An excited group of kids and their parents kicked off the summer season with a Summer Tie-Dye Party at Amersfort Park on Saturday, July 10.
The community event was sponsored by Councilmember Farah N. Louis (D-District 45) and Assemblymember Helene E. Weinstein (D-District 41).
Summer is finally here and people are excited to resume outdoor activities safely, said Louis.
Louis was in a fairly serious car accident with a motorcyclist on June 28 on Kings Highway and Avenue J. She had a bandaged foot and leg at the event. She said that she was okay as far as her injury went and was keeping up with her busy schedule, appearing to really enjoy the kids’ energy.
Staff had set up two long tables in the grass adjacent to the park’s fountain. They provided dozens of colorful dyes, refreshments, white materials, and goody bags for the kids, ages 5 to 14 years-old.
Margalit Ewart brought her son, Ben, who is 9 years old. “We don’t live far and he hasn’t interacted much with anyone,” said Ewart about her son’s time during remote learning. “I’m actually excited for them to go back to school.”
Ewart joked that her youngest son had gained a bit of weight during quarantine last year and lost some of his social skills. She said the tie dye event was just another step to getting students back to normal.
About 16 boys and girls gleefully hand-crafted their choice of a mask, T-shirt, or cap, in chaotic patterns with parents or staff assistance.
Their heads were bent in concentration before proudly showing off their creations.
Once the materials were bound and dyed, they were laid out on the link fence to dry in the summer sun while festivities continued.
The kids present ate snacks. They ran and laughed.
And with masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer at the ready in a spacious park, the children seemed to freely enjoy and socialize at the event without overly worrying about COVID or variants rearing its ugly head.
Community Board District Manager for District 17 Hassan Bakiriddin said he was extremely excited to attend the event.
“I was particularly impressed that the children took to [tie] dyeing t-shirts, baseball caps, and masks with such enthusiasm and pride,” said Bakiriddin. “This was an excellent event at Amersfort Park and I look forward to attending events like this to help our children enjoy a safe and wonderful summer before returning to school in September.”