For Immediate Release
Contact: Liana Hawes
718-855-9854
liana@hawesgroup.com

ATLANTIC ANTIC FESTIVAL ATTRACTS 1 MILLION TO 30th BIRTHDAY PARTY

Brooklyn, New York - Sept, 2004 - Sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-80¹s welcomed approximately 1 million visitors to Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn on Sunday September 26, 2004 for the 30th Annual Atlantic Antic Street Festival. The figure comes from an official NYPD count provided to event organizer, the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation (LDC).

According to early LDC estimates, the 2004 Atlantic Antic generated between $5-$10 million in commerce from consumer spending. 12 corporations sponsored the event.

On a 1.5 mile stretch of Atlantic Avenue from Hicks Street to Fourth Avenue upwards of 100 Atlantic Avenue merchants hosted sidewalk sales alongside some 350 vendors who came to Atlantic Avenue from elsewhere in the region. Books, pet massage, designer clothing, kid haircuts, antiques, corn on the cob and key lime pies were among the myriad of things purveyed on the street.

TConsumables included 1500 pints of beer, 865 pulled-pork sandwiches and 12 gallons of gumbo sold at Pete's Waterfront Alehouse, which hosts a popular biergarten and sidewalk blues stage every year at 155 Atlantic. According to proprietor Sam Barbieri, an award-wining BBQ chef, this 30th Antic was his best year for sales yet. "We were busier with indoor bar sales and food service than in our last 15 years," said Barbieri. "Every year the Antic gets bigger and better, in terms of quality of vendors and organization," he added.

A few doors up from the Alehouse, 1200 Key lime pies sold in a matter of a few hours at a vendor spot creatively occupied by Steve¹s Authentic Key Lime Pies.

Eric Badlands Booker won the World Cheesecake-Eating Championship at the Downtown Atlantic Restaurant at 364 Atlantic Avenue during the 30th annual Atlantic Antic Festival. Booker consumed 1 4/5 nine inch cheesecakes (approximately 7 pounds) in six minutes. Placing second was the mysterious Eater X, Timothy Janus, who consumed 1 1/3 cheesecakes (5.5 pounds) during the contest. In third was Allen Goldstein with 1 1/4 cheesecakes (5 pounds). The six-minute, all-you-can-eat contest, sanctioned by the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE), featured the famous Downtown Atlantic cheesecakes. "The demand for our cheesecakes has been extraordinary during our first year of business," said Chris Sippel of Downtown Atlantic.

Among the elected officials visiting the 30th Annual Atlantic Antic were Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, State Assemblywoman Joan Millman, State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, New York City Council Speaker Gifford Miller, City Councilman Bill de Blasio and US Senator Charles E. Schumer. The House of the Lord Church (located on Atlantic) Choir led the Happy Birthday song as officials cut and served to the crowd a special 30th Birthday cake created by pastry chef Fran Sippel.

Over 25 performers ranging from calabash players, drummers, big band jazz musicians, vocalists, belly dancers, rock & roll bands, clowns, disco dancers and a magician appeared at special Antic performance areas throughout the day. Several others performed on the street ad-hoc, adding to the festive, bazaar-like community atmosphere on the Avenue this day. According to Atlantic Avenue historian and Boerum Hill resident Dennis Holt, in all of 30 years it has never rained on an Antic since the event kicked off in 1974.

ABOUT ATLANTIC AVENUE - Founded in 1974 by local merchants and community activists, the Atlantic Antic street festival is produced by Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation, a not-for-profit organization committed to the economic development of Atlantic Avenue from Brooklyn's East River waterfront to Flatbush Avenue. The Antic, located on Atlantic Avenue between Hicks Street and Fourth Avenue, spans three Brooklyn neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill. Atlantic Avenue is a historic retail strip and popular destination for antiques, collectibles, mid-east imports, specialty shops and home design. For more information, please call 718-875-8993