Brooklyn's Progress
April 2003

By Roberta Grapperhaus

Check out the breathtaking Brooklyn Waterfront and parade down the cobblestone streets of Red Hook on Saturday, May 17 when the Red Hook Waterfront Arts Festival returns for its 10th spectacular year of live music, dance, poetry performances, boat rides and more on the renovated Beard Street Pier. The parade and festival take place from 11 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

On festival day, people will start gathering at Coffey Park (Dwight and Wolcott Streets) at 11 a.m. for the Red Hook Earth and Surf Parade, which kicks off at noon.  The public is welcome to march and encouraged to wear costumes. Prizes will be awarded for best costumes! Live music by the Hungry Marching Band, and giant puppets by Flying Bridge Community Arts will brighten and enliven the neighborhood during the mile-long route to the pier.
From 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. the Festival will take place at the revitalized Beard Street Pier (at the end of Van Brunt Street) and will feature performances by Tokounou (African drum and dance), SECOND2LAST (hip hop beats and poetry), and Taíno (contemporary Latin music).  Local youth groups include ArtsStart-Hip Hop Project, Dance Wave’s Kids Company, “Lifelines”, Red Hook Poetry Dance Workshop, the Red Hook Steppers,  the Pee Wee Hoofers, America’s Most Wanted, and School for Leadership in the Environment.  At 4:00 p.m., Dance/Theatre/Etcetera and the Brooklyn Arts Council are pleased to present one of the hottest contemporary Latin bands around- Taíno. Everyone is invited to dance on the pier till 5:00.

Free African and salsa dance classes, cultural workshops, boat rides, community resource booths, and inexpensive, great food prepared by neighborhood vendors will also be offered on the pier.   The Brooklyn Working Arts Coalition (BWAC) Art Exhibit will be open as well from 12 noon - 6:00 p.m. (http://www.bwac.org/).  For more information, please call Dance Theatre Etcetera at 718.287.2224 or visit http://www.dancetheatreetcetera.org/.