HUGE “BROOKLYNBEST FESTIVAL” 2007 THIS WEEKEND AT
GRAND ARMY PLAZA IN PROSPECT PARK

Presented by Brooklyn Tourism, Borough President Marty Markowitz, and KeySpan

On Saturday, June 2nd and Sunday, June 3rd, BrooklynBest 2007, a Brooklyn Tourism destination event which officially launches Brooklyn’s summer season each year, takes to Grand Army Plaza and several of the borough’s cultural institutions. Fireworks, fashion shows, musical performances, an 18-mile “Tour de Brooklyn” bike ride, mini-golf, and a 30th anniversary showing of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” starring Brooklyn’s own Richard Dreyfuss (*see special note in schedule below), are among the activities that will be enjoyed by Brooklynites and visitors alike.

The “Heart of Brooklyn” group—which includes Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park, Brooklyn Museum, and Prospect Park Zoo—will also be sponsoring numerous special events like an ice cream social at Prospect Park and a revved up Target “First Saturdays” program at the Brooklyn Museum. For details, visit www.heartofbrooklyn.org.

“This year’s BrooklynBest festival proves Brooklyn is not only one of the hottest tourist destinations in the world, as the respected Lonely Planet Travel Guide has proclaimed, but also one of the very best places in the world to call home!” said Borough President Markowitz.

Of note, the fashion shows (one curated by the originators of Brooklyn Fashion Weekend, and the other by the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office) feature the hottest designers, and anticipate the formation of the Brooklyn Fashion Council, a partnership of the Borough President’s Office, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, and fashion industry stakeholders, which will hold its first meeting this summer.

See below for the complete line-up of BrooklynBest events, or check out www.visitbrooklyn.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 2

FIREWORKS Spectacular 8:45pm from Mount Prospect
(excellent viewing from Long Meadow in Prospect Park and from outside Brooklyn Museum)

Outdoor Movie - “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (30th Anniversary)
9:00pm – Two big screens in Prospect Park’s Long Meadow
* As a special treat, mashed potatoes will be provided to the audience, so everyone can do as Brooklyn’s own Richard Dreyfuss did in the classic movie, and build a tower out of potatoes. Says Borough President Marty Markowitz, “In the movie, his sculpture had to do with aliens — but who knows, maybe some Brooklynites will be inspired to sculpt a potato model of a mini- Brooklyn Bridge — or the world famous Coney Island parachute jump!”

SUNDAY, JUNE 3

Tour de Brooklyn Family Bike Ride – Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park
8:00a.m. – Check-in; ride starts at 9:00a.m.
18 mile tour will feature Sunset Park, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst.

BrooklynBest Miniature Golf – Bailey Fountain at Grand Army Plaza
12:00p.m.-6:00p.m. – Brooklyn icons mini-golf

BrooklynBest Stage – Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park
11:00a.m. – International African Arts Festival presents Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn
11:30a.m. – West Indian American Carnival Association presents Pantonic Steel Orchestra and the Juice Crew
12:30p.m – the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival presents Tanya Morgan
1:00p.m. – the Boricua Festival presents Willie Villegas Y Entre Amigos
2:00p.m. – the Brooklyn Book Festival presents author readings from Paula Fox, Ben Greenman, Tad Hills, and Glenville Lovell
3:00p.m. – the Mermaid Parade presents Todd Robbins, the Coney Island Wonder Worker, and Bambi, Queen of the Mermaids
3:30p.m. – the Afro-Punk Festival presents The Smyrk
4:30p.m. – Jelly NYC Pool Parties present Kudu
5:00p.m – the Brooklyn New Music Festival presents Shrine for the Black Madonna
Additional performances by: Toni Blackman, the Brooklyn Music Conservatory, Sparlha Swa, Nycha, Trevor Exter and DEEP.

BrooklynBest Fashion Shows – in front of the Brooklyn Museum
2:00p.m. – Love Brigade by Alyssa Key, Allison Press, and Jamie Rockaway; Nakimuli by Tennille McMillan; John D’Aponte by John D’Aponte; Feral Childe by Alice Wu and Moriah Carlson; and Red Masala by Malisa Bowman. Presented by Brooklyn Tourism.
4:00p.m. – Duroseau Couture by Jean Richard Gerald Bazile; H.O.R.R.S. by Sosefo Etutate; Joan Vaccianna by Joan Vaccianna; Harriet’s Alter Ego, Ngozi Odita, Creative Director; and Cotrice by Jenine Cotrice Addison. Presented by the BK Style Foundation.

Brooklyn Tourism Row – Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park
11:00a.m.-6:00p.m. – Featuring: 651 Arts, BargeMusic, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment, Brooklyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn Historical Society, Brooklyn Information & Culture (BRIC), Brooklyn International Film Festival, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition, the Coney Island Memory Booth, Jewish Children's Museum, Mark Morris Dance Group, New York Aquarium, New York Transit Museum, St. Ann's Warehouse, West Indian Day Carnival Association, Young Dancers in Repertory, the Brooklyn Cultural Circuit, Heart of Brooklyn, the Washington Merchants Association, and The City Reliquary.

Heart of Brooklyn programming: special events at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park, Prospect Park Zoo. For details, visit www.heartofbrooklyn.org.