BY HARU CORYNE AND ALFRED NG
Hipster trends may come and go, but funnel cake is forever. The good news is that at this year’s Atlantic Antic, you’ll satisfy both needs.
Brooklyn’s best street festival the Atlantic Antic returns for the 37th year on Sunday Oct. 2, to pack the one-mile stretch of Atlantic Avenue between Hicks Street and Fourth Avenue with more than 500 purveyors and local businesses slinging crafts, clothes, Italian sausages, Middle Eastern delicacies, Vietnamese sandwiches and every fried thing you can think of.
There will also be plenty of new Antic attractions to excite and entice all Brooklynites — including those of the black-rimmed glasses and flannel shirt variety. That’s right: This year’s Antic will be hipper than ever — but that doesn’t mean there won’t be fried sardines.
Japanese clothing outlet and skinny jeans proprietor UNIQLO will venture out of its Manhattan compound to set up shop at the Antic for the first time, in two locations, on Court Street and Third Avenue. Next to UNIQLO’s eastern outpost, the gourmands at online city guide Yelp are setting up their own lounge, offering games, contests and a rousing round of “pin the skinny jeans on the hipster.”
“We try to keep Brooklyn fresh and in the scene,” said Sasha Mercedes, a spokeswoman for the firm that produces the Antic every year. “The Antic is still very authentic, and true to classic Brooklyn — a diverse mix of interests, cultures and customs. We try to keep the Antic on trend, while appealing to all demographics.”
To be sure, the Antic will remain as multicultural as it’s always been, both culinarily and musically. With 10 stages along the Avenue, expect performances from Brooklyn favorites like The Windsor Terrors at the ChipShop stage and the Black Coffee Blues Band at the Waterfront Ale House; a Latin jazz jam sesh between Smith Street and Hoyt Street and a ZZ Top cover band at Third Avenue, among other acts.
And don’t forget about the theater: the Tony-award winning musical, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” is sponsoring this year’s Broadway booth, complete with a prize wheel, contests and giveaways of T-shirts, cast albums, posters, books, and theater tickets.
As in years past, the Transit Museum will trot out its fleet of vintage buses between Boerum Place and State Street; the Atlantic Antic Kids Block between Boerum Place and Smith Street will feature pony rides, airbrush tattoos, inflatable rides and face painting; and belly dancers will wriggle and writhe to Middle Eastern music at the Amer Aba stage at Clinton Street — an obvious Antic favorite.
So whet your appetite and stock up on antacids — “Eat it at the Antic, Walk it off on Atlantic” is the fair’s motto, after all — just make sure your jeans aren’t too skinny to stuff yourself.
The Atlantic Antic [Atlantic Avenue between Hicks Street and Fourth Avenue, (718) 243-1414], Oct. 2, noon-6 pm, rain or shine. For info, visit www.atlanticave.org.
Psst: Want to know what’s good at this year’s Atlantic Antic? Check out our guide to festival highlights below:
Between Hicks and Henry
The Moxie Spot: This kid-friendly eatery is hosting a Kid’s Stage from 1 to 6 pm, featuring entertainment, arts, and crafts. This includes a family sing-along, a magician, performances by John Carlin’s Kids Music Underground and Lloyd Miller of edutainment rock band the Deedle Deedle Dees. Free hats to decorate and paint will be available all day.
Between Henry and Clinton
Last Exit Bar: The bar is hosting an outdoor swill fest from noon-6 pm, with entertainment including DJ Momotaro, go-go dancers Ana Copa Cabanna and Pixie 007, New Wave band Gigi & Pop, French rockers Les Sans Culottes, and funk and soul group from the Get It. After the Antic, the bar will host a not-to-be-missed afterparty.
Pete’s Waterfront Ale House: Besides its exceptionally crafted beer and mouthwatering BBQ, Pete’s is hosting live performances by the Black Coffee Blues Band and 10-piece Cuban afrobeat band, Charanga Soleil.
Atlantic ChipShop: Everyone’s favorite fish n’ chips spot is hosting the British-influenced Windsor Terrors at its outdoor stage.
Between Clinton and Court
Amer-Aba: Don’t forget to stop by the Amer-Aba Stage, where you can munch on Middle Eastern delicacies while watching belly dancers do their thing.
Not enough felafel for you? As you stroll down the block be sure to check out Damascus Bread and Pastry Shop, which will have an outdoor booth, and Sahadi’s Specialty Fine Foods, which will also set up shop on the
sidewalk.
Between Court and Boerum
Brazen Head: This bar will be jumping all afternoon to the sounds of The Dysfunctional Family Jazz Band.
Between Boerum and Smith
Transit Museum Bus Festival: Kids of all ages can enjoy vintage buses and ancient automobiles for a relaxing trip through time (remember when the fare was a nickel?).
Castle crashers: It wouldn’t be the Antic without an inflatable castle or two (and it wouldn’t be an annual irony without those bouncy castles being placed in front of the newly reopened House of Detention).
Kids block: The kids center is better than ever this year, featuring face painting, airbrush tattoos, games, contests and pony rides.
Between Smith and Hoyt
Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwiches: Chow down on a delectible bahn mi — filled with ham, roasted ground pork and pate — and wash it down with Vietnamese iced coffee.
Apple Spa: After such a hard day of eating and strolling through Brooklyn, grab a 10-minute-massages on a custom-made chair for only $13. The Apple Spa is also providing free Japanese snacks and water all day.
Between Bond and Nevins
Bacchus: There will be booze! And BBQ, and a bunch of brunch options at Bacchus Bistro all day long.
Betty Bakery: If you’ve got a sweet tooth, stop by for a slice of red velvet cake or a delicious ringading.
Between Nevins Street and Third Avenue
World Martial Arts Center: With the recent string of attacks in South Slope, no one is safe anymore, so isn’t it nice that the World Martial Arts Center is offering free 10-minute martial arts lessons during the street fair? And if 10 minutes just isn’t enough, grab a complimentary “Beginner’s Martial Arts” DVD, available while supplies last.
Flying Saucer Cafe: This kid-friendly cafe has four bands on the bill — folk, rock and jazz — and is serving corn-on-the-cob and its famous curry chicken sandwich, as well as that Southern favorite, Frito pie (if you have to ask, you’ll never know!).
Go Green: For our environmentally conscious readers, Go Green will be selling organic housewares including non-toxic paint, enzyme cleaners made from grapefruit seeds and orange peel, and a variety of organic personal care products.
Hank’s Saloon: Grab your cowboy hat and sharpen your spurs because this honky-tonk bar is playing host to Brotherhood of the Jug Band Blues, the Jack Grace Band, Alex Battles Whisky Rebellion and the ZZ Top cover band, CheapSunglasseZZ, for the last day of the Brooklyn Country Music Festival.
Gumbo: This clothing store will host children’s book author Melanie Hope Greenberg and a puppet show. Later in the day will be a bonga drum circle and a Rolie Polie Guacamole sing-a-long. Expect more face-painting.
Third and Fourth avenues
Linger Cafe & Lounge: This homey cafe is hosting a concert by seven-piece R&B outfit BR & Timebomb, and is serving up refreshing drinks and food all day long.