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Revelers will once again gather in Williamsburg this week for a festival full of food, dancing, and live music. The Our Lady of Mount Carmel and San Paolino di Nola Feast is based on a tradition that got its start in Italy over 1,000 years ago, with its centerpiece a four-ton 72-foot tower. As part of the neighborhood’s nearly two-week feast, the tall, ornately decorated structure, known as the “Giglio,” is carried through the streets by over 100 men. The Giglio Feast, which runs through July 16, has been held in Williamsburg every July since 1903, nearly two decades before the better-known Feast of San Gennaro was celebrated in Manhattan's Little Italy. Ahead, learn about the roots of the unique festival, how it’s evolved over the last century, and what to expect this year.
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Enjoy unlimited food and rich history at Brooklyn’s landmarked Lott House

Photo courtesy of Friends of the Lott House, Alyssa Loorya

June 2, 2022

Enjoy unlimited food and rich history at Brooklyn’s landmarked Lott House

Come enjoy unlimited dining from food trucks at the longest continually owned and occupied single-family home in New York City. Located in Marine Park, Brooklyn, the historic Hendrick I. Lott House is a rare surviving Dutch-American farmhouse situated on a parcel of land first purchased in 1719. The non-profit organization that preserves the grounds, Friends of the Lott House, this month will host "Taste the Neighborhood," a special ticketed event that includes unlimited food from local food trucks and encourages exploration of the historic site. The event will be held on June 12 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 1940 East 36th Street.
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The history of Brooklyn’s Caribbean Carnival, the most colorful event in New York City

Via Run With Scissors on Flickr

August 28, 2019

The history of Brooklyn’s Caribbean Carnival, the most colorful event in New York City

Every Labor Day, millions of people gather in Brooklyn to celebrate Caribbean culture at the West Indian-American Day Carnival. Since the early 20th century, the Carnival, which first got its start in the United States in Harlem, has brought together New Yorkers through beautiful costumes, music, dance, and food of the West Indies. Starting in the 1960s, the festival has taken over Crown Heights' Eastern Parkway, uniting many islands (Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Haiti, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and Grenda, Guyana, Suriname and Belize, and others) in one extravagant party. As one of New York City's largest, and certainly most colorful, events, the Carnival should not be missed. Ahead, learn about the history of the parade, the traditions that thrive to this day and the details of this year's festival.
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The history of Brooklyn blackout cake: German bakeries and WWII drills

Photo via Kirti Poddar/Flickr

June 15, 2018

The history of Brooklyn blackout cake: German bakeries and WWII drills

By Dana Schulz

Chocoholics all over the country know Brooklyn blackout cake, a three-tiered devil's food cake with layers of chocolate pudding and chocolate frosting topped with cake crumbs. In recent years, the rich cake has become re-popularized from its heyday in the first half of the 20th century. But most of us who gluttonously indulge in this tasty dessert have no idea where its borough-centric name came from or just how long this confectioner's delight has been around. It all started in 1898 at a German bakery called Ebinger's on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, but it wasn't until World War II that the moniker took hold.
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History

The Brooklyn Ballet’s Nutcracker mixes local history and contemporary culture

Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Ballet

December 8, 2017

The Brooklyn Ballet’s Nutcracker mixes local history and contemporary culture

By Metro New York

George Balanchine staged his first iconic performance of The Nutcracker in New York City back in 1954. His choreography rightly became the gold standard, but the city has changed since then. Enter the Brooklyn Ballet, which has reinterpreted the holiday story to reflect its home into The Brooklyn Nutcracker, mixing the borough’s history as an old […]

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May 22, 2017

From shipping hub to waterfront wonder, the history of Brooklyn Bridge Park with Joanne Witty

By Emily Nonko

134 years ago, the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge transformed the Brooklyn waterfront, not to mention the entire borough, by providing direct access into Kings County from Lower Manhattan. The opening only boosted Brooklyn's burgeoning waterfront, which became a bustling shipping hub for the New York Dock Company by the early 1900s. Business boomed for several decades until changes in the industry pushed the shipping industry from Brooklyn to New Jersey. And after the late 1950s, when many of the warehouses were demolished to make way for construction of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, the waterfront fell into severe decline. New Yorkers today are living through a new kind of Brooklyn waterfront boom, heralded by the Brooklyn Bridge Park. Ideas to transform the abandoned, run-down waterfront into a park seemed like a pipe dream when the idea was floated in the 1980s, but years of dedication by the local community and politicians turned the vision into reality. Today, the park is considered one of the best in the city.
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City Living

March 18, 2015

The Surprising History of the Hotdog Cart; How Brooklyn Heights Became the City’s First Historic District

By Dana Schulz

Take a delicious dive into the surprising history of the New York City hotdog cart. [NYDN] Outspoken Downtowner Chloë Sevigny shares her favorite city spots. [i-D] How Brooklyn Heights, “America’s original suburb,” became the city’s first historic district. [Curbed] Street artist Hanksy is organizing a Golden Ticket scavenger hunt around the city. [Gothamist] There are now more Uber […]

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Developer’s plan for 30-story tower behind row of 19th-century homes in Downtown Brooklyn is stalled for now

The Duffield Street Houses at 182-188 Duffield Street. Photo by Epicgenius on Wikimedia

October 22, 2025

Developer’s plan for 30-story tower behind row of 19th-century homes in Downtown Brooklyn is stalled for now

A developer's plan to build a 30-story tower behind a row of landmarked homes in Downtown Brooklyn has been sent back to the drawing board. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing on Watermark Capital’s proposal for a glass and beige brick tower on a small lot behind the historic homes at 182-188 Duffield Street, four individual landmarks dating to the 1830s and 1840s. Commissioners and preservationists were skeptical of the proposal, which involves removing the rear facades of the four properties while combining the interiors to create a community space and a lobby for the 99-unit building behind them. The commission took no action on Tuesday and directed the developers to revise the design so it does not "overwhelm" the block's historic character.
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Step into 1776 during a Battle of Brooklyn commemoration this weekend

All photos courtesy of The Green-Wood Cemetery

August 21, 2025

Step into 1776 during a Battle of Brooklyn commemoration this weekend

The first, and the biggest, battle of the American Revolution took place in Brooklyn. In August 1776, just weeks after declaring independence from Britain, the first armed campaign for the colonies took place across the borough, through present-day Prospect Park, Fulton Ferry Landing, Fort Greene Park, and Green-Wood Cemetery. While the British soundly defeated the colonies, the historic battle led George Washington to develop a new strategy vital to the eventual win for independence. This weekend, the Green-Wood Cemetery will commemorate the Battle of Brooklyn with historical demonstrations, costumed interpreters, music, and a parade march up Battle Hill.
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For $2.95M, this Bed-Stuy townhouse is all about the Brooklyn brownstone design aesthetic

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow for Sotheby’s International Realty

July 22, 2025

For $2.95M, this Bed-Stuy townhouse is all about the Brooklyn brownstone design aesthetic

In the heart of Brooklyn's Stuyvesant Heights Historic District, this 20-foot-wide Neo-Grec brownstone at 408 Macon Street has a history as colorful as its updated and on-trend decor. The townhouse was featured in 6sqft in 2019, when Australian expats Jeremy Andrew–the artist Jeremyville–and creative director Megan Mair renovated and listed the home for $2.7 million. Back on the market for $2,950,000, the home's latest incarnation gets lots of color and creative flair from re-do duo Brownstone Boys.
brownstone lovers, check it out

Distinctive Homes

The spirit of Wimbledon comes to Brooklyn Bridge Park

Photo courtesy of AELTC/Mike Lawrence

June 26, 2025

The spirit of Wimbledon comes to Brooklyn Bridge Park

New Yorkers can experience the thrill of Wimbledon in full floral fashion at Brooklyn Bridge Park this July. "The Hill in New York" returns from Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 13, offering a chance to watch the tennis tournament in an English garden–inspired setting, with the Brooklyn Bridge and NYC skyline as iconic backdrops. Presented by the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club and Brooklyn Bridge Park, the event kicks off on July 11 with a free opening concert by Rita Ora, followed by screenings of the ladies’ singles and gentlemen’s doubles finals on July 12, and the ladies’ doubles and gentlemen’s singles finals on July 13. Admission is free via an online ballot, which is open through July 1.
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Events & Things To Do

June 3, 2025

Brooklyn Heights’ iconic Hotel Bossert sells for $100M, to become apartments

A historic Brooklyn Heights hotel once dubbed the "Waldorf-Astoria of Brooklyn" has sold for $100 million, with plans to convert the storied property into residences. The iconic Hotel Bossert, located at 98 Montague Street, was acquired by real estate investment and development firm SomeraRoad, according to city records registered Wednesday and first reported by Crain's. In a statement to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, the firm said it "plans to honor the property’s rich history and to restore and reopen the building as residences."
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Real Estate Trends

The Rubin’s Tibetan shrine room finds new home at the Brooklyn Museum

Photos by Dave De Armas, courtesy of the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art

June 2, 2025

The Rubin’s Tibetan shrine room finds new home at the Brooklyn Museum

After closing its Chelsea home last fall, where it had operated for 20 years, the Rubin Museum is relocating one of its most beloved installations to the Brooklyn Museum. Opening on June 11 in a custom-designed space within the museum’s Arts of Asia galleries, the Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room features over 100 artworks and ritual objects from the Rubin's collection, presented as they would be in a private household shrine. The installation will be on view for six years, with rotating objects highlighting different Tibetan traditions.
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Events & Things To Do

Officials begin investigation into Brooklyn Bridge ship crash

Mayor Eric Adams visited the Mexican Navy tall ship after it collided with the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday. Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 19, 2025

Officials begin investigation into Brooklyn Bridge ship crash

New York and federal officials have begun an investigation into why a Mexican Navy ship crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday. About five minutes after the Cuauhtémoc left Pier 17 with the intention of traveling south, the vessel drifted in the wrong direction and its soaring masts struck the iconic 142-year-old structure. The accident left two sailors dead and more than a dozen crew members injured. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that a "multidisciplinary" team is conducting a safety investigation.
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Policy

A gently restored Greenpoint wood frame townhouse with history intact asks $3.75M

Credit: Interiors by Kat for The Corcoran Group

May 8, 2025

A gently restored Greenpoint wood frame townhouse with history intact asks $3.75M

In the highly desirable Greenpoint neighborhood, the most sought-after properties may be the lovingly restored townhouses on its handful of tree-lined, historic blocks. Asking $3,750,000, this wood frame home at 141 Calyer Street is a fine example. Built in 1899, this three-family townhouse is currently configured as a one-bedroom garden apartment with a triplex above. Over 3,000 square feet of interior space has been preserved and updated with both respect for history and an eye for design.
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Distinctive Homes

Fraunces Tavern exhibit will explore revolutionary history to mark 250th anniversary of United States

Credit: Carl Mikoy on Flickr

March 4, 2025

Fraunces Tavern exhibit will explore revolutionary history to mark 250th anniversary of United States

A New York City bar that had a role in the Revolutionary War is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States with a special exhibition. This spring, the Fraunces Tavern Museum will open "Path to Liberty: The Emergence of a Nation," a chronological, multi-year installation exploring the historic events that took place at the tavern and in New York throughout the American Revolution. Opening on April 22, the exhibit will also showcase the tavern’s role in history, from hosting the Sons of Liberty to serving as the site of trials that led to the emancipation of thousands of Black Loyalists.
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Brooklyn’s 300-year-old Lott House to become Marine Park’s first museum

All photos courtesy of Hendrick I. Lott House

February 12, 2025

Brooklyn’s 300-year-old Lott House to become Marine Park’s first museum

One of Brooklyn's oldest homes will finally open to the public. The Hendrick I. Lott House, a rare surviving example of a Dutch Colonial home in New York, is set to become a museum, offering visitors the chance to explore the historic interior for the first time. The 300-year-old home will undergo interior and structural renovations starting in early 2026 to preserve its historic charm while modernizing it, transforming it into a fully functional museum, the first in Marine Park. The museum will shed light on the neighborhood's history, the Lott family, and those who worked and lived on the farm.
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Forces of Nature Dance Theatre. Photo by Solwazi Afi Olusola

February 11, 2025

NYC’s best Black History Month events

Even as the federal government attempts to downplay the significance of Black History Month, New York City will continue to celebrate. Throughout February, honor the contributions of Black people in New York and beyond with live performances, art, conversations, exhibitions, and more.
our picks here

Live in the treetops with private gardens below in this $12.5M Brooklyn Heights townhouse

Photos courtesy of Nikola Strbac for The Corcoran Group

February 5, 2025

Live in the treetops with private gardens below in this $12.5M Brooklyn Heights townhouse

Even on a postcard-perfect block amid the homes and gardens of historic Brooklyn Heights, the six-story Federal-style townhouse at 12 Sidney Place is a standout. Asking $12,500,000, the 21-foot-wide home offers 5,700 square feet of breathtaking interior architecture, surrounded by the greenery of a sunken garden, multiple terraces, and an enclosed sleeping porch.
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Distinctive Homes

For $3.3M, this historic Brooklyn Heights home comes with condo convenience

Photos courtesy of Interiors by Kat

December 2, 2024

For $3.3M, this historic Brooklyn Heights home comes with condo convenience

Instead of having to choose between a historic, pre-war home in Brooklyn Heights and the convenience of condominium living, this three-bedroom apartment at 170 Hicks Street allows you to enjoy a combination of the two lifestyles, with an elevator and space to spare. Asking $3,300,000, this 1,940-square-foot condo occupies a full floor in a historic townhouse in the heart of the Heights. Elegant interiors–think antique chandeliers and crown moldings–recall the building's history and a private terrace provides enviable views of the surrounding neighborhood.
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Distinctive Homes

Boroughs of the Dead ghost tours dive into the real-life macabre history of NYC

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Astoria. All photos courtesy of Boroughs of the Dead

October 25, 2024

Boroughs of the Dead ghost tours dive into the real-life macabre history of NYC

By Lidia Ryan

Spooky season is in full swing, and if you’re a history nerd who wants to learn about the "macabre, strange, spooky, weird, spectral history of the city," there’s a tour group for that. Boroughs of the Dead: Macabre New York City Walking Tours, founded by Andrea Janes, brings groups through the spookiest, most "haunted" areas of New York City, creating a "ghost map" of the city by overlaying scary stories over the “terrain of the real,” Janes describes.
discover the spooky side of NYC

City landmarks Village row house with deep ties to Black history and theater

The 13th Street Repertory Company. Photo (left): Courtesy of Village Preservation. Current view of the building (right): Courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

October 22, 2024

City landmarks Village row house with deep ties to Black history and theater

A Greenwich Village row house, dating back to before the Civil War and closely tied to Black history and one of the city's first "Off-Off-Broadway" theaters, is New York City's newest landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to designate the Jacob Day Residence at 50 West 13th Street. The 1845 row house was home to Jacob Day, one of NYC's most successful 19th-century African American businessmen, and the 13th Street Repertory Company, one of the city's oldest Off-Off-Broadway theaters.
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NYC secures largest civil rights settlement in city history for housing discrimination

Parkchester, East Bronx. Photo by TheBronxNYC on Wikimedia

August 22, 2024

NYC secures largest civil rights settlement in city history for housing discrimination

New York City has secured the largest civil rights settlement in history, holding a prominent landlord accountable for rampant discrimination against housing voucher holders. Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday announced the landmark settlement, which imposed $1 million in civil penalties against Parkchester Preservation Management and secured 850 apartments to be set aside for voucher holders. The settlement represents the highest fine and largest number of apartments secured in a settlement by the New York City Commission on Human Rights.
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Policy

New signs along Flatbush Avenue honor Brooklyn’s African heritage

Photo courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr

August 19, 2024

New signs along Flatbush Avenue honor Brooklyn’s African heritage