McCarren Park hosts plenty of parties and fun events, but this weekend’s latest will look a little different.
Several neighborhood groups and nonprofits will unite on Saturday, August 3 for a one-of-a-kind block party event, taking place on Driggs Avenue. For one day, the block between Lorimer and North 12th streets will be entirely blocked off, bringing together both sides of the park.
The event kicks off at 10 a.m. and goes all day. Neighbors can enjoy games like pickleball, yoga, cyanotype printmaking, a poetry stage, among other activities.
The event has the support of our Greenpoint and Williamsburg elected officials, who are sponsoring alongside groups like North Brooklyn Parks Alliance, North Brooklyn Neighbors, North Brooklyn Mutual Aid, and many more (hint—if it has ‘North Brooklyn’ in the name, they’re likely to be there!)
The event presents an opportunity to consider what it might look like to add more traffic-free hours in the block that runs through the park, joining a small stretch of Union Avenue that has long been blocked off.
“Many neighbors might remember when Union Avenue divided McCarren Park as an active roadway until the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance led the effort to de-map the street in 2013, successfully expanding the park and creating permanent open space for the McCarren Greenmarket and other park activities. Back then, Union Avenue was our area’s first “open street” — with an evolving open space network in and around McCarren Park that now includes public plazas like Banker’s Anchor and Bedford Slip, and a connective corridor via the Berry Open Street to Domino Park.”
“This weekend, more than a decade after Union Avenue was de-mapped, Driggs Avenue will be closed to traffic for the first time ever, allowing the neighborhood to experience a truly cohesive park free of street divisions. McCarren Park boasts a strong network of community groups that are coming together to celebrate the endless opportunities a unified park will bring to North Brooklyn.”
Katie Denny Horowitz, Executive Director, North Brooklyn Parks Alliance
“McCarren Park hosts countless sports games, picnics, children’s birthday parties and more each and every week and is a beloved and much used open space. By shutting down Driggs Avenue for the day, the McCarren Park Block Party will allow community members to experience a larger park, free from traffic and vehicle emissions,”
“Other New York City parks, such as Central Park and Prospect Park, have taken steps to limit or prohibit vehicle traffic and this Saturday is an opportunity to evaluate whether this direction would be beneficial for McCarren Park and the surrounding community. North Brooklyn Neighbors is proud to be working with so many other amazing local groups to bring this event to the community.”
Lael Goodman, Director of Environmental Programs, North Brooklyn Neighbors
So get out there and take advantage of all our beautiful neighborhood has to offer!