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- Block Party
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- Eve Abrams
The block of Union Street just before the Gowanus Canal isn't one of those Brooklyn blocks lined with old trees. It's fairly busy for a residential street; buses run from Carroll Gardens up to Park Slope, and pedestrian traffic is constant. But the row houses all have stoops, and come the warm weather, many of the older residents -- most of whom are Italian -- sit outside and talk late into the night. This past summer, a few Union Street natives got to missing an old childhood tradition, and they organized the first block party in twelve years. They posted signs on everyone?s doors, blocked the street off to traffic, and on the day of the party, set up tables, grills, and speakers. But in a changing Brooklyn, with newcomers living alongside old-timers, not everyone knew what a block party was. Some New Yorkers move to Brooklyn for the flavor, but over time, the flavors change.
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Piece Description
The block of Union Street just before the Gowanus Canal isn't one of those Brooklyn blocks lined with old trees. It's fairly busy for a residential street; buses run from Carroll Gardens up to Park Slope, and pedestrian traffic is constant. But the row houses all have stoops, and come the warm weather, many of the older residents -- most of whom are Italian -- sit outside and talk late into the night. This past summer, a few Union Street natives got to missing an old childhood tradition, and they organized the first block party in twelve years. They posted signs on everyone?s doors, blocked the street off to traffic, and on the day of the party, set up tables, grills, and speakers. But in a changing Brooklyn, with newcomers living alongside old-timers, not everyone knew what a block party was. Some New Yorkers move to Brooklyn for the flavor, but over time, the flavors change.
Broadcast History
This was aired on B-Side Radio on November 1, 2006 (KALX 90.7-FM in Berkeley, California)
Related Website
Ben Adair
Posted on January 29, 2007 at 10:30 AM | Permalink
Review of Block Party
Eve Abrams' exploration into a Brooklyn neighborhood's block party provides a chance to hear some of the interesting slice of life stories that define a neighborhood. There's a good diversity of voices here: young, old, lots of different accents and some nice, heartwarming anecdotes. Sounds like a nice place to spend an afternoon.
This piece has a distinctly summer air about it. It would fit nicely on a show about neighbors or even ethnic diversity and community. The accents give a very distinctly New York feel to it, but the issues and conflicts are applicable to any urban neighborhood, I think.