STILL SUMMER!
Ain’t no party like a Brooklyn block party!
We’re ending summer the Brooklyn way: spreading love for art, music, games, and more, at our ART360 / CLINTON HILL event, The Art of the Block Party! It’s Saturday, September 7, from noon until 5 pm, centered mostly at Jitu Weusi Plaza (Fulton + Grand). You won’t want to miss a sunny afternoon packed with FREE activities for everyone to enjoy, including:
- Glass bead projects with Urban Glass
- Street Marker sidewalk graffiti with Street Lab
- Button Making with Brooklyn Public Library
- Learn how to Grow Your Own Microgreens with The Hort
- Pick a FREE Book from Brooklyn Book Bodega
- Block Party Must-Haves: Dominoes and Giant UNO games
- Family Game Table: Go Fish, Old Maid, and Tic Tac Toe
- Giant Backyard Games: Chess, Jenga and Cornhole
- Hula Hoops and Double Dutch with Mrs. K’s Swagga Jumpers
- Paint-and-Sip with Powell
- Live tape art installation by Kuki
- Dedication of a new mural by Sally Rumble
- All-day tunes by DJ Cara Cruz
Plus, grab a map that details where you can find all the cool public art and exhibits in the Clinton Hill community surrounding Fulton Street; discover old and new works that you probably pass by every day! Check out the details here, and plan how you’ll spend the afternoon!
So, no matter if you’re a newbie to the neighborhood or an old head from around the way, youngster or elder, come meet someone new and celebrate the Brooklyn way! (And don’t forget the season’s final FAB Flicks movie is Thu., Sep. 5, also at Jitu Weusi Plaza!)
WELCOME TO SCAM SEASON
With back-to-school, upcoming holidays, and an election on deck, scammers are super busy online, trying to trick consumers out of their hard-earned money. A recent NYPD Crime Prevention Unit presentation shared a few top tips with us for business owners, but we know consumers need this info, too. Check out this TODAY Show link that highlights what to watch out for.
WHAT’S NEW?
There’s so much NEW to do in the FAB district! Be sure to explore these recently opened businesses and put them on your list as new favorites:
- Thea (17 Greene), a bakery from the same folks that opened Theodora a few doors down earlier this year, offers fresh baked goods, coffee drinks, and sandwiches. The lines have been out the door in Fort Greene!
- Casanara (983 Fulton) is a neighborhood bar and social club.
- Ikigai (87 Lafayette) is getting great reviews; it’s a non-profit restaurant featuring a tasting menu.
Unfortunately, we’ve learned that Dinner Party (86 S. Portland) is moving, but you can continue to dine with them through Sept. 14. We’re still waiting for an opening day for Smack Burger (917 Fulton), Wonder (1031 Fulton), and an as-yet-unnamed-but-speculated-to-be-a-pizzeria-and-hero-shop at 995A Fulton, so there are more good things to come!
FAB ON TIKTOK
Have you seen our “Legacy Business” series on TikTok? This summer, we’ve featured FAB-area businesses that celebrate milestones in 2024, like us (we’re turning 15!). Check out our videos, give us a follow, and help celebrate these long-time businesses by stopping by and supporting them!
CUYLER GORE UPDATE
Planned pre-pandemic, this NYC Parks project will reconstruct the entrances, playground, and passive recreation area at Cuyler Gore Park in Fort Greene. We recently received notice that Stage 2, Procurement, is now complete! Construction is set to begin in October, and is projected to finish in October 2025. Follow the progression through the tracker on the NYC Parks website, here.
RAT ACADEMY DATES FOR SEPTEMBER
New month, new chances to learn rat prevention methods for your home, building, or garden. The September calendar for virtual workshops through NYC Health lists dates for Sept. 10, 17, 24, and 30. Click the preferred date to be taken to the sign-up link.
WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS
While there has been a full summer of FAB Fulton highlights like great movie nights, lively jazz concerts, and fun fitness activities, there’s also a concerning trend.
In the public spaces of the district, we’ve witnessed neighbors digging up and removing plants from the plazas, and dog owners allowing their pets to trample and destroy plants and foliage. Household trash is illegally and regularly dumped near corners and next to trash bins on and around Fulton Street. A plaza shade umbrella was stolen from its base, and a few plaza chairs have gone missing. And much more.
We could’ve included photos of specific people and animals responsible for some of these actions, but we chose not to. This isn’t about shaming anyone but more a curious poll, with a few questions for all: Why can’t we have nice things? Do our neighborhoods not deserve to have pleasant spaces for all to enjoy? Do the needs of one or a few outrank those of many? Our public spaces are maintained (at a not inexpensive cost, BTW) for everyone’s use, but not as private gardens, dog runs, and the like. It would be great if we could be less selfish and more grateful, considerate, and proud of our neighborhood. We DO deserve nice things; if only ALL of us knew that.
ABOUT FAB FULTON
The Fulton Area Business Alliance (FAB FULTON) is a non-profit organization that advocates for and collaborates with small businesses and property owners along Fulton Street in Brooklyn’s neighborhoods of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill to maintain a safe, clean, and welcoming community while securing resources and partnerships for initiatives that enhance and promote the district.
