Coming Soon: Bed-Stuy Alive! 2012

Bedford-Stuyvesant: It’s that time of year again—time to come alive and show neighborhood pride at Bed-Stuy Alive!

Bed-Stuy Alive! is an annual celebration of all that is great about the neighborhood-- the food, the style, the music, the merchants, the energy, the people!

If you thought , wait until you experience this year’s 8th Annual celebration, kicking off Saturday, October 6, with Restoration Rocks, a concert featuring headline performances by Brooklyn’s own legendary MC Lyte and the darlings of Golden-era hip hop Brand Nubian.

This year’s celebration will last two weeks-- one week longer than in previous years, to accommodate the swelling list of creative programming and partnerships. That means more music, activities, special programs and performances.

“We’re really excited, because Bed-Stuy Alive! continues to get bigger and better every year,” said Tracey Capers, vice president of programming at , one of the event's many collaborators.

“Last year, we had well over 3,000 people lining Fulton Street. It was such an amazing demonstration of community pride. Now in our 8th year, with our concert lineup and vendors, we expect to have the same and more!”

Like last year, this year’s theme for Bed-Stuy Alive! is Live Healthy, Live Well, Live Green.

“We really want to make a big push around health and sustainability, but also highlight the history of the communitty, the trailblazers of our local community organizations and the hard-working and dedicated small business owners,” said Capers.

The 2012 event will kick off again with an awards ceremony highlighting the community’s unsung heroes. It will continue with the 10K run and Restoration Rocks, Savor Bed-Stuy – a special two weeks of discounts at area restaurants –and conclude on October 20 with the Artist Studio Strut and Bed-Stuy House Tour.

“But we’ve also incorporated the second annual Food and Family Day on Oct. 13, and the Soul of Brooklyn Block Party—a new partnership with MoCADA Museum,” said Capers.

“The economy in Bed-Stuy has gotten stronger and we want to encourage residents to keep the momentum going by supporting their local businesses.

“This year’s Bed-Stuy Alive! celebration will be another opportunity to reinforce to the community that the spirit and energy of this neighborhood is very much alive… and will continue to live on!”

The 8th Annual Bed-Stuy Alive! Lineup

Saturday, October 6

Bed Stuy Alive! Kickoff, 9am-5pm
The 4th Annual Tohma Y. Faulkner Community Awards, 10am

The awards ceremony will kick off on Saturday honoring the community’s trailblazers and featuring excerpts from the MAAFA Suite-A Healing Journey, a moving story of the African Diaspora told through music, dance, and spoken word.

Restoration Rocks!, in conjunction with the Soul of Brooklyn Block Party, Noon-5pm
This is Restoration’s annual concert, with live music by today’s great and up-and-coming stars. Restoration Rocks is free and open to the public. Live performances will include MC Lyte, Brand Nubian, Jessica care Moore with special guests from Black WOMEN Rock!, Maimouna Youssef and Martin Luther among others.

Also, The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) proudly presents the Soul of Brooklyn Block Party, on Fulton Street between Marcy and Brooklyn Avenues. This celebration of arts and business partnerships will feature live music, DJs, fashion shows, dance and theatrical performances, kids activities and local merchants and organizations, all of which help fuel the neighborhood’s civic and economic engine.

Savor Bed Stuy, (October 6 – October 20)

Sponsored by Bridge Street Development Corporation & Bedford Stuyvesant Gateway Business Improvement District, Savor Bed Stuy invites visitors to experience the diverse flavors of our proud community. Discounts are provided on meals at participating local restaurants. Look for the Bed Stuy Alive logo in participating windows. Visit the Bed-Stuy Alive website for a full listing of participating restaurants.

Sunday, October 7

31st Annual Restoration 10K Run, Registration, 8am; Race starts promptly at 10am.
Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation presents the 31st Annual 10K Community Run, Walk and Ride. One of NYC’s premiere 10Ks, the race welcomes people of all ages and fitness levels. A Kiddie Run, Awards Ceremony and post-race refreshments will follow. For the first time ever, a pre-race bike ride will take place as part of ongoing efforts to promote community health.

Saturday, October 13

Food and Family Day, 10am – 2pm

The Coalition for the Improvement of Bedford Stuyvesant and the Brooklyn Community Foundation are co-hosting  the 2nd Annual Bedford Stuyvesant Food and Family Day, an exciting event  from 10am -2pm that will bring together local residents, food justice advocates, urban farmers and gardeners, local businesses, schools, educators and community organizations to examine wellness and access to healthy foods in Bed-Stuy. For more information visit the CIBS website.

Saturday, October 20

The 9th Annual Studio Strut, 12pm - 7pm

The Bedford- Stuyvesant Artists’ Association presents the 9th Annual Studio Strut. This free, self-guided tour showcases the community’s many galleries. Begin by picking up your map at Zion Gallery, 152 MacDonough Street. For more information visit their website.

34th Annual House Tour of Bedford Stuyvesant, 9am - 5pm
Sponsored by The Brownstoners of Bedford-Stuyvesant, the 34rd Annual House Tour of Bedford Stuyvesant delights visitors with a look inside the community’s historic brownstones. Tickets for the tour can be purchased at Old Boys High School between Marcy and Putnam Avenues. Visit their website for more information.

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Bed-Stuy Alive! is made possible by a collection of organizations, associations and volunteers, including the BEDFORD-STUYVESANT ARTISTS' ASSOCIATION, BEDFORD-STUYVESANT GATEWAY BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, BEDFORD-STUYVESANT RESTORATION CORPORATION, BEDFORD-STUYVESSANT YMCA, BRIDGE STREET DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, BROWNSTONERS OF BEDFORD-STUYVESANT, INC., NORTHEAST BROOKLYN HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE CITY OF NEW YORK and COMMUNITY BOARD 3

Check back in to Patch for continual updates on Bed-Stuy Alive!