Asase Yaa African American Dance Theater has run this festival off its own Bed-Stuy block for ten years, and the finale turns MacDonough Street into an open-air stage of West African drumming, live dance and the Brooklyn United Marching Band drumline. Seven hours of programming run through the afternoon, with Farafina Kan's percussion and Panamanian singer Mai-Elka Prado Gil on the bill. If you want one free thing that shows what a Brooklyn block builds without a ticket booth, this is it.
What to expect
A closed residential block with a stage, sound system and rows of folding chairs, ringed by food and craft vendors. Sets rotate between drum ensembles, dance companies and vocalists, and the marching band works the street itself rather than the stage. Neighbors bring chairs and kids dance in front of the speakers.
Good to know
- The A/C at Utica Avenue and the J/Z at Gates Avenue are the closest trains; MacDonough is a short walk from either
- Bring a folding chair or a blanket — street seating fills up early in the afternoon
- Admission is free, but the company accepts donations on site if you want to support the program
- It is an outdoor event on a residential block — check the organizer's page before traveling in bad weather
- Good for all ages — small children are a normal part of the crowd here
- Cash is useful for the vendors lining the block
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Common questions
Do I need a ticket?
No. Asase Yaa lists the block party as a free event with no ticket required; donations are appreciated but not required.
Who is performing?
Asase Yaa African American Dance Theater hosts, with Brooklyn United Marching Band, Farafina Kan, Kofi Hunter, Mai-Elka Prado Gil, Something Positive and Cory "Nova" Villegas.
Where exactly on MacDonough Street?
The block between Malcolm X Boulevard and Patchen Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, centered on 506 MacDonough Street.
