We can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord.
What’s coming, you might ask? Just one of the many niche traditions that make Greenpoint great — Phil Collins Day, happening on February 18 at Greenpoint Beer and Ale (1150 Manhattan Ave).
Greenpoint denizens have sporadically celebrated the perpetually middle-aged former Genesis frontman for well over a decade, though the event has yet to morph into a reliable yearly event.
If you’re a local, the day’s origins probably need no explaining, but for those not in the know, a local driver often cruises around the neighborhood blasting the Collins classic “In the Air Tonight.” Though he has slowed down a bit in recent years, those with a carefully attuned ear can hear that crescendo of drums if they listen hard enough.
While it makes sense that our neighborhood would celebrate Phil Collins, why the Valentine’s Day association? According to an interview with us from 2014, founder Heather Louise Kramer started the celebration as a rebuttal to the uber-saccharine Valentine’s Day when she was in high school, and somehow along the way, it morphed into the Greenpoint specific holiday that it is.
“The event seemed to have reached its apex in 2011 when a full-fledged parade processioned through the streets of Greenpoint featuring a marching band playing instrumental versions of Collins’ hits,” we reported in 2015. No word on whether the parade will make a triumphant return (or if either the man himself or his mega-fan will make an appearance) but regardless, it should be a fun day for all Greenpointers.
The day went virtual last year, so we’re excited to see the return of an in-person event. Stop by Greenpoint Beer and Ale from 2 – 6 PM on February 18 to check out all the action.
Phil Collins Day is February 15