5 New Things to Expect From This Year’s Smorgasburg and Brooklyn Flea
Image courtesy of Smorgasburg
Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg founder Eric Demby sent out a press release yesterday announcing the opening of the markets’ outdoor season next weekend (it’ll definitely be nice out by then, right? Right??), and with it, a bunch of changes to the usual routine. In the event’s seventh year, five key things to keep an eye out for:
The Sunday Flea Relocates
After residents complained about crowds earlier this year, the Flea is striking a compromise, and going through with plans to take the Sunday market elsewhere (Smorgasburg will still be at the waterfront both days). The new location is still TBD, but is expected to be announced soon.
More Vendors (and Cocktails) Than Ever
No huge surprise here, but the Brooklyn food world’s biggest juggernaut continues to grow, with 100 Smorgasburg vendors on Saturdays, and 80 on Sundays, both record highs. Demby writes that highlights of the lineup include Dun-Well donuts, General Tso’s chicken from Martha, and ” seafood tostadas by newcomer Fanny Moy.” SmorgasBar is also coming back on the 12th, and a bar area is now in the works for the Sunday market, too. Drinks on deck include “housemade Bloody Mary, a Maple Mint Julep, and a Dark + Stormy with Brooklyn Soda Works Ginger Beer.”
A Kid-Friendly New Park Slope Market
Cannily, the Flea’s new Park Slope location at PS 321 (at Seventh Ave. and 1st St.) will also include free children’s programming (“edutainment”) from organizations including 826NYC, Mark Morris Dance Center, Carmelo the Science Fellow, and the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.
More Special Events
Smorgasburg is hosting a Food Book Farm on April 26th, which’ll include an “interactive schoolyard” (all ages), petting zoo, observation beehive, and sessions of butter-making. They’re also bringing back the Brooklyn Flea Record Fair on May 10th, which will be DJ’d by the likes of Autre Ne Veut and Tanlines.
Berg’n Launches in Crown Heights
We saved the best for last: that massive market and beer hall we’ve all been waiting for will open this spring at 1000 Dean St., though an official opening date is still TBD. Berg’n (located at 899 Bergen St. between Classon and Franklin Ave) will have permanent vendors including Asia Dog, Mighty Quinn’s, Pizza Moto, and yes, the Ramen Burger, and has put Brooklyn Brewery founder Garrett Oliver at the helm of its beer list. Sounds like it’s gonna be a pretty good spring.
Follow Virginia K. Smith on Twitter @vksmith.
