Flatbush Frolic to Celebrate the Richness of Neighborhood's Cultural Offerings

The annual Flatbush Frolic festival that celebrates the cultural richness of Flatbush through food, music, and art, as well as spotlighting local businesses, will make its return to the neighborhood on September 21.

Hosted by the Flatbush Development Corporation since the mid-1970s, the festival will bring more than 200 vendors, live performances, and plenty of food, art, and fun to Cortelyou Road.

The street fair will stretch between Ocean and Coney Island avenues, transforming the strip into a hub of food stalls, arts and crafts booths, rides, and music stages. Local bands and dance troupes will perform throughout the festival, which runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Frolic draws crowds topping 10,000, according to FDC Economic Development Program Director Nina Leonard. She said the event reflects what makes Flatbush so special, with its blend of cultures, history, and community pride.

“Flatbush is just extremely special and very unique in the way that it has such a rich cultural significance, from the rich Caribbean community to the Victorian homes that people will see on their way to the festival,” she said.

She said the selection of food vendors and performances will offer a great representation of the rich culture in the community, and will include a steel drum band performance, Mexican folk dancing, and a local rock band.

“When you walk down Cortelyou Road, you hear so many different languages, and you can try so many different foods, and it really amplifies that,” she said. Food, she added, will include Caribbean classics as well as an Italian sausage truck, Mexican and Indian food vendors, and more.

This year, festival goers can expect an even bigger focus on artists and makers, with a wide range of handmade jewelry, clothing, and visual art vendors joining the lineup. She added there are also plenty of activities for kids.

Leonard said a goal of the festival is to highlight Flatbush as a destination where small businesses have a lot to offer, and to “keep it vibrant and thriving.”

“I think sometimes people don’t explore as much in central Brooklyn, or aren’t as aware of the great restaurants that we have here, the mom and pop shops, and the rich artist scene that we have here,” she said. “I hope that it makes people want to come back again and support and visit and advocate for just the cultural experience that we provide.”

The festival is also part of a milestone year for the FDC, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Earlier this year the group revived its Victorian House Tour, once part of the Frolic but on pause for a few years, and Leonard said FDC plans to continue it annually.

Other anniversary events include a gala and a special screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, also marking its 50th birthday, at the neighborhood’s Kent Theater.

Related Stories

• West Indian Day Parade Revelers Celebrate Caribbean Pride With Music, Dancing
• Kids Jam at Atlantic Antic, Arab-American Nonprofit Wins Award
• Flatbush Frolic Celebrates 40th Anniversary This Sunday

Email tips@brownstoner.com with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.