Annulla in the City: The 32nd Annual Atlantic Antic

Another September, another Sunday devoted to the best, most diverse, most lively street fair in New York City. While many festivals and fairs have become homogenized and interchangeable, the Atlantic Antic retains the unique character of the street on which it is held.

Atlanic Avenue is a broad boulevard that cuts a swath across Brooklyn, from the waterfront to the Queens border, and spans a wide variety of cultural, religious and economic groups. Despite any traditional constraints, during the Antic the peoples of dozens of regions and nations come together to have a good time.

Fairgoers easily break into dance as soul, rockabilly, hip-hop, jazz, country, middle eastern, mariachi, rock & roll, folk, salsa, jug band and gospel music fills the air from the street and from half-a-dozen stages.

The Avenue's best taverns and restaurants set up seating areas and serve their food and drink outdoors, but experienced fairgoers head straight for the homemade goodies as the local church, mosque, temple and synagogue ladies present their specialties: bacalaitos, pastelles, empanadillas, rugelach, hammentaschen, baklava, coconut cake, blueberry cobbler, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, fried chicken, sweet potato pie, iced tea and strawberry lemonade.

From morning to night thousands of Brooklynites (both old and new) come out to stroll, sit, shop, eat, drink, mingle, explore and learn a little more about their city, their heritage and each other.

NYPD officer on Atlantic Avenue

Man chewing a piece of straw

Woman with tattooed feet and shins

Amar the belly dancer

Omar the belly dancer

Girl with Miss New York sash

DJ with a turntable

Man with a baby on his shoulders

Girl in a Yes, I Have An Attitude t-shirt

Man making balloon sculptures

Girl in cheeseburger hat

Man with a Mexican noisemaker

Boy in a white t-shirt

Singer with a red belt

Man with red bike

Woman in a straw hat

Couple in Belarussian dress

Man wearing a Jimmy Buffett t-shirt

Woman in a Belleza Latina sash

Man in a NYU Greeks t-shirt

Woman in a red cap

Kids at a Pentecostal church

Man with a bicycle

Hip-hoppers in plaid shirts