CELEBRATE E. 4TH STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY
WITH MANY EVENTS ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND,
AND 2 MORE ON SUNDAY THE 23RD
Brooklyn, 1978. Ed Koch was mayor, Saturday Night Fever was
the soundtrack of the summer, and a garbage-filled lot on East Fourth
Street was being cleaned up, bag by bag, day by day, by a band of
committed neighbors on a mission. Forty years later, we celebrate the
tenacity and vision of the community members who made and still make the East Fourth Street Community Garden what it is today: a place of respite and reflection, of education and conservation.
On Saturday, September 22nd, come out for a free, event-packed anniversary party that’s been 40 years in the making! We start the day at 9 AM with a meditation class by Jaya Yoga, surrounded by the beauty of the garden’s flowers and trees. Our celebration’s official opening ceremony is at 10 AM, as we honor the local veterans who gave the garden its identity as a memorial garden.
Children’s activities begin at 10:30 AM, with a singalong class led by Joanne Riel, whose musical
play will encourage children and their families to explore expression,
creativity, and learning through music and movement. Joanne will sing
some children’s favorites, multicultural music, and songs from her
CD, Flying Teapot.
And speaking of kids, the garden will also have face painting and sidewalk chalk drawing—and a children’s gardening workshop at 2 PM.
Our CSA partner, Garden of Eve, sponsors a fermentation class with Chef Cheryl Paswater at 11 AM. This
class is hands-on and for all levels of cooking, so bring a glass jar
and some veggies to transform into delicious treats you'll enjoy for
weeks to come. Put some summer in a jar on the first day of fall!
Craving something sweet? We’ll be selling baked goodies too, while
supplies last. And at 11:30 AM, one of our garden volunteers conducts a workshop on indoor composting—with
a twist. This class, open to kids and adults, will demonstrate how to
compost food scraps indoors using a worm bin. You’ll never look at a
worm the same way again.
At noon, we’re visited by local tribal belly dance troupe Witchmaste,
whose shimmies and undulations will mesmerize the crowd on this
autumnal equinox. Before you know it, you’ll be trying out some new
moves yourself—Witchmaste encourages audience participation.
We’ll also
have a beer-brewing workshop starting at noon. Held in front of
the garden’s hop garden, the workshop will go through the entire process
to make a batch of homebrew and include a discussion of ingredients,
creating beer recipes, and growing your own hops!
At 2:30 PM, we switch to quieter fare, as poets reading under the
Sweet Action banner share their sublime works on the garden’s lawn.
Founded in 2014, Sweet Action creates a welcoming space for a diverse
group of women, non-binary, and LGBTQIA poets.
We close out the day’s celebration with a return engagement by the Brooklyn Bluegrass Collective at 3:30 PM. (A garden never can have enough bluegrass!) The BBC’s second studio album, Volume 2, features local bluegrass talents. We’re pleased to have the Collective back for its second September concert in a row.
But the festivities don’t end then. Come back on Sunday, September 23rd, for some gentle qigong at 10 AM.
Its simple sequence of flowing movements, breathing techniques,
self-massage, and guided meditation will help promote feelings of
balance, relaxation, and renewal. Our practice will be led by Marisa Carroll, Certified Healer-Within Qigong Practice Leader, The Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi.
Then at 4 PM, we are happy to present an opening reception for the garden’s third annual art show,“Jewel Box,” featuring works by Eric Boucourt, Deborah Morris, and Tom Brown.
Come enjoy a delightful afternoon with your neighbors, some yummy
nibbles, and a trove of artworks to uncover along our lovely shade
garden path.
The
East Fourth Street Community Garden, located between Fort Hamilton
Parkway and Caton Avenue, has served the neighborhoods of Windsor
Terrace and Kensington for 40 years. All events at the garden are FREE; check our upcoming events at eastfourthstreetgarden.tumblr.com or on our Facebook page.