁ | DAFNIS PRIETO SI O SI QUARTET
Free

Thursday, June 27, 7:30 pm
Bud Light Music Series: PROTOJE | JAH9 | YOGA ON DUB | DJ TOP NOTCH & MICRO DON
Free

Friday, June 28, 7:30 pm
CELSO PIÑA | DOS SANTOS | RIOBAMBA
Free

Saturday, June 29, 7:00 pm
American Express Women in Music Series: LIZ PHAIR | TED LEO AND THE PHARMACISTS | CAROLINE ROSE
Free

Friday, July 5, 7:30 pm
MICK JENKINS | LEIKELI47 | LEVEN KALI | JOY POSTELL
Free

Saturday, July 6, 7:00 pm
ODDISEE | 47SOUL | NARCY
Free

Friday, July 12, 7:00 pm
Eventbrite Music Series, Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) Showcase: GABY MORENO AND VAN DYKE PARKS: SPANGLED | EL DAVID AGUILAR
Free

Saturday, July 13, 7:30 pm
SALIF KEITA | COURTNEE ROZE
Free

Thursday, July 18, 7:30 pm
American Express Women in Music Series: I’M WITH HER | DARLINGSIDE
Free

Friday, July 19, 7:30 pm
Bud Light Music Series: BURNA BOY | SAMPA THE GREAT | DJ TUNEZ
Free

Saturday, July 20, 8:00 pm
Music & Movies: ALLOY ORCHESTRA: VARIETÉ | LAVA
Free

Thursday, July 25, 7:30 pm
Bud Light Music Series: BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE | NILÜFER YANYA
Free

Friday, July 26, 7:30 pm
Eventbrite Music Series: JIDENNA | ANIK KHAN | DJ MOMA
Free

Saturday, July 27, 8:00 pm
COMPAGNIE HERVÉ KOUBI
Free

Friday, August 2, 7:00 pm
NOSAJ THING DJ SET | KIMBRA | BELLS ATLAS
Free

Saturday, August 3, 7:30 pm
Music & Movies: CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON | LOU REED TAI CHI DAY
Free

Tuesday, August 6, 7:30 pm
MAC DEMARCO
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert

Thursday, August 8, 8:00 pm
AILEY II
Free

Friday, August 9, 7:30 pm
WHAT’S GOING ON FEATURING FELICIA COLLINS, TOSHI REAGON, SIEDAH GARRETT, KECIA LEWIS, AND OTHERS
Free

Saturday, August 10, 7:30 pm
Eventbrite Music Series: BOMBA ESTEREO | DELSONIDO
Free

Learn more on the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival website.

 
c. Ryan Muir

2018 BRIC Celebrate! Brooklyn Festival Line Up Announced

May 2, 2018

Summer is on the horizon, and in Prospect Park, the season means the return of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival. In 2018, the festival celebrates its 40th season with 31 performances, running from June 5–August 11. The programming, reflective of Brooklyn’s eclecticism and diversity, will feature a wide array of free, world-class performances at the beautiful Prospect Park Bandshell. The BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, presented by BRIC in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance, is New York’s longest-running, free outdoor performing arts festival, and takes place each summer at the Prospect Park Bandshell. 

Sue Donoghue, President of Prospect Park Alliance, said, “We are delighted to host the 40th season of BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival at the Prospect Park Bandshell. Over the past four decades, this festival has brought a wide range of free music and family programming to Prospect Park, to the delight of the many diverse communities we serve. Congratulations to our partners at BRIC for this tremendous success.” 

Tickets are still available for many of this season’s benefit shows, and the majority of the festival’s performances are free to the public. For more information, check out our BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! page, and for the full line-up, scroll down!

Tuesday, June 5, 8:00pm
COMMON
Free

Sunday, June 10, 3:00pm 
LOS LOBOS
Family Concert, Free

Wednesday, June 13, 7:00pm
THE DECEMBERISTS
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert

Thursday, June 14, 7:30pm
VANCE JOY | ALICE MERTON
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert

Saturday, June 16, 7:00pm
THE JAYHAWKS | MANDOLIN ORANGE | PARSONSFIELD
Free

Wednesday, June 20, 6:30pm
GRIZZLY BEAR + SPOON
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert

Thursday, June 21, 7:30pm 
AIMEE MANN | SUPERCHUNK | JONATHAN COULTON
Free

Friday, June 22, 7:30pm
R+R=NOW featuring ROBERT GLASPER, TERRACE MARTIN, CHRISTIAN SCOTT aTUNDE ADJUAH, DERRICK HODGE, JUSTIN TYSON, TAYLOR MCFERRIN | PAUL BEAUBRUN
Free

Saturday, June 23, 7:30pm 
FISCHERSPOONER | JULIANA HUXTABLE
Free

Thursday, June 28, 8:00pm
THE BLUES PROJECT FEATURING DORRANCE DANCE WITH TOSHI REAGON & BIGLOVELY CREATED BY MICHELLE DORRANCE, DERICK K. GRANT, TOSHI REAGON, AND DORMESHIA SUMBRY-EDWARDS
Free

Friday, June 29, 7:30pm
BRANFORD MARSALIS | ROGER GUENVEUR SMITH: FREDERICK DOUGLASS NOW Free

Saturday, June 30, 7:00pm
RICKY SKAGGS and KENTUCKY THUNDER | SIERRA HULL AND JUSTIN MOSES | MAMIE MINCH
Free

Friday, July 6, 8:00pm
LES BALLETS JAZZ DE MONTRÉAL: LEONARD COHEN’S DANCE ME
Free

Saturday, July 7, 7:00pm
RHYE | NATALIE PRASS | OVERCOATS
Free

Thursday, July 12, 7:30pm 
ANTIBALAS | COMBO CHIMBITA | DJ NICKODEMUS
Free

Friday, July 13, 7:00pm
MALA RODRIGUEZ | ANA TIJOUX | GIRL ULTRA
Free

Saturday, July 14, 7:30pm
KRONOS QUARTET | TRIO DA KALI
Free

Thursday, July 19, 7:00pm
JOE RUSSO’S ALMOST DEAD
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert

Friday, July 20, 7:30pm 
ANOUSHKA SHANKAR | MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND
Free

Saturday, July 21, 7:30pm 
BRIMSTONE AND GLORY W/ LIVE SCORE BY WORDLESS MUSIC ORCHESTRA | SONIDO GALLO NEGRO Free

Wednesday, July 25, 7:00pm
COURTNEY BARNETT | JULIEN BAKER | VAGABON
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert

Thursday, July 26, 7:30pm
BRANDI CARLILE | RUTHIE FOSTER
Free

Friday, July 27, 7:30pm
TINARIWEN | CHEICK HAMALA DIABATE
Free

Saturday, July 28, 7:30pm 
NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND | KAKI KING
Free

Thursday, August 2, 7:30pm
BADBADNOTGOOD | CHARLOTTE DAY WILSON
Free

Friday, August 3, 7:30pm
NONAME | TOPAZ JONES | JAZZE BELLE
Free

Saturday, August 4, 7:30pm
TARRUS RILEY WITH DEAN FRASER AND THE BLAK SOIL BAND | MWENSO & THE SHAKES
Free

Tuesday, August 7, 7:30pm
GOOD VIBES WITH JASON MRAZ & BRETT DENNEN
Ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert

Thursday, August 9, 7:30pm 
GARY CLARK JR. | FIONA SILVER
Free

Friday, August 10, 7:30pm
GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR | EMEL MATHLOUTHI
Free

Saturday, August 11, 7:30pm
THE BREEDERS | SPEEDY ORTIZ
Free

Learn more on the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival website. 

Elizabeth Keegin Colley

7 Springtime Favorites

March 15, 2016

For Brooklynites, the hub of spring is Prospect Park – where the flora blooms brightest, the grass grows greenest, and sunshine is most inviting! Check out this list of our top seven spring pastimes.

Opening Day: On Saturday, April 2, the Prospect Park Alliance rings in the arrival of spring and with it the return of some of our most popular programs and activities. First, join the Alliance and the Prospect Park Baseball Association on Saturday morning, when thousands of youth players parade through Park Slope and celebrate the opening pitch at a newly restored field on the Long Meadow. Then join us for a variety of family-friendly fun as the Alliance kicks off its seasonal programming at the Audubon Center and Lefferts Historic House. 

Smorgasburg: What could possibly make a lazy Sunday morning in Prospect Park better? A delicious picnic provided by highly touted food purveyors. Beginning Sunday, April 3, Smorgasburg returns to Breeze Hill for a full season of showcasing the borough’s finest food in Brooklyn’s most beautiful outdoor setting. So saunter over to the Park’s southeast side, grab a bite from one of the nearly 100 vendors, and then enjoy a sunny Sunday stroll through nature.

Party for the Park: On Thursday, May 12, join the Prospect Park Alliance at the Boathouse for a one-of-a-kind celebration of the Park and the return of warmer weather. If drinks and savory bites from locally renowned establishments, live music, and dancing under the stars constitute your idea of a good time, you just might want to attend. Plus, all proceeds benefit the Alliance, and support the work we do to keep Prospect Park beautiful. Get your tickets today!

Pop-Up Audubon: Pop-Up Audubon makes its triumphant return to the Park on Saturday, April 7, and continues to pop up in various locations across the Park through October, providing fun and informative nature education programming to youth of all ages. Come check out Pop-Up Audubon and learn a bit more about Prospect Park’s flora and fauna! Want to explore the Park further on your own? Later this spring, stay tuned for news about the Alliance’s first app, which will not only help you better explore the Park, but include fun challenges and games that increase your knowledge of Park nature and history.

Spring Blooms: As April turns to May, and May to June, the entire Park will gradually blossom into a floral display of vibrant colors. Check out our bloom guide to make the most of this season, and if you enjoy photography, do not forget to post to Instagram with #ProspectPark to be in the running for our Photo of the Week.

LeFrak Center at Lakeside: On April 9, the LeFrak Center at Lakeside officially kicks off its roller skating season. Stay tuned for some of the most popular seasonal events, including roller derbies and Lola’s Dreamland Disco. If biking is more your speed, enjoy a loop around the lower end of the Park on one of the Center’s surreys, coupes and choppers!

BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival: Celebrate Brooklyn!, one of the city’s premier performing arts festivals, which draws crowds to the Bandshell to enjoy an eclectic lineup of world-class performers, kicks off June 8 with a free performance by Sharon and the Dap-Kings. The full line up of this not-to-miss celebration will be announced later this spring, but you can already get tickets for its benefit concerts, which include Tame Impala (June 14, 15), Beirut (August 2), and more. Check out our Celebrate Brooklyn! page for the latest news.

 

First 2016 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival Benefit Concerts Announced

January 20, 2016

This summer, BRIC, in partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance, will be bringing Brooklyn’s beloved performing arts event, the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, back to the Bandshell for its 38th season. BRIC has just announced its first benefit concerts of the season, Australian psych-rockers Tame Impala, with opening act Dungen, and indie-rock darlings Beirut.

Playing on back-to-back nights, Dungen and Grammy-nominated Tame Impala will take to the Bandshell on June 14 and 15. Tickets for this Grammy-nominated band’s performances are on sale now. 

On August 2, Celebrate Brooklyn! will welcomes Beirut. Presale tickets for this show become available at noon on January 20, while tickets go on sale to the general public on January 22.

The partnership between BRIC and the Alliance has flourished for decades, with the Park providing the ideal outdoor concert venue for the city’s premier performing arts festival. Since its inception in 1979, the annual event has evolved from a small showcase of Brooklyn-based artists to a city-wide attraction, drawing crowds of more than 250,000 to enjoy acts hailing from all over the globe.

The 2016 season of Celebrate Brooklyn! will feature performances across many mediums, including music, film, dance and more. Years past have been highlighted by acts like Willie Nelson & Family, Janelle Monae, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Modest Mouse. More details surrounding this summer’s lineup will be made available in the spring.

c. Martin Seck

2016 Summer Checklist

August 11, 2015

There’s no shortage of fun to be had in Brooklyn during summer. In fact, the sheer number of options can be daunting! But worry not, Prospect Park fans, because we’ve got you covered, with our guide to some of the Park’s top events and attractions this summer.

BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival – It wouldn’t be summertime in Brooklyn without this mainstay of music and arts taking over the Bandshell. In addition to the highly touted benefit shows (with acts this year like Herbie Hancock and case/lang/veirs), the lineup features a wide array of acts and performers, ranging from the Violent Femmes, to Femi Kuti, to a live-score-accompaniment to David Bowie’s Labyrinth.

The Carousel – Bring the family to a Brooklyn classic, the Prospect Park Carousel! The tried-and-true children’s ride isn’t only fun for a sping, but the ornate woodwork and painting of the structure itself provides a perfect old-timey photo-op.

New York Philharmonic – Celebrate the 51th summer of free outdoor programming from the NY Philharmonic. Alan Gilbert leads the Orchestra in Beethoven’s Overture to Fidelio, Symphony No. 3, Eroica; and Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, featuring Anthony McGill on clarinet. As always, fireworks to follow!

Smorgasburg – Beautiful surroundings and eclectic offerings from 100 of the city’s most innovative purveyors of tasty treats? What more could you ask for? Smorgasburg provides both on the Park’s Breeze Hill, and convenes every Sunday through October.

Yoga in the Park – Looking to balance your summer indulgences with a little outdoor exercise and mindfulness? Head to the Long Meadow every Thursday evening for free community yoga classes brought to you by the Prospect Park Alliance, Bend and Bloom Yoga and lululemon Brooklyn.

Boating and Biking at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside – Celebrate the return of boating to the Lake with a spin on a pedal boat, or cruise around the Park in one of the bike rentals, including surreys, coupes, choppers and quad sport bikes.

Water Play – Perhaps you’ve been to the new Splash Pad Water Play Area at the LeFrak Center, named Best of New York by New York Magazine, but did you know there are five playgrounds with water features? Take your kids to each location to cool off this summer.

Of course this is just the tip of the summer activity iceberg here in the Park, check out our events calendar for more great summer pastimes.

c. Martin Seck

Summer Checklist

June 17, 2015

Summer in Prospect Park is full of fun things to see and do. With so much going on in the Park in the coming months, it’s easy to lose track. So, we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite events and activities that shouldn’t be missed. Share your favorite activities with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with #ProspectPark.

1. Food Truck Rally (Select Sundays through October) A summer favorite, this outdoor smorgasbord at Grand Army Plaza is presented by the Prospect Park Alliance and Dispatch NY. Each week will feature a different array of trucks, including Kelvin Natural Slush Co, Carpe Donut NYC, Kimchi Taco Truck, Coolhaus, Red Hook Lobster Pound, Milk Truck, Phil’s Steaks and Andy’s Italian Ices.

2. New York Philharmonic (June 19) The New York Philharmonic celebrates its 50th summer of free outdoor concerts in city parks, including Brooklyn’s flagship. Charles Dutoit leads the Orchestra in Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture; Saint-Saëns’s Violin Concerto No. 3, with Renaud Capuçon as soloist; Stravinsky’s Petrushka; and Ravel’s La Valse. As part of the anniversary celebration, the Philharmonic has invited a local group to perform prior to each concert—in Brooklyn, the guest musicians are the Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir. The concert will be followed by fireworks. This is one of the most popular events in the Park. Get there early to find a good spot on the lawn.

3. Taming of the Shrew (June 23, 24, 30, and July 1) The New York Classical Theater will present a traveling production of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew that will walk audience members through Prospect Park, beginning at Grand Army Plaza. Nothing is as it seems in this story of unconventional couples, which subverts issues of identity, gender and power dynamics to show in the end that all we need are love and compassion.

4. Fishing Clinics (Saturdays and Sundays in July and August) Geared for families with children 15 years and under, this popular summer tradition is the perfect chance to cast a line into Brooklyn’s only lake. Learn about the 17 species of fish that call Prospect Park home in these catch-and-release fishing classes, including the long-running Macy’s Fishing Clinic and a second that is part of the expanded Pop-Up Audubon program. Poles are limited, so be sure to arrive early. 

5. Creatures of the Night (July 9, August 13 and 27) Join the Alliance to explore Prospect Park after dark with expert naturalist Paul Keim. Adults 21 and over can share wine and cheese with Paul as he speaks about the ecological role that bats and nocturnal insects play in our environment, followed by a walking tour to spot and identify the Park’s various species of resident bats in flight. There is also a family-friendly version of the tour on July 16.

6. Lola Star’s Dreamland Disco (Fridays) Lace up those skates and hustle your way to the LeFrak Center at Lakeside for this roller-dance party with a different retro theme each week. Celebrating the best of the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, Lola Star and her fabulous array of guests and performers will get you moving every Friday night this summer.

7. Boating and Biking at Lakeside Celebrate the return of boating to the Lake with a spin on a pedal boat, or cruise around the Park in one of the new bike rentals, including surreys, coupes, choppers and quad sport bikes.

8. Water Play Perhaps you’ve been to the new Splash Pad Water Play Area at the LeFrak Center, named Best of New York by New York Magazine, but did you know there are five playgrounds with water features? Take your kids to each location to cool off this summer.

9. Ezra Jack Keats Story Hour (Saturdays in July and August) Gather around Peter and Willy, the statue of two beloved Keats characters, for adventures brought to life by master storyteller Tammy Hall at the Imagination Playground.

10. Celebrate Brooklyn! Everyone knows and loves this free performing arts concert series, but have you enjoyed the full range of activities they offer? Do not miss out on the annual silent film screening with a live score by the Alloy Orchestra. This year’s film is Son of the Sheik on July 17, Rudolf “Latin Lover” Valentino’s final performance on the silver screen. And on July 30, the world premiere of Harmonium Mountain, a massive, site-specific performance piece by artist Clifford Ross and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.

 

BRIC Announces Celebrate Brooklyn! 2015 Season

April 29, 2015

Celebrate Brooklyn!, the borough’s signature performing arts festival presented by BRIC in partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance, will kick off its 37th season at the Prospect Park Bandshell on June 3. Taking place through August 12, the festival will present a wide array of free, world-class performances that represent the diversity of Brooklyn’s communities.

“Providing high quality, free public programs to the diverse communities surrounding Prospect Park is an important part of our mission,” said Sue Donoghue, Prospect Park Administrator and President of the Prospect Park Alliance. “We are delighted to partner with BRIC to present Celebrate Brooklyn!, which has enjoyed nearly four decades of tremendous success.”

Beginning with an opening concert by the Queen of Funk, Chaka Khan, Celebrate Brooklyn! will feature 24 free performances that represent a mix of music, film, dance and multimedia works. A highlight of the season is the July 30 world premiere of Harmonium Mountain, a site-specific, multi-screen installation by the artist Clifford Ross. A live score from the Orchestra of St. Luke’s will accompany the piece, featuring works by Wojciech Kilar, Bryce Dessner, Vivaldi and John Adams, including selections from “The Four Seasons” and excerpts from “Shaker Loops.”

The lineup consists of artists from Brooklyn and around the world—across the U.S., the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa and Europe, including:

Terrence Simien & The Zydeco Experience will headline this year’s Ezra Jack Keats Family Concert on June 6, performing Creole For Kidz!, a special rendition of their famous dance party. There will be performances by DanceBrazil with a special opening set by Forro In The Dark (June 20); as well as a program featuring LeeSaar The Company with a special duet choreographed by their mentor Ohad Naharin and performed by dancers from Batsheva Dance Company (August 6). Music & Movies series events include a special Pride Week screening of Paris Is Burning, with an opening set by JD Samson (June 26); and the 1926 classic The Son of the Sheik, with a live score by Alloy Orchestra and an opening performance by Ghost Train Orchestra (July 17).

This summer’s benefit concerts provide support for the free performances and include Damien Rice (June 17), Interpol (July 21), Modest Mouse (July 22), Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (August 4) and a season-closing show by Willie Nelson & Family with openers Old Crow Medicine Show (August 12).