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Brooklynites bring sustainability and creativity together at 8th annual Kingsland Wildflowers Festival

The 8th annual Kingsland Wildflowers Festival celebrated art and nature during the event on July 27.
Brooklynites celebrated arts and nature at the 8th annual Kingsland Wildflowers Festival on July 27.
Photo courtesy of Effy Grey/NOoSPHERE Arts

The 8th annual Kingsland Wildflowers Festival, a nature-inspired arts celebration, welcomed hundreds of visitors over the weekend to explore Broadway Stages’ 24,000-square-foot green roof, listen to music, and see how the natural world and the artistic world often coincide and interact. 

Attendees chose between guided nature walks and interactive workshops on conservation and sustainable practices. Local artists and musicians added to the festive atmosphere, creating a lively environment for both residents and visitors.

artist playing drums at kingsland wildflowers festival
The immersive celebration was all about connecting emotions with education. Photo courtesy of Effy Grey/NOoSPHERE Arts

Entertainers captivated audiences with performances following this year’s theme “A Vibrant Tapestry,” which explored how important it is to approach diversity and cohabitation as a unified whole. 

Kingsland Wildflowers partnered with NOoSPHERE Arts, an organization specializing in art and eco-awareness, to put on the festival and highlight the importance of native plants and their role in supporting local wildlife, particularly vital pollinators such as bees and butterflies. 

Dancers perform on the Kingsland rooftop at the 8th annual Kingsland Wildflowers Festival.
Dancers perform on the Kingsland rooftop at the 8th annual Kingsland Wildflowers Festival. Photo courtesy of Effy Grey/NOoSPHERE Arts
green roof at kingsland wildflowers festival
Kingsland Wildflowers’ green roof overlooks industrial businesses and the Newtown Creek. File photo by Ximena del Cerro

Other collaborators included the Newtown Creek Alliance, a group dedicated to revitalizing the Newton Creek, a federal Superfund site. 

Willis Elkins, executive director of NCA, said the festival is an opportunity to boost community engagement, spotlight ecological significance and focuse on education.

One entertainer gave an expressive aerial performance.
One entertainer gave an expressive aerial performance. Photo courtesy of Effy Grey/NOoSPHERE Arts

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to reconnect people with this waterway and the ecology that’s there,” he told Brooklyn Paper. “It’s a really sort of interesting situation where you have this sort of beautiful natural space surrounded by a more stark industrial scenery. It was really great to welcome so many people.”

Elkins said over 800 Brooklynites came out including first-timers and repeat guests. He and the rest of the team hope all those who attended walked away with a new appreciation of science and the arts.