The spring Flea season is in full swing, with all three markets attracting thousands of shoppers every weekend to Fort Greene and Williamsburg. Last Saturday Mario Batali visited Smorgasburg and Tweeted “HFS. Smorgasburg may be the greatest thing I’ve tasted in NYC!!,” also calling his Brooklyn Cured pastrami slider “Gustatory genius!” (He’ll be back this Saturday filming for The Chew.) For the past two weeks the Flea has been featured on The Thread’s Taxi TV shopping segment. And this month’s Elle Decor guide to Brooklyn highlights the Flea as a top vintage and handmade destination.
A number of upcoming events promise to satisfy even more shoppers. On Saturday, May 19, the Brooklyn Flea Record Fair goes semi-annual, following the success of past fall events. The lineup includes 32 top labels (DFA, Secretly Canadian, Minimal Wave, Domino), local shops (Other Music, Halcyon, Cakeshop), and vintage collectors and DJs (Brian Turner, Bert Q, EAT Records) selling rare and exclusive records, CDs, and musical equipment. The Record Fair takes place 11am-6pm inside the Flea’s weekly Smorgasburg food market on the Williamsburg waterfront. (The fair flyer, attached, was designed by artist Jess Rotter.)
The Flea’s third season as food and beverage concessionaire at City Parks Foundation’s Central Park SummerStage launches May 29. Returning food vendors Asia Dog, Blue Marble Ice Cream, and Pizza Moto will be joined by Mile End, the Montreal-style delicatessen in Boerum Hill that recently opened a new sandwich shop on Bond St. in Manhattan. Mile End’s smoked meats and innovative, fresh cuisine add to an event food concession like no other in New York City. SummerStage features 50+ concerts every summer.
Debuting Saturday, June 9, SmorgasBar will feature Brooklyn-made beer, wine, and spirits, in a mobile pop-up bar inside Smorgasburg. The showcase for both established and burgeoning local producers is a perfect fit for the market’s dozens of food artisans, and the breweries, wineries, and distilleries will offer special and small-batch flavors and varieties unique to Smorgasburg. Participating producers include: Brooklyn Brewery, Kelso Beer Company, Sixpoint Brewery; Brooklyn Winery; Breuckelen Distilling (gin, whiskey), Kings County Distillery (bourbon, moonshine), and New York Distilling Company (gin). The limited bar will also feature mixers from Flea/Smorg vendors such as Brooklyn Soda Works, Morris Kitchen Co., and others. SmorgasBar will be open Saturdays in Williamsburg only, from Noon to 5pm.