Flatbush’s Little Caribbean community in Brooklyn is about to throw a neighborhood bash they hope will set up years of summer fun for everybody — island style — with the inaugural Black August Block Party, set for Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Safiya Jones, an independent creative consultant and neighborhood native, is working with local businesses to organize the event. The idea to spotlight the area’s Black and Caribbean-owned businesses was first proposed last year, but organizers struggled to secure the funding and permits on time, so community members ended up hosting a small but inspiring fundraiser at Lips Café. This year, with permits in hand, they’re set to shut down Martense Street — between Nostrand Avenue and Fairview Place — for a free, day-long celebration.
Organizers are planning a “full day of culture, community, and collective power” featuring music, performances, dominoes and spades games, a bouncy house, water slides, free school supplies for kids, and plenty of Caribbean-flavored food.
The Black August Block Party is being supported by family-owned, local businesses like Antilles Café, Mr. P’s Ice Cream Shop, Vargas Creative Engagement Agency, Aunts et Uncles, and BLACK + ACCESS.
Jones said organizers will also be partnering with Black nonprofits and healthcare groups as part of the event, and Haitian nonprofits that help people in Haiti along with other organizations like Friends of Friends NYC and NHS Brooklyn
Organizers of the block party adopted the Black August theme with a specific purpose, Jones said. Local businesses will honor historic Black revolutionaries and freedom fighters. For example, Haitian revolution hero Toussaint L’Ouverture for whom Nostrand Avenue was renamed, will be highlighted.
“The block party will be honoring that revolutionary for certain in the heart of the Caribbean,” Jones said. “And also just honoring revolutionary messages. Their message is one of community support, resilience, and coming together for a better cause.”