Watching the Dance Parade and DanceFest

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The Dance Parade was back on NYC streets yesterday afternoon... as more than a billed 10,000 dancers took part in the 16th iteration of the festival that includes the DanceFest in Tompkins Square Park. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy was along the parade route on St. Mark's Place and in Tompkins Square Park... and shared these images that show the color and pagentry of the more than 130 participating groups of dancers...

Given the energy and enthusiasm, it was often hard to tell that the heat index was in the high 90s...

Sunday's opening shot

At the P.S. 20 playground on Essex and Houston...

Saturday afternoon fever

A few images from the Dance Parade on St. Mark's Place as a group enters Tompkins Square Park on this unseasonably warm hot May afternoon ... this selection is via Derek Berg...

We will have much more from the Dance Parade and DanceFest in later posts... EVG contributor Stacie Joy was out and about throughout the afternoon.

Meanwhile... 

Come on, come on, and dance all night 

Despite the heat, it'll be alright

It's hot out

NYC is under a heat advisory today.

Per the Weather Channel: "Use air conditioning to stay cool at home or go to a place with air conditioning. Check on vulnerable friends, family members, neighbors and stuffed bears." 

Photo on Third Avenue at 10th Street today by Goggla.

EVG Etc.: EV good samaritans seek help; de Blasio makes a political return

Prepping for the Dance Parade today on St. Mark's Place 

• Good samaritans who helped catch suspected Brooklyn subway shooter ask authorities for help as they seek citizenship (CBS New York ... previously on EVG) 

• The local connections in this "deadly gang war sparked by a stolen purse" (The Post ... The Guardian ... previously on EVG) 

• A profile of longtime EV resident Eileen Myles, who's been speaking out against the destruction of East River Park (The New York Times) 

• The city Rent Guidelines Board voted to propose allowing landlords of rent-stabilized apartments to raise rents by the biggest increase given since 2013 (The Indypendent) 

• Support for the proposed South of Union Square Historic District (Village Preservation) 

• Cops looking for these two suspects who allegedly robbed Anwar Grocery on Avenue B (NBC 4) 

• Plan to stormproof Battery Park City mirrors the East Coast Resiliency Project, but with much better communications with community members (The City) 

• Former Mayor de Blasio announces run for Congress (NBC News ... Gothamist ... Updated: More candidates vying for this seat (NY1)  

• Housing lottery launches for 61-63 Pitt St. (NYY) 

• A Lizzie Borden retrospective at Anthology Film Archives (Official site) 

• Veteran punk drummer Liz Lamere releases her debut solo record, with a video shot at Berlin Under A (Brooklyn Vegan) 

• Volunteer with the Union Square Partnership team to paint a street mural along 14th Street (Official site)

• And TY to everyone who shared this link: Alexander Skarsgård lists 10th Street co-op (AD) 

Getting ready for the St. George Ukrainian Festival

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The annual St. George Ukrainian Festival got underway yesterday on Seventh Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church, where volunteers were busy prepping for the festivities...

... and on Seventh Street (before the rain arrived)...

Hit this link for the festival highlights today and tomorrow.

FleaVCS today (Saturday!) at the East Village Community School

The East Village Community School today (Saturday!) is hosting FleaVCS today ... a "Recycle and Reuse" event from noon to 4 p.m.

Participants can donate new or "much-loved" clothing and accessories for kids or adults or shop for similar items. You can also find some food, coffee and crafts. Proceeds go to the Parent Association to fund schoolwide programs.

The sale takes place in the school's yard on 12th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

The Village View tag sale is today (Saturday!)

The annual (after two years off) Village View tag sale is going on today (Saturday!) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ... it's on the Fifth Street basketball court between Avenue A and First Avenue... we've found (bought) some pretty good stuff here through the years.

Saturday's opening shot

The Bowery Mural Wall this morning... with a new "Hooligan" tag... and with remnants left behind from a car fire at the intersection yesterday...

Your chance to make your home feel a little like Key Food on Avenue A

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

We're doing our best to keep up with the changes occurring at Key Food on Avenue A and Fourth Street. 

Trying. 

The latest. 

According to Key sources, the new freezers will be in the second week of June. The [rather random] tables, previously found in the produce aisle (above), are out to make room for the new produce section forthcoming. 

They are now outside the supermarket by the can recycling center on the Fourth Street side. #Breaking

Meanwhile. There will be an expanded fruits and veggie section plus a vegan line! 

And where the beer cooler is now will be the ice cream section.

To be continued...

Out of 'Control'

 

After mentioning Sunflower Bean earlier... here's the video for the band's single "I Don't Have Control Sometimes" — with some East Village locales — from the two-week-old release Headful of Sugar.

A spring BBQ fundraiser for El Sol Brillante Community Garden tomorrow

The folks at El Sol Brillante are hosting a Spring BBQ fundraiser tomorrow (Saturday, May 21) at the community garden on 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

Per the EVG inbox: "The event promises refreshing drinks, vegetarian food and T-shirts for sale ..." Plants too! From noon to moon (8 p.m.!).

A special night for Julia Cumming and Sunflower Bean at Webster Hall

Top photo by EVG; the rest by Stacie Joy

The other day, we noted how local band Hello Mary had just played their largest stage to date with a slot opening for Sunflower Bean at Webster Hall on May 12. (Another local band, Frost Children, were also on the bill.)

It was also a special night for Sunflower Bean vocalist-bassist Julia Cumming, seen here backstage before the show...

She was born and raised in a building on 14th Street and Avenue B. (Her parents, Alec Cumming and Cynthia Harden, were in the band Bite The Wax Godhead.)

Cumming was in bands starting at an early age, and as she told the crowd, it was always a dream to headline Webster Hall... 

Sunflower Bean is now on a U.S. tour in support of their third full-length release, Headful of Sugar.

Reminders: The St. George Ukrainian Festival takes place THIS WEEKEND

As noted back on Monday, the St. George Ukrainian Festival returns to Seventh Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square after a two-year pandemic-related hiatus. 

Here are some details via the EVG inbox... 

Following a 2-year absence due to COVID-19, this year's festival takes place during the worst period of violence the Ukrainian homeland has experienced since WWII. According to the United Nations, almost 13 million people are believed to have fled their homes in Ukraine since Russia began its war 

As the heart of the Ukrainian American community in the city with one of the largest Ukrainian immigrant populations in the United States, parishioners of St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church have worked tirelessly to raise funds for their countrymen. 

Over 30,000 sought-after Ukrainian dumplings have been prepared in advance by church volunteers ... and in addition to these 'varenyky', there will also be plenty of cabbage rolls (holubtsi), beet soup (borshch), sausage (kobasa) and sauerkraut for sale. Veselka Restaurant will also be on hand all weekend long with some of their favorite Ukrainian menu items. A portion of these sales will be used for Humanitarian relief efforts.

And the schedule...

Friday 5/20

No stage show ... the vendors will be selling as they set up

Saturday 5/21 

Outdoor stage performance @ 2-4 p.m. 

Open-air Memorial Service for the Victims of Russian Aggression @ 4-4:30 p.m. 

Ukrainian Liturgy inside St. George Church @ 6-7 p.m. 

Outdoor stage performance @ 7-8:30 p.m. 

Sunday 5/22 

Ukrainian Liturgies inside St. George Church @ 7 a.m., 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. 

Concert inside St. George Church by Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York @ 12-12:45 p.m 

Outdoor stage performances begin @ 1-3 p.m.

Friday's opening shot

Wake up and smell the summer ... with temps to reach 90 tomorrow and Sunday, per the exclusive EVGWeatherCast™. Photo on Second Avenue today by Derek Berg.

Thursday's parting shot

We received a lot of queries today about what was filming on Avenue A along Tompkins Square Park ... the production notices read "Nine Orchard," which is likely a fake name. 

Anyway, we don't know! But! There may have been a stunt vampire, per this phot by Derek Berg...