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DTBK has always been an active and vibrant neighborhood, long before the Dutch settled in what they coined “Breuckelen.” Today, its communities still shape and enrich the culture. Live music, art shows, festivals, and events that can’t even be put into a category make the community what it is.
Whether you’re a local or a traveling visitor, community events here in Downtown Brooklyn leave a lasting impression and make a difference. It’s impossible to gather them all, but here’s a list of some of the annual Downtown Brooklyn events to which you can look forward all year round.
The Fort Greene Conservancy brings the neighborhood together for fun and games, crafts, and workshops to cherish the OG Mother. There are usually prizes to be won and a great time to be had.
The Brooklyn Academy of Music is known for its awesome events calendar and DanceAfrica brings an impressive line-up yearly. It’s one of the largest celebrations of African diasporic dance and music in New York. The event is held every year in the spring, usually in May.
In April, it’s time again to cheer on your marathoning friends and brave strangers running the streets of Brooklyn. Partying by the Brooklyn Half marathon’s sidelines has become its own event over the years. Bonus points for silly, yet encouraging cardboard signs.
Brooklyn goes wild for cherry blossoms in full bloom. It’s a beloved tradition and simply magical to experience in person — perhaps while sipping on a THC drink. The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens put in the hard work all year to drench parts of Prospect Park in pink wonder.
This is a Brooklyn neighborhood event that is not to be missed. Great music and good vibes are always on the list at AfroPunk. If you’re not familiar, it’s an arts festival that showcases music, film, and fashion produced by alternative Black artists. All are welcome, just bring your dancing shoes.
BRIC (Brooklyn Information & Culture) has been putting on cultural community events for more than four decades. Its Celebrate Brooklyn! is New York City’s free and longest-running performance art festival, taking place every year in Prospect Park. This summer fest combines Brooklyn’s diverse music genres and cultures through dance and sound.
Every summer, New Yorkers make their pilgrimage to their nearest Smorgasburg to get a taste of everything their neighborhoods have to offer. Prospect Park’s Smorgasburg, by Breeze Hill, runs from April through October.
For a handful of years now, 651 Arts has put on an amazing Juneteenth commemoration at Ashland Plaza. Powerful live music, spoken word performances, a market, and dances honor Black culture on this historic day of liberation. The event is free and everyone is welcome.
Just when you thought Halloween couldn’t get better, you stumble upon the Great PUPkin dog costume contest at Fort Greene. These pups and their parents go all out every year — outdress younger trick-or-treaters. The event is put on by the Fort Greene PUPS, a non-profit that celebrates dog life at this park.
The annual Atlantic Antic is a street fair unlike any other. Not only is it the largest and oldest fair in Brooklyn, it’s an absolute blast. Fine foods and crafts from all over the world collide with non-stop music on Atlantic Avenue in September.
Interestingly enough, Oktoberfest starts in September, so don’t be late to grab your Lederhosen and Biersteins. Downtown Brooklyn is close to a couple of German restaurants such as Black Forest Inn and DSK, both of which import beer from the Fatherland for an authentic feast. Prost!
October means the return of Jazz Fest. BRIC has been a nexus for jazz for more than 10 years. Lining up jazz icons and newcomers, this is a setlist you have to see (and hear) in person.
DTBK’s largest shopping HQ, City Point, puts on markets throughout the year, but the holiday version of The Makers Show is arguably its best. Get all your holiday shopping done from local vendors, enjoy yummy winter snacks, and —who are we kidding — find a few things to treat yourself.
If you need some sparkle in your life during a cold Brooklyn winter, make your way to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The Lightscape festival lights up the senses with an enchanting display of over a million dazzling installations. It’s truly the magic of the season.
The Brooklyn Museum rings in the Lunar New Year with an afternoon of art-making and even a lion dance performance. It’s a great way to learn about the holiday and the culture. You can also brag that your art was featured in a museum.
For almost four decades, BAM has paid tribute to Dr. King with speakers, live music, and film. Tickets are free but are on a first-come, first-served basis. There’s a live stream as well, in case you’re in hibernation mode come January.
Brooklyn is a pretty large borough and it’s welcoming to all. Locals and non-Brooklynites alike are encouraged to become part of its culture. There are a lot of organizations that organize volunteer outreach — most often online — and donation drives.
First up is the DTBK’s own neighborhood association. If you’ve spent any time in the rest of NYC, you might’ve noticed that most neighborhoods have their teams and branding that take care of the community.
Downtown Brooklyn’s team members tend to wear blue with the black and white squared “DWNTWN BKLYN” logo. It’s a very active organization — you might’ve already hung out at one of their events on Albee Square. Their job board stays up-to-date and tends to offer everything from internships to full-time positions to event-specific volunteering.
One of the original events partnerships is the overall borough’s organization, Brooklyn Org. It’s a platform that spans across neighborhoods for local philanthropy, investing in BK’s non-profits. You can Show Brooklyn Some Love by visiting the link to read up about their mission, find ways to donate, participate in community events, and become a member. Don’t forget to sign up for their current newsletter.
Usually in April, the organization presents Volunteer Day, an annual moment for all Brooklynites to come together to help out their borough. If April’s too far away for you, check out their other events calendar here.
There are so many ways to affect change throughout Downtown Brooklyn, so it’s easy to find something for every passion. If you’re an art buff, the Brooklyn Museum needs air for its events. They put on educational programs, apprentice developments, multiple initiatives for visitors with disabilities, and much more. The most direct way to help out is by donating to their annual fund.
It takes a village (borough?) to also keep Prospect Park running. The Prospect Park Alliance excels in its all-year-round events line-up. It’s a vibrant organization that constantly seeks to make special events more available, conserve the park and its wildlife, and cater to children’s nature education. Their volunteer hub has everything you need to find what you’re passionate about, sign up, and even do corporate volunteering.
Though Fort Greene Park may be smaller in size than Prospect Park, its volunteers’ enthusiasm is not. If you want to get involved in the upkeep of the park named after one of George Washington’s BFF, Nathaneal Greene, visit the Conservancy’s volunteer website. There, you can create a volunteer profile and get matched up with events.
You can’t run out of things to do in Brooklyn. DTBK continues to make its mother borough proud by championing community issues and filling up a deep calendar of local events. As you venture near or far to take part in these celebrations, stop by The Travel Agency. We’re located at 122 Flatbush Avenue and have the perfect pairing supplies for your adventures.
HAPPY
ENERGETIC
CALM
RELAXED
FOCUSED
SLEEP
CLEAR MIND
UPLIFTED
CREATIVE
INSPIRED