Park Slope – Culture

The question isn’t “What is there to do in Park Slope?” but rather “What isn’t there to do in Park Slope?” Simply strolling the streets is a delight, thanks to the numerous boutiques, eateries, and stunning brownstones. There are weekend puppet shows at Puppetworks, exhibits and events at Interference Archives that focus on past and present social movements, and both first-run and repertory films at the dine-in Nitehawk Cinema. Music-lovers will find plenty to enjoy as well, and then there’s what many consider the jewel of the borough, spectacular Prospect Park.

 

Prospect Park

This 526-acre landmark doesn’t really “belong” to Park Slope, just as Central Park doesn’t “belong” to the Upper East Side or the Upper West Side. Prospect Park does form the eastern border of Park Slope, however, and one of the myriad benefits of living in the neighborhood is being able to walk to its walking, hiking, and biking trails, vast lawns, 60-acre lake, playgrounds, and tennis courts. (And that doesn’t even count the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on the other side of the park.) On Sundays throughout spring and summer Prospect Park hosts Smorgasburg, a cornucopia of food vendors; the historic boathouse is home to an Audubon Center, which sponsors special events and shines a light on the more than 240 bird species spotted in the park each year; the LeFrak Center offers ice skating and ice hockey in winter and roller skating, bumper cars, and boating in the warmer months. And let’s not forget the zoo, the Picnic House, the Lena Horne Bandshell where concerts are presented…

 

The Old Stone House

Although it’s on the National Register of Historic Places, the Old Stone House isn’t all that old. It was built in 1933 as a reconstruction of a farmstead built in 1699. When you visit you can learn about the Lenape who originally resided on the land, the colonization by the Dutch, and the house’s role during the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Brooklyn. The Old Stone House also hosts art exhibitions, workshops, and concerts. It sits within Washington Park, which includes gardens, a playground, basketball and handball courts, and a dog run.

 

Brooklyn Conservatory of Music

Providing every New Yorker with access to high-quality music lessons and music therapy is the mission of this not-for-profit conservatory. But it also presents performances, most of them free, in genres ranging from jazz to klezmer, choral to raga.

 

Barbès

Also offering an eclectic variety of music is this cozy nightspot. Brass ensemble Slavic Soul Party take the stage every Tuesday night and Mamady Kouyaté’s Mandingo Ambassadors every Wednesday evening; a jam session of choro music takes place on Sunday afternoons. Colombian quartet Los Aliens, jazz sax player Tim Berne, Afrobeat ensemble Living Language, and Middle Eastern-inspired fusion band Baklava Express are among the recent performers.

 

Union Hall

In addition to being a bar and a restaurant, Union Hall is a comedy venue, with the occasional music performance as well. Mo Welch, Sabrina Brier, and Chris Turner were among the recent performers, and every Friday at midnight is a karaoke night/dance party. Between laughs you can sip a hot toddy or a margarita with chili-infused tequila, nosh on poutine, and play bocce on one of the two indoor courts.