Red Hook Jazz Festival 2013 - June 9 and June 16 - Jazz is Alive in Brooklyn!

big bang productions presents the RED HOOK JAZZ FESTIVAL 2013 on two consecutive Sundays, June 9 and June 16 in the Urban Meadow.

Celebrating its sixth installment, this year's Red Hook Jazz Festival line-up features some of the world's most forward-thinking jazz musicians and composers playing today, with a focus on female artists and drummers, featuring the vocalist Fay Victor, the pianist Kris Davis, and saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and Allison Miller (in both categories!), Clarence Penn, Mike Pride, Mark Feber, Willie Martinez, Ted Poor, and Tom Rainey.

Highlights of horn players are: Seamus Blake, Ralph Alessi, Tony Malaby Jon Irabagon, Loren Stillman, Rob Mosher and Adam Kolker. Other well players include bassists Ben Street, Chris Lightcap, Drew Gress and Ken Filiano, guitarist Adam Rogers, Nate Radley and Paul Kogut, piano players Gary Versace and James Carney and many other accomplished musicians. 

The Red Hook Jazz Festival prides itself on being a homegrown jazz festival featuring an amazing line-up of mostly local talent. Where other festivals rely on corporate sponsorships and donations, the RHJF is an all-volunteer event proud to support a wide variety of superb figures in New York City and Brooklyn jazz, both young and old. The RHJF has truly developed a tradition of presenting great music with a laid back vibe, an outdoor setting, and a strong family-friendly focus, while striving to develop the next generation of jazz audiences.  For a taste of what the RHJF is all about see the great piece about last year's RHJF from the New York Times here.

This year the RHJF is proud to announce a grant award from the Brooklyn Arts Council as well as continued support from our local sponsor, the House of Pizza & Calzone, and the Urban Meadow, the venue of RHJF shows since 2008. 

Both days start at 1pm and end at 6pm. Entrance is $10 per adult/children attend free. The Urban Meadow is located at the corner of President & Van Brunt Streets in Brooklyn, NY.  Click here for the full event schedule and here for directions to the Urban Meadow.

For up to date announcements on the RHJF, visit: Facebook.com/RedHookJazzFestival

For more information about the Red Hook Jazz Festival and/or big bang productions, please contact Mike Golub at: 917-751-9347 or golub.mike@gmail.com.

Columbia Waterfront District Spring Egg Hunt with Easter Bunny!

Bring your kids down to the cutest neighborhood egg hunt around - the Columbia Waterfront District's Annual Spring Egg Hunt.  For double the fun we'll be using the Urban Meadow for the littlest participants - babies-age four and kids five and up will be in next door Mother Cabrini Playground.  Special guest the EASTER BUNNY will be hopping by around 11 o'clock! There'll be baked treats, and Urban Meadow t-shirts!  So bring your baskets and don't be late! Gates open right at 10 for the hunt.

WHEN: Sunday, March 31 10 AM -12 noon
WHERE: Urban Meadow community garden and Mother Cabrini playground, corner of President and Van Brunt Streets.  

Contact us at urbanmeadow@gmail.com with any questions.  This event is organized by volunteers for the Urban Meadow community garden.

Pre-Spring Garden

Nothing gets a gardener going like a walk through a garden in the weeks right before the official start of spring. This morning I went in the rain to the Urban Meadow to see what was beginning to peek up and though there was only one little early flower (slightly blurry photo below), everything looked very healthy and there are buds on all of the trees and bushes and tulip and daffodil leaves are poking out of the ground.

Our resident chickens seemed to be glad that it was a little warmer today and that it was not snowing and gave many hearty clucks when I went to say hello, and I got a photo of several eggs that have been laid in the last day or so. I am excited to get out in to the garden in a few weeks! See the post below about joining the Urban Meadow- our next Spring meeting is this coming Sunday, March 17, 3 pm at the House of Pizza and Calzone, 132 Union Street. -- Tamar, co-coordinator, Urban Meadow

2013 - Joining the Urban Meadow

We hoped you all enjoyed the winter and are as eager as we are for spring to arrive and for the Urban Meadow to be open more regularly!

The Meadow has great plans for the year including continuing the composting program, fun community events, and of course getting our hands in the dirt! Go here for lots of information about the Urban Meadow including joining http://urbanmeadowbrooklyn.blogspot.com/p/becoming-member-of-urban-meadow.html

We are holding two membership meetings: Saturday March 9 at 3:00 (NOTE NEW LOCATION) downstairs at the Carroll Gardens Library, 396 Clinton Street on the corner of Union, and Sun March 17 at 3:00, at the House of Pizza and Calzone at 132 Union Street. We'll be talking about fees, membership rights and responsibilities, and plans for the season. If you wish to renew your membership or become a new member, please make sure to attend one of these two meetings.

We look forward to seeing you!  Feel free to write to the coordinators at urbanmeadow@gmail.com with any questions.

Halloween Party Weather Update

Hurricane Sandy is on the way to New York City so if it has begun to rain tomorrow, Sunday, October 28, our Halloween Party and Parade will be canceled.  The best place for an update is our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/urbanmeadow