Postcards from Atlantic Antic, Brooklyn’s Grand Street Fair
Stroll along with us past 36 scenes from the 2018 edition of Brooklyn's kaleidoscopic feast for the senses
Handmade West African baskets imported by Agowa, which attests that "your basket is hand woven by very patient, industrious and gifted women" (Photos by Lesley Alderman and Steve Koepp)
While this year’s edition of Atlantic Antic took place on Sunday under a cool mist—compared with last year’s record 91-degree sunshine—nothing could dampen the exuberant festival’s overstimulating spirit. Brooklyn’s biggest street fair, marking its 44th anniversary, buzzed with the beat of a music festival, thanks to this year’s theme, “The Pulse of Brooklyn.”
Hundreds of vendors lined the 1.1 mile instant emporium, while thousands of fair-goers danced in the street, sampled heaping helpings of cosmopolitan cuisine, and even took advantage of free health check-ups. The Bridge was there, exploring from Hicks Street to Fourth Avenue, to bring you this gallery:
Saldavoran pupusas from Salvatoria Kitchen & Bar, with locations in Astoria and Jackson Heights
Yvonne Tawiah, of Yvonne Ex clothing, operates in the Bronx and Accra, Ghana
Queens-based Moon Man specializes in creating picturesque Southeast Asian-inspired street food
“The camera always eats first,” goes the saying, and Moon Man’s creations were no exception
An instructor from Cumbe, the Brooklyn center for African dance, found willing performers in the crowd
A little bit of Oktoberfest in September, with an abundance of bratwurst, bauernwurst and currywurst
A rainbow of oils and fragrances, with playful names ranging from Bob Marley to Jimmy Choo
A hungry bear outside clothier Antler & Woods offered a perfect family photo opp
Plastic straws may be going out of fashion, but not these cool Ecuadorean drinks
Corn on the cob seemed to be the No. 1 favorite snack
Not all music was outdoors: at Brado, the Blackcoffee Blues Band played with special guest Popa Chubby
Making jerk chicken for the masses is a smokey job
Brought to you by the Pacheco & Lugo law firm, a big band brought a big sound
Soon to become Peking Duck asian buns from C Bao
Trays of cacti were an incongruous site along the avenue, from Floral Heights in Brooklyn Heights
Police officers need a snack too. There were abundant choices not far from their posts
Experts from Kumite Ryu Jujitsu, one of the many martial-arts schools proliferating in the borough
An electric car charged by solar power, representing Brooklyn Solarworks
The very popular Dumpling Eating Contest on the main stage, free of charge from Chef One
An energetic choir out front of the House of the Lord Church drew a major crowd
Singing bowls and other artifacts from Tibetan Tree of Life
A performer from Keys to Success, a music school in Cobble Hill
Behind the counter, the heavy work happens, featuring boiling hot cauldrons
Patricia Njogu is the proprietor of Altar 3, which she calls “style with a narrative”
While the fair featured small businesses, big brands were there too, including Wyndham Hotels
A little big of country in the city, with headgear to match
A team-spirited contingent from BRIC, the borough’s leading provider of free cultural programming
Everyone marched to their own drummer, in this case producing a twirling salsa step
Funky R-and-B outside Hank’s Saloon, which is soon to close at its longtime address and reopen nearby
Carefully cooking takoyaki, or octopus balls, from Karl’s Balls
Authentic Brooklyn-made apparel from Red Hook-based Live Poultry Designs
Presenting a monkey from Fresh Art, which features work by artists with special needs
The fair’s performances spilled over to the side streets, where this duo cranked it up
Mount Sinai’s Brooklyn team was offering free blood-pressure testing. Other health-care providers gave podiatry exams and HIV screening
Last on the menu: it’s the season for candy apples, in this case available in myriad flavors
