Bay Ridge Embraces Winter with festival of arts and performances

Bay Ridge has learned to embrace even brutal winters thanks to a growing tradition.

For the sixth year, the Bay Ridge Arts and Cultural Alliance (BRACA) hosted Bay Ridge’s Embrace Winter Festival. Held this year on Saturday, March 3, the event was designed to link local businesses with local arts and cultural organizations and individuals, to support each other and offer the community a fun event that promotes all participants.

“We started a week later to avoid the weekends wrapping the mid-winter school break though Regina Opera had a kick-off performance the week before on February 24,” said founder of BRACA Victoria Hofmo. “I think that worked out really well. We always have a good turnout.”

Like last year, the event ran along Third Avenue from the 60s up to 89th Street with art exhibits and performances at different local venues,  as well as activities and games.

Among the displays was artwork from Guild for Exceptional Children at Circle’s Cafe (310 Bay Ridge Avenue), and artwork from the Scandinavian East Coast Museum at Cosentino’s (6927 Third Avenue) . “All of the artwork is still up too,” said Hofmo, adding, “We had wonderful artists.”

Some of the highlights included kids and their families working together.

“I think the question game was great,” Hofmo said. “Anything that’s interactive is always good. Then we had arts and crafts with the Friends of Owl’s Head Park. That went really well.”

Performances began at 3 p.m.

“We had a really nice program with Aeilushi Mistry, an Indian dancer, and the kids learned some of the moves. She showed them a very stylized classical type of dance and explained about it. Then we finished with the Lovebutton Musical Duo at Circles Cafe,” Hofmo said. “I think it went really well. We appreciate all the participants who took the time to do this. So many people also volunteered and that’s a really nice thing to have. We have so many wonderful arts and culture groups in the neighborhood and it’s so important to bring out the neighbors to our local businesses.”

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