At the Atlantic Antic, Marty Markowitz will finally be crowned ‘King of Brooklyn’

‘The greatest kingdom in the land!’

September 25, 2013 By Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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After years of reigning as Brooklyn’s unofficial monarch, Borough President Marty Markowitz will finally be officially crowned as “King of Brooklyn” on Sunday’s 39th Annual Atlantic Antic.

The crowning, taking place at the biggest and (in the opinion of many) the best street fair in New York City, will be a fitting endnote to Markowitz’s three terms as leader of the storied Kingdom of Brooklyn.

The crowning takes place at 2 p.m. on the Amer-Aba stage located between Clinton and Court Street.

“The County of Kings is the greatest ‘kingdom’ in the land with the most swagger to boot; don’t tell anyone in Brooklyn that they aren’t a king or a queen in their own right!” King Markowitz told the Brooklyn Eagle. “In that sense, I like to think that the Atlantic Antic is a ‘coronation’ for all of the 2.6 million Brooklynites that make this the greatest place to live, work and raise a family.”

Even if you miss Marty’s ascendancy into royalty, the over-the-top, mile-long street festival has something for everyone. During the Antic, Atlantic Avenue, from Hicks Street to Fourth Avenue, transforms into a wonderland of food, crafts, fashion, music and entertainment for all.

The event, presented by The Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation (AALDC), blends new and old Antic traditions, with over 500 craft and food vendors, 100 local retailers and restaurants, and one whole block dedicated just to kids.

Many favorites have returned for the 39th year: Waterfront Ale House (with its 14-hour smoked brisket), Table 87 Coal Oven Pizza, Mile End, Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie, and Red Hook Lobster Pound are just a few, along with Sixpoint Brewery serving up the annual Antic Amber. Free Range Wine makes their Antic debut with over 200 fine wines.

Come for the beer and stay for the music: Hank’s Saloon presents Tri-State Conspiracy, a Ska band from NYC, Brandi & The Alexanders for the R&B fans, and the Brooklyn alt-country band, I’ll Be John Brown. Returning acts include French rock band Les Sans Culottes and funk soul band The Get It at the Last Exit stage, and The Winsor Terrors at the Chip Shop stage.

Also immensely popular is the traditional belly dancing on the Amer-Aba stage presented by the famous Eddie “The Sheik” Kochak.

The Kids Block, located between Boerum and Smith Street, features pony rides and face painting. Additional kids entertainment can be found at The Moxie Spot, featuring Rolie Polie Guacamole and Liam the Magician, and Gumbo featuring ‘P for Puppets’ and a One Woman Circus Performance by Lisa Lou.

The New York Transit Museum’s 20th Annual Bus Festival will also take place during the Antic. Visitors will have the rare chance to board vintage buses and speak with bus drivers and transit historians. Only on display once a year, the vintage fleet is one of the Transit Museum’s most prized collections. Over a dozen buses and trucks will be stationed on Boerum Place between State Street and Atlantic Avenue, including “Betsy” – A Fifth Avenue Coach Company double-decker bus which ran from 1931 until 1953; and work vehicles including Tunnel Wrecker , “the Monster of the Tunnels.”