On Tuesday, May 29, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz revealed this year’s Brooklyn Botanic Garden Celebrity Path honorees — Mad Magazine founder and mastermind William (“Bill”) Maxwell Gaines, of blessed memory, and Calypso songwriting legend Irving Burgie. The two will be inducted at a gala ceremony at 6 pm on Wednesday, May 30th at the BBG.

Borough President Markowitz also announced the exciting schedule of events for the annual BrooklynBest festival, to be held this Saturday, June 2nd, and Sunday, June 3rd. The Borough President was joined in the announcement by Bob Catell, chairman of Keyspan, Scot Medbury, president of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Ellen Salpeter, director of Heart of Brooklyn, and Dani Simons, deputy director of development and communications at Transportation Alternatives, as well as fashion models and the Bob Cunningham Jazz Trio.

“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.

Bill Gaines, born in Brooklyn in 1922, was the publisher and co-editor of EC Comics and the founding publisher of Mad—a magazine whose trademark parodies of pop culture, politics and American life have inspired generations of readers to question authority and generations of comedy writers to find their satiric voice—for over 50 years. He is being inducted posthumously for his commitment to making people laugh and championing the individual perspective, all the while demonstrating real Brooklyn chutzpah.

Irving Burgie is the man behind the music and lyrics of the internationally acclaimed “Day O” and most of the other songs on Harry Belafonte’s groundbreaking album “Calypso.” The album was the first in the United States to sell one million copies, and was number one on the Billboard charts for 32 consecutive weeks. In the 50 years since he became a pioneer in the music industry and the father of modern calypso, Burgie has also distinguished himself as a dedicated humanitarian and civic activist.

The celebration of Brooklynites and Brooklyn institutions continues this weekend, as BrooklynBest 2007, a destination Brooklyn event which officially launches Brooklyn’s summer season each year, takes to Grand Army Plaza and Heart of Brooklyn institutions. See below for the complete line-up of events, or check out www.visitbrooklyn.org.

SATURDAY NIGHT, 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
* first come first served mashed potatoes!

Heart of Brooklyn programming. For details, visit www.heartofbrooklyn.org.

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.