The first time that the Red Hook Star-Revue attempted a festival, in 2011, Hurricane Irene interceded. The weather could not have been more perfect on July 12th as the first annual Celebrating Red Hook festival brought everyone together for a great community celebration.
Produced by the Star-Revue’s Kimberly Gail Price, IKEA’s Erie Basin Park was transformed into a vendors market showing off the talents of local craftspeople, with items for sampling and for sale, a full day of music and dance on a Fairway sponsored stage, speeches from local politicians Carlos Menchaca, Felix Ortiz and Nydia Velazquez, and topped off by IKEA’s fabulous fireworks display – almost making us forget the recent Macy production.
Browsing through the rows of vendor tables lining the park, one could find natural homemade jams, handmade knives crafted from antique wood files, locally produced wines (featuring a free taste), body oils, jewelry, printing, homemade treats for your pet, local artists displaying their paintings, handmade glass objects and much more. Some of the vendors included All Natural Dog Treats, Alexander Masyk, Art & Anvil Liberty, Inc., Cora Dance, Ethan Rosenduft, Fairway, Gerard Barbot, I’m so Brooklyn, Jacob Mann, Jewelry by Joyce, Nat Sherman, Pier Glass, Pitt Cooking Display, Ready Corner, Red Hook Winery, RHAP, Made with Love Oils, Elite Fitness, Sheweld, Quinn Corbin, and Theo Nazz.
Because of the generosity of IKEA in donating the space, there was no charge to vend. Additional generosity was provided by all the local musicians, who provided their music free of charge. And much needed cold water, juices and lemonade were donated by Fairway.
While none of the bands that performed are world famous, the music was world class. The music started a bit after 12 noon, and continued until dark.
The performance schedule was as follows:
Noon – 2 pm: 101 Union Street Jam
2 00 pm: Cora Dance, “Common Dances”
2:30 pm: Happs
3:00 pm: The Paisley Fields
4:00 pm: The Chocolate Cuckoo Clocks
5:00 pm: Berst
6:00 pm: Running Thoughts
7:00 pm: The John Baab Trio
8:00 pm Union Band
For four years, the offices of the Star-Revue hosted local community music jams on Mondays and Thursdays. Many of the performers this afternoon came from musical relationships sparked at these jams. Running Thoughts is a punk-styled band headed by 101 stalwart, drummer Ozzie Martinez. They included a Ramones tribute, stemming from the death the day before of Tommy Ramone, the last surviving member.
Cora Dance is, of course, Red Hook’s local dance troupe, who presented a performance as part of their Common Dances – a series of shows throughout the neighborhood. Happs is composed of local performer Tyquan Carter, who raps to pre-recorded music which he composes and records. In addition, he served as the soundman for Celebrating Red Hook.
Berst is a jazz ensemble performing original music of Robert Barnes, a veteran of touring jazz groups and a former Broadway musician. Their music brought to mind Weather Report and Earth Wind and Fire, and mesmerized the audience.
John Baab is a Carroll Gardens native who tours the country with the band Reign of Kindo. His own trio performs a mix of funk and rock. “They wrecked the place,” exclaimed Khadija James.
Union is a rock quartet that performs the songs of Stanley Kosakowski, who sings and plays guitar in the group. The music is country tinged rock, and led up to the IKEA fireworks.
Many of these musicians can be heard Monday nights at Rocky Sullivans, 34 Van Dyke Street, as the 101 Union jams live on. Rocky’s is just a couple of blocks from the Erie Basin Park.
Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez enjoyed meeting the musicians and vendors, and remarked that the day was reminiscent of what she saw on a recent trip to Amsterdam. “Their whole waterfront was filled with music,” she said. Onstage, she said that Celebrating Red Hook demonstrated what our waterfront should be like all the time. She hoped that this would become an annual event, something that was confirmed later by IKEA’s Lorna Montalvo.
Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, fresh from playing baseball with the Wounded Warriers that morning in Bay Ridge, and Councilman Carlos Menchaca also took the stage at Celebrating Red Hook.
The event was free to the public. It was promoted by a segment on NBC News 4, and Channel 12, who reported on the event as it occurred.
For more information on future events, contact producer Kimberly Gail Price at 718 624-5568.
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