FLATFOOT FLATBUSH is Brooklyn's first-ever flatfooting parade, celebrated as part of Make Music New York's Winter Solstice Celebration. 

 

On December 21st, for the eleventh year, the North Flatbush Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) teams up with Make Music New York and Porch Stomp to bring you Flatfoot Flatbush, an exciting year of music and dancing to celebrate community and the winter solstice.

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During Flatfoot Flatbush, dancers, fiddlers and pickers parade down the sidewalks of the ever-busy Flatbush Avenue in Park Slope/ Prospect Heights (Dean Street to Sterling Place) playing old-time tunes while flatfooting, a form of percussive dancing from Appalachia. The evening begins with a warm up and quick flatfooting workshop hosted by Megan Downes (City Stompers), which will take place outdoors on the corner of Flatbush Avenue and Sterling Place (outside M&T Bank) at 2pm. Immediately following, the flatfooting parade will kick off and traverse Flatbush Avenue stopping along the way at local businesses to bring holiday cheer. The parade will finish at the 6th Avenue Triangle (intersection of Flatbush, 6th, and St Marks Avenues) with participatory group dances lead by the City Stompers and Brooklyn Contra, and a rendition of the mystical Abbots Bromley Horn Dance by Ring o'Bells Morris and Half Moon Sword.  See below for an estimated timeline of events.

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Starting at 5:30pm, the fun continues at an indoor after-party at Lips@333 (333 Flatbush Avenue) featuring more music and dance, and an open jam lead by the Flatfoot Flatbush Band. The after party doubles as the North Flatbush Avenue BID merchant holiday party, and will bring together businesses in the district to share in holiday cheer.

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Parade timeline: 

2pm: Warm up with City Stompers at M&T Bank (184 Sterling Place)

2:15pm: Parade kicks off at 184 Sterling Place

2:20pm: Parade arrives at Antonio's (318 Flatbush Avenue)

2:35pm: Parade arrives at Burrito Bar (307 Flatbush Avenue)

2:50pm: Parade arrives at Morgan's BBQ (267 Flatbush Avenue)

3:05pm: Parade arrives at Doughnut Plant (245 Flatbush Avenue)

3:20pm: Parade arrives at Tiny's Cantina (229 Flatbush Avenue)

3:40pm: Parade arrives at Brooklyn Crepe (214 Flatbush Avenue) 

3:40pm: Abbots Bromley Horn Dance procession to 6th Avenue Triangle 

4pm: Square Dance led by City Stompers, St Marks at Flatbush 

4:20pm: Long sword dance at 6th Avenue Triangle 

4:40pm: Contra dance led by Brooklyn Contra, St Marks at Flatbush 

5pm: Wrap up at 6th Avenue Triangle

530pm: Afterparty begins at 333 Lounge (333 Flatbush Avenue) 

730pm: Afterparty wraps up 

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Guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo players and other stringed instrumentalists are encouraged to join the Flatfoot Flatbush String Band! Dancers and boosters are welcome to simply stroll on up! See below for scores of tunes that will be played: 

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Soldier's Joy 

Arkansas Traveler 

Angeline the Baker

Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss 

Cluck O Hen

Sail Away Ladies

Possum on a Rail 

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Bonus Tunes: 

Old Joe Clark 

Whiskey Before Breakfast 

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