Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

Next Thursday, August 8th, the parking lot at the corner of 17th Street and 5th Avenue will be transformed into the South Slope's version of Shakespeare's Globe Theater, aka "Shakespeare in the Parking Lot."

Paul and Dee from South (actors and bar owners) will be producing "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The gates (of the parking lot) will open at 7pm and the show will start at 8. Just bring a blanket or chairs and set up. The performance is free!

Thursday Night: Dancing Under the Stars Begins

As you may know, Dancing Under the Stars was changed this year to Thursday Nights in August and early September (as opposed to July and August).

That means that the season kicks off this Thursday Night! Don't miss Rolie Polie Guacamole in Washington Park at 5:30 pm, followed by LA Saxy at 4th Street and Fifth Avenue, starting at 7:00 pm. Above is a little taste of what to expect from this amazing soul and rock band.

Keep an eye on the skies, though. Rain is forecast for Thursday evening!

Photos from Summer Stroll, Part 2

Well, the weather at Friday's South Slope Summer Strolls event was much more cooperative, with sunshine and temperatures in the 70's rather than the high 90's. As a result, Park Slope came out in a big way and celebrated the summer in the street. Check out the photos by Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID Board Member, Erika Clark, here.

Next up: Dancing Under the Stars on Thursday Night at 4th Street and 5th Avenue.

Tonight: South Slope Summer Strolls

Night Two of South Slope Summer Strolls is finally here! Although the day is starting off a little cool and cloudy, the forecast is for sun and 82 degrees.

Here are some things you'll find between 12th and 18th Streets tonight:

-Free Street Chess at 12th Street,
-A free bouncy house and activities at 13th Street,
-Juggling with Jen Slaw,
-Salsa music and dancing at Prospect (545 5th Avenue) with Sonido Costeno,
-A Rock Climbing Wall by Brooklyn Boulders,
-Vintage Cars on the Prospect Expressway Overpass,
-An open fire hydrant (although it might be too cold to enjoy it),
-A full slate of music and fun at Freddy's,
-Free Hot Dogs at South, AND...
-Fire performers near 17th Street at 8:00 pm!

Plus lots of great places to eat, drink and shop along the avenue and free kid activities in the street from locally owned businesses.

If you are in town tonight, come on down and check it out!

Tomorrow Night: South Slope Summer Strolls, Night 2!

Not going anywhere this weekend? Well, then come on out to Fifth Avenue on Friday night!

The Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District, as part of the City of New York's "Weekend Walks" program, will be closing Fifth Avenue between 12th and 18th Street on Friday, July 26th. The closure will take place between 4pm and 10pm. The event runs from 5pm - 9pm.

As part of the program, merchants will have the opportunity to provide outdoor seating, food, drinks and merchandise to browse on the sidewalk, right out to the curb. In the streets, there will be music and free activities for the whole family including:
- face painting
- a bouncy house
- a basketball hoop
- vintage cars
- a rock climbing wall
- free games, music and more!

Highlights:

Salsa band Sonido Costeno will get the crowd moving in the street in front of Prospect Bar and Brooklyn Boulder's mobile rock-climbing wall will be on-hand for adventurers

Live music at Freddy's Bar, free hot dogs at South. Fire performers at 8:00 near 17th Street!

Chalk drawing in the streets and frisbees will add to the summer fun. Or just have a seat in the street and enjoy the extra open space.

Photo (above) from the July 19th Summer Strolls event. Additional photos at flickr.com/photos/park_slope_5th_avenue_bid/sets/72157634720542656/ .

We'll see you there!

It's Restaurant Week?

Yes, it's Restaurant Week in New York City (a program of NYCGo.com)! You wouldn't know it by hanging out in Park Slope, though. Like many years past, there are few participants in this citywide program from the neighborhood. Perhaps our restaurant owners prefer to participate in Dine in Brooklyn or A Taste of Fifth Avenue?

Anyway, through August 16th (making it more of a "Restaurant Weeks"), you can get some great deals on meals at the sole participant from the Fifth Avenue BID, Benchmark Restaurant. We've had nothing but great meals at Benchmark, so this is still pretty good news. They'll be offering a special 3-course prix fixe lunch ($25) and dinner ($38) throughout the event. 

Don't miss it!  

Last Day for Scaredy Kat

Today is the last day for Fifth Avenue institution Scaredy Kat.

We'd like to take a moment and say "thanks" to Nora and Damond, for being such a great part of our Fifth Avenue community. Good luck in your new endeavors in North Carolina. You will be missed!

Drop by today, one last time, and get 25% off of everything in the store.

Photos from Summer Strolls

Well, the weather was hot and steamy, but that didn't stop our neighbors from coming out to the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID's first-ever South Slope Summer Stroll event (the open fire hydrant definitely helped). Local photographer and BID Board Member Erika Clark managed to capture a lot of great images from the evening (like the one, above). Click here to see them all.

If you missed the fun, don't worry! South Slope Summer Strolls returns this Friday from 5-9 pm with more music, dancing, a rock climbing wall, a bouncy house and more. See you in the streets!

Tonight: South Slope Summer Strolls

Tonight at 4:00 pm, Fifth Avenue from 12th to 18th Street closes to vehicle traffic as we prepare for our first-ever South Slope Summer Stroll event (5 - 9 pm). Look for street chess, music, kids activities, vintage cars and (just added) Fire Performers from 7-9 pm near 17th Street! Along the curb, check out wares from participating merchants or just sit outside and try to beat the heat with a cold drink.

See you there!

South Side Parking

Well, the "No Parking" signs have been hung along Fifth Avenue, from 12th to 18th Street in preparation for the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID's South Slope Summer Strolls event. The stretch will be off limits to cars and buses from 4-10 pm, Friday night. We don't anticipate any serious traffic or parking problems, as summer Fridays are generally pretty quiet.

However, it looks like things will be a little more complicated by the filming of a television show on 9th Street between 4th and 6th Avenues and Fifth Avenue between 8th and 9th Streets. Cars need to be moved by 10 pm tonight, so maybe the filming will be done during the day on Friday and the spaces will be open before Summer Strolls begins.

Fingers crossed (we had no idea this was going to happen)!

Summer Series at Hiho Batik

Yesterday, our friends at Park Slope Stoop reported on a 5-week Stories and Crafts series coming to Hiho Batik (184 Fifth Avenue). We thought we would repeat the information to help spread the word about this great Fifth Avenue Business, especially since the series starts tomorrow:

July 18: A Day at the Beach: Decorate beach-themed picture frames using watercolor paint, glue, and sand. 

July 25: Squishy Turtle and Friends: Make turtles out of paper bowls, using paint and stamps for the shells. 

August 1: I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur: Make and paint dinosaur fossils using salt dough, finger paint, and plastic dinosaurs. 

August 8: Color Zoo: Use paper bags to create an animal hand puppet by gluing different shapes together. 

August 15: In The Garden: Decorate flower pots using watercolor paint and stamps, and then make coffee filter flowers to plant in them.

Interested? More information here. 

What to Expect

Just a few more days left until South Slope Summer Strolls takes place on Fifth (this Friday from 12th to 18th Street, 5-9 pm).

We've had a lot of people ask us this week whether this is a street fair. The answer is no. South Slope Summer Strolls is actually part of the NYC Department of Transportation's Weekend Walks program:

Local merchants' associations, community groups, and business improvement districts host Weekend Walks as a fun way to highlight local businesses and cultural institutions. The Walks are temporary pedestrian streets that create great opportunities for New Yorkers to gather, see their neighborhoods in a new way, and relax on summer weekends.

In other words, more like this:





And less like this:




So expect a little music, some fun kids activities, outdoor seating, food and drink from local bars and restaurants and lots of public space to enjoy. Do NOT expect Italian Sausage or tube sock vendors.

See you there!

This Friday: South Slope Summer Strolls

This Friday, July 19th and next Friday, 26th from 5 - 9 pm, Fifth Avenue will be closed to cars between 12th and 18th Streets.  Yup, the streets will be closed, the buses will be rerouted and merchants will have the opportunity to provide outdoor seating, food, drinks and merchandise to browse, right out to the curb. In the streets, there will be music and and some free activities for the whole family. 

For this Friday, grab a beer or some food outdoors while the kids enjoy face painting, a bouncy house, a basketball hoop, vintage cars, music from Rolie Polie Guacamole and Bangstrum, free hot dogs and more!

The event gets bigger and better on the 26th, with a rock climbing wall from Brooklyn Boulders, salsa dancing in the street with Sonido Costeno and some amazing juggling by Jen Slaw!

Small Wonder Gallery Exhibit

The Ground Floor Gallery, although just a few months old, has already made waves in the neighborhood with amazing shows filled with locally-made and affordable art.

Tonight, from 6:00 to 8:30 pm, they are having a reception celebrating the art of "small." The show, "Small Wonder", features pieces that are no larger than 8 1/2" x 11" and no more expensive than $200. Yes, you have room for this art in your tiny apartment and you can afford it!

Drop by, check out the art, meet some artists and see what the Ground Floor Gallery has to offer!

This Saturday: Park Slope Eye Celebrates 5

This Saturday, July 13th, join Dr. Justin Bazan and his staff for a night of celebration. From 10 PM to 2 AM, drop by their Union Street store for a night of music, free booze and fun.

This party is a little past our bedtime so we'll just say "congratulations" to Park Slope Eye for five years of great service in the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID. Here's to five more!

Scaredy Kat: Final Day July 23

Scaredy Kat's last day is Tuesday, July 23rd. Drop by one last time and get 25% off of everything in the store before it's too late!

Salamander Launch Party

We mentioned locally-made Salamander Hot Sauce before, after an amazing opportunity to sample it on food from Backyard back in late May. Now, it's your turn!

Drop by Backyard tomorrow night (July 10th), starting at 6:00 pm, for a Salamander Kickstarter campaign launch party! Sample cocktails featuring Salamander sauces and try a special menu designed to be paired with the sauces!

A great locally-made product, an amazing Fifth Avenue restaurant, cocktails, food and a good cause. What more could you want for an evening out?

In 11 Days: South Slope Summer Strolls!

Just a reminder that on Friday, July 19th and 26th from 5 - 9 pm, Fifth Avenue will be closed to cars between 12th and 18th Streets. Take stroll down the street! Ride a bike (carefully)! Rollerblade, roller skate, skateboard!  Yes, the streets will be closed, the buses will be rerouted and merchants will have the opportunity to provide outdoor seating, food, drinks and merchandise to browse, right out to the curb. In the streets, there will be music and free activities for the whole family including face painting, a bouncy house, a basketball hoop, vintage cars, music and more!

News Round-Up

Mavi Jeans Coming to Big Storefront on Fifth and Union [Here's Park Slope]

Playtime in Park Slope: Upcoming Children's Events [Park Slope Stoop]

New Yelp Map Warns of Yuppies in South Slope [South Slope News]

Fill’er up! New fountains in Prospect Park let water-lovers top-off bottles [Brooklyn Paper]

Happy 4th of July

- from the merchants of Fifth Avenue and the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID

Here are a couple of things happening today on the Avenue today. You might as well get out and enjoy the day, because most of the services you need will be closed.

Enjoy the day!

The 4th on 5th

There are two kinds of people in this city:

1) Those heading out of the city right now to enjoy the 4th of July (they won't see this blog post), and

2) Those who are staying in town to enjoy the quiet which comes from people in category 1 leaving town. If you are currently reading this blog post, then you are in category 2, and you should read below for some ideas on how to celebrate the 4th right in our neighborhood:

The Old Stone House: some very important, pivotal events in our nation's history took place around The Old Stone House site. Visit the OSH Gallery and learn more about why the British thought they could end the Rebellion here in Brooklyn in just five days and how the Americans – despite the odds – prevailed! Special 4th of July Hours: 11-4.

Freddy's Bar: Drop by starting at 2:30 for $2 PBR's and $3 tap beers. You can eat what they are grilling or bring your own!

That's all we know right now, although we're sure that many of Fifth Avenue's amazing bars and restaurants will be open and ready to help you celebrate our nation's birthday. We'll update this post as we learn more.

Geek Out at Union Hall

Tonight at 8:00, Brooklyn's geeks take over Union Hall for an evening of comedy and storytelling, featuring Janeane Garofalo, Chris Lamberth, Diana Spechler, Vinny Deponto and more.

Geeking Out is a comedy and storytelling show that brings crazy-talented performers together for a night of shameless nerding out on the bands they love, the celebrities they obsess over and the video games that nearly wore their thumbs to stumps (and that's just the tip of the fanatical iceberg).

Hosted by bespectacled comedy duo Kerri Doherty and Nate Fernald (above).

Dancing Under the Stars

Happy July, everyone!

The Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID has a lot planned this summer, to help keep the avenue hopping! Of course, as we noted last week, South Slope Summer Strolls is coming up on July 19th and 26th. And, for those of you who love to listen and dance to live music, the BID's popular Dancing Under the Stars series returns in August and early September. Below is the confirmed schedule, with local favorites Role Polie Guacamole playing a set for kids at 5:45 and adult dancing at 7 pm.

August 1st: LA Saxy (soul/rock)
August 8th: Sonido Costeno (salsa)
August 15: An Evening of Square Dancing
August 22: Deep Pockets (jazz/swing)
August 29: LA Saxy (soul/rock)
September 5: Tara O'Grady (swing)