THE ATLANTIC ANTIC 32th Anniversary Celebration Sunday, September 17th 2006, 10am-6pm Atlantic Avenue between Hicks Street and Fourth Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn RAIN OR SHINE!!!

 

Release Date: July 18, 2006
Contact: Michelle Karshan
Telephone: 212-613-6033
Email: mkarshan@aol.com


32nd ANNUAL ATLANTIC ANTIC STREET FESTIVAL SET FOR SEPTEMBER 17, 2006

Atlantic Antic 2006, New York City's Largest Street Festival, Offers Something for Everyone


Brooklyn, New York, July 18, 2006 -- The Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation is pleased to announce that it will hold its 32nd Annual Atlantic Antic Street Festival on Sunday, September 17, 2006 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Rain or Shine) along 1.5 miles of Atlantic Avenue from Hicks Street to Fourth Avenue running through Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill in Downtown Brooklyn. All activities are free and open to the public.

Complimenting the wide range of trendy restaurants and shops along the avenue, and the special sales and events they will hold that day, the Atlantic Antic will feature something for everyone: Jewelry, clothes, home accessories and unique crafts. Seven live music stages of blues, rock, country, R&B, jazz, music for kids, and more! Four hundred vendors, including food from around the world, book readings and other various cultural events, including live belly dancing!

For children of all ages, community organizations, local businesses, and artists provide lots of children's and family activities, including face painting, clowns, haircuts, pony rides, floating castle puppets and arts activities.

Closed to traffic for the day, one million people will once again enjoy the rich cultural and commercial diversity along this strip of Atlantic Avenue while they walk, talk, dance, sing, eat, shop, meet old and new friends and enjoy the uniqueness of Brooklyn.

The Atlantic Antic, which is produced by the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation, with the assistance of auster*events, was rated by Time Out New York as New York City's No. 1 Street Festival and is also the recipient of the 2002 New York City Neighborhood Development Award of Distinction.

The festival gives merchants, residents and street vendors the opportunity to open their neighborhoods to a wider audience during this New York City tradition.

This year's Atlantic Antic enjoys Lead Sponsorship from Affinity Health Plan, Independence Community Bank, soon to be Sovereign Bank, and Forest City Ratner Companies. Signature Sponsors are Con Edison, Crunch Fitness, Health Plus, Independence Community Foundation, Equinox Fitness Club, and Time Warner. Media Partners are The Brooklyn Eagle, Jack FM and Time Out New York.

Background

Charlie Sahadi, of Sahadi's Specialty & Fine Foods, which opened on Atlantic Avenue in 1948, recalls the history of the Atlantic Antic which was founded in 1974, a whopping 33 years ago! "At that time," Sahadi explained, "downtown Brooklyn was just beginning to experience a rebirth and it's direction was still iffy."

A grassroots movement of neighborhood residents and businesses joined together to organize the Atlantic Antic in an effort to "showcase downtown Brooklyn" and their commitment to keep it a place of neighborhoods, families, and small shops.

So enormous was the response by families and businesses, who came out every year for the Atlantic Antic, that Sahadi recalls the jingle back then was, "Atlantic Antic -- it's gigantic!"

"Now see how terrific the whole environment in downtown Brooklyn is," Sahadi proudly points out. "Downtown Brooklyn has really taken off and the Atlantic Antic is bigger than ever!"

Affectionately, Sahadi recalled his own family's tradition of opening their store on only one Sunday a year and that was for the Atlantic Antic. He added that the children in his family, like so many other children in the area, always participated in the Antic -- never missing a year until they went off to college.

Thanks to Sahadi's Specialty & Fine Foods store, an integral aspect of the Atlantic Antic is the 4-6 belly dancers and 6 piece classic Middle Eastern orchestra playing on traditional instruments.

Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation

The Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation, originally formed in 1974, is a not-for-profit organization committed to the economic development of the Atlantic Avenue area from Fourth Avenue to the East River waterfront in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to producing the Atlantic Antic, one of New York City's major cultural attractions, and other special events, the organization's activities include implementation of streetscape improvements, historic storefront preservation, and advocacy on issues of importance to the retail and residential community. The Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corp. is charged with bringing to fruition the Atlantic Avenue Master Plan which was conceived by the Atlantic Avenue Leadership Conference, a collaboration of 50 local community groups and businesses including the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation.

For further information, please telephone 718-875-8993.

For marketing and promotional opportunities, please contact auster*events at info@austerevents.com or call 718-243-1414

Editors: Please contact mkarshan@aol.com for images available for press use.

Directions: Several public and private parking lots on and around Atlantic Avenue or any Brooklyn bus to civic center area, or by subway take either the 2, 3, 4, 5 to Nevins St. OR Atlantic Avenue OR Borough Hall, M to Borough Hall; R to Borough Hall Station OR Lawrence St, or Pacific St. F to Bergen Street OR Jay Street B, Q to Atlantic Avenue N, M, D to Pacific Street A, C, G to Hoyt/Schemerhorn or Jay Street.