Greenpoint Star Newspaper

Join Newtown Creek historian Mitch Waxman on a walking tour and discussion on the street ends that lead up to the Brooklyn-Queens waterfronts.

The tour will be on Sunday, July 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Eleven bridges cross the creek today. The Newtown Creek Alliance has been working to transform these street ends into inviting public spaces for everyone to see.

The tour will begin in Greenpoint and end in Maspeth near the Grand Street Bridge.

Along the way, the guides will talk about the Greenpoint Oil Spill, the Kosciuszcko Bridge construction and more.

Meet at the corner of Kingsland and Norman avenues.

For more information, visit the event site here.

Time to hit the boats!

North Brooklyn Boat Club is hosting their annual Summer Solstice Benefit Party next Saturday, June 23 from 6 p.m. till late.

It’s only $5, and it will be at 51 Ash Street, at the Broadway Stages Boatyard under the Pulaski Bridge.

There will be music by The Reverse Engineers, Blacktop Daisy, Old Table, RYAL and The Listeners. Expect food, fellowship and fun!

All proceeds will benefit NBBC’s community programming on the waterways.

For more information, see their website here.

On Thursday, June 7th, 9am-5pm,the first annual NYC Green Roof Researchers Alliance Conference will take place at The New School (66 W 12th Street Auditorium (A106) New York, NY 10011).

The Alliance consists of researchers, educators, and policymakers from multiple NYC institutions . They are all looking into the benefits of the addition of more green roofs to NYC’s buildings.

Green roofs are the tops of buildings that are either partially or completely covered with vegetation.  The vegetation grows on top of a waterproof layer that protects the building. There are many benefits to creating more of these kinds of rooftop environments.

Some of the potential benefits include:

• absorbing rainwater
• providing insulation
• creating a habitat for nearby wildlife
• helping to lower urban air temperatures and improve air quality

The conference will include a speech from Alan Steel, CEO and President of the Jacob K. Javits Convention (home of the largest green roof in the city) and further discussion of benefits of the Green Roofs as well as observation of other cities that have widely adopted this use of rooftops.

The conference is free and open to the public. Register here if you wish to discover more about this environmental plan!

Check out the latest 2018 trends for kid’s clothes at Pastel’s temporary Pop-Up Store located at 193 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg.  Hurry up…they’ll only be there for a short while!~

You can visit the website for a look at the full line and for store locations at https://buypastel.com/   or on Instagram 

Go Green! Brooklyn Festival is set for Saturday, June 2nd. Breakin Boundaries is offering FREE dance/fitness classes in the park all day!

Here’s the schedule:

• 10:30 a.m. – Feels Pretty Awesome – Kristen
• 11:30 a.m. – Zumba – Steph L, Diana, Nina, Stef M, Beatriz
• 12:30 p.m. – Vixen – Cherylle
• 1:30 p.m. – Pilates – Gina
• 2:30 p.m. – Kickboxing – Diana
• 3:30 p.m. – Dancehall – Jess
• 4:30 p.m. – Femmeography – Latosha

Classes will not be held in-studio. Find Breakin Boundaries in the park just a few blocks away.

Calling all entrepreneurs!

The Grand Street BID is hosting a free walking tour of available storefronts on Grand Street between Union and Bushwick avenues in East Williamsburg on Thursday, May 17 at 1 p.m.

The tour will begin with a small reception at 696 Grand Street, one of the many spaces available for rent.

The reception includes a short presentation on the benefits of having a business within the district.

Landlords and real estate agents will be on hand at each commercial space to answer tenants’ questions.

For more information, visit www.grandstreetbk.org.

PS 34 is hosting its opening night performance of Disney’s “The Jungle Book” on Tuesday, May 15.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and show time is at 6 p.m.

Tickets must be purchased before the show; they will not be sold at the door. Limited seats available.

For more information or to RSVP, contact parent coordinator Deise Kowalski at dkowalski@schools.nyc.gov or call 718-389-5842.

Los Sures is teaming up with the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, local elected officials and community organizations for a workshop on applying for affordable housing.

With so many units going up in North Brooklyn, residents should know how to navigate the process and apply for these affordable apartments.

The workshop will be on Monday, April 14 from 6 to 8 p.m at 366 Hewes Street.

Calling all film lovers! We are delighted to announce The Seventh Annual @GreenpointFest which will take place May 3rd through May 6th!

Join other film buffs at The Wythe Hotel at 80 Wythe Avenue for a unique film experience.

Some of the films showcased include the following:

The United States Of Detroit, Tylor Norwood, Best Documentary Feature
The Past States, Olga Blumczynska, Best Documentary Short
Instructions on Parting, Amy Jenkins, Official Selection
PAT PASSLOF: …unexpected conversation…, Bill Page, Official Selection
Blissville…An Investigation, Hank Linhart, Official Selection
Ziemia, Martynka Wawrzyniak, Official Selection

Pickings, Usher Morgan, Best Narrative Feature
The Bird Who Could Fly, Raphael Sbarge, Best Narrative Short
Don’t Be Afraid, Unnikrishnan Parameswaran, Official Selection

The Sky Is Blue With Lies, John Reed, Official Selection

Now that the warm weather is (finally) here, we’ve got some good news for barbecue fans.

NYC Parks has announced that three new barbecue areas have been created at McCarren Park. Park users will now see nine double-headed grills, 18 picnic tables and three large charcoal bins in three locations near Vincent Abate Playground.

The new barbecues, tables and bins were installed over the last two weeks, and have already been put to good use.

Last year, 2,059 special events permits were issued by Brooklyn Parks between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. Any event involving more than 20 people requires a special events permit.

Parks also sent a reminder for barbecuers to pick up after themselves and their litter as they enjoy the space.