PORCH STOMP
FLATFOOT FLATBUSH
December 21st, 2023
NYC's First-Ever Flatfooting Festival Comes To Your Door on December 21st!
FLATFOOT FLATBUSH is Brooklyn's first-ever flatfooting parade, celebrated as part of Make Music New York's Winter Solstice Celebration.
On December 21st, Flatfoot Flatbush, Brooklyn’s first-ever flatfooting parade, turns TEN!
For the tenth year, the North Flatbush Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) teams up with Make Music New York and Porch Stomp to bring you another exciting year of music and dancing to celebrate community and the winter solstice.
During Flatfoot Flatbush, dancers, fiddlers and pickers parade down the sidewalks of the ever-busy Flatbush Avenue in Park Slope/ Prospect Heights (Dean Street to Sterling Place) playing old-time tunes while flatfooting, a form of percussive dancing from Appalachia. The evening begins with a warm up and quick flatfooting workshop hosted by Megan Downes (City Stompers), which will take place outdoors at the intersection of Flatbush and Carlton Avenues (outside the B/Q subway and Chipotle) at 4pm. Immediately following, the flatfooting parade will kick off and traverse Flatbush Avenue stopping along the way at local businesses to bring holiday cheer. The parade will finish at the 6th Avenue Triangle (intersection of Flatbush, 6th, and St Marks Avenues) with participatory group dances lead by the City Stompers, a special performance from the Gowanus Wildcats, and other surprises.
Starting at 6:45pm, the fun continues at an indoor after-party featuring more music and dance, and an open jam lead by the Flatfoot Flatbush Band. The after party doubles as the North Flatbush Avenue BID merchant holiday party, and will bring together businesses in the district to share in holiday cheer.
Guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo players and other stringed instrumentalists are encouraged to join the Flatfoot Flatbush String Band! To join, just email mmnyporchstomp@gmail.com no later than December 18th to obtain music scores and detailed instructions. Dancers and boosters are welcome to simply stroll on up!
Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss
Bonus Tunes:
WHEN & WHERE:
4:00 PM: Meet at Flatbush and Carlton for a flatfooting warm-up with Megan Downes
4:15 PM: Parade kicks off at Flatbush and Carlton
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM: Parade makes its way around the North Flatbush Avenue district, stopping at local businesses along the way, finishing at the 6th Avenue Triangle (6th Avenue and St Marks Avenue, at Flatbush).
6 PM: More performances (Gowanus Wildcats) and participatory group dances led by Megan Downes and Brooklyn Contra, at the 6th Avenue Triangle. St Marks Avenue will be closed to traffic between Flatbush and 6th to allow more space for music, dancing, and merriment.
6:45 PM: The after-party begins at 259 Flatbush Avenue with an open jam led by The Flatfoot Flatbush House Band
Click to learn more about our collaborators!
