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This Sunday, May 17, Open Streets Montague, sponsored by the Montague Street BID, the Brooklyn Heights Association, and the NYC Department of Transportation, will begin another season lasting Sundays through June 28. On each of these Sundays Montague Street between Clinton and Henry and between Henry and Hicks will be closed to traffic between 10:00 am and 7:00 pm; parked cars must be removed before 10:00. There’s a complete schedule of activities for this and each Sunday here. This Sunday will feature a “Spring Fling” presented by Brooklyn Bridge Parents; details are here. From 11:00 am to 3:00 pm St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church at Clinton and Montague streets, site of  “one of the earliest stained glass windows created in the New World,” will be open for free tours.

This Saturday, May 16, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, weather permitting, there will be a Kite Festival at Pier 5, the soccer field pier near the foot of Joralemon Street, Brooklyn Bridge Park. You may bring your own kite or buy a complete one or a kit to make one on site. There will also be “hands-on crafts, classic lawn games, live music, face painting” and other activities. Admission is free. There’s more information here.

Photo: C. Scales for BHB

The Joy Luck Trio, consisting of (left to right in the photo) Karen Han on ehru, Donna Weng Friedman on piano, and Gao Hong on pipa, had their first Brooklyn performance at Bargemusic last Sunday. As I’ve noted before, I’m a fan of syncretism in music (and in other things). Joy Luck, in my estimation, does an awesome job of combining Asian and Western instruments and musical traditions.

They opened the concert with The Swan (1886) by Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), which they did as written except for some improvisations. According to my sketchy concert notes Han’s ehru produced a “dreamy melody” while Hong’s pipa yielded “versatile sounds.” Friedman’s piano was precise. This was followed by Hong’s own composition, Flying Dragon, done solo on pipa. As its name implies, it had a soaring quality until the last note, which evoked the dragon’s descent, and was made by Hong’s dragging her thumbnail down a string, a move that produced a pleasing sound. Han then had a solo turn on ehru with Birds Singing in the Empty Mountains, by the Chinese composer Liu Tianhua (1835-1932). My notes indicate “conversational sounds” and “scope of timbre.”

Next on the program came three pieces by the composer Stefania de Kenessey, who was present for the concert. These were from Microvids, a series of nineteen short pieces she composed after the worst of the pandemic had passed. The three performed at the concert were Reach for the Sky, Clouds, and Pure Joy. They were written for solo piano, but the concert performances included improvisations on ehru and pipa. It all worked brilliantly.

Hong then had another solo turn on pipa with a piece, Pastoral, that she said was inspired by the Mongolian countryside. Its evocation of a spacious landscape reminded me, in a good way, of Neil Young’s instrumental, The Emperor of Wyoming. Friedman then had her solo turn on piano with The Three Maries (1939) by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959). These three short pieces, Alnitah, Alnilam, and Mintika, were given the names of the belt stars in the constellation Orion that are sometimes called “The Three Marys.” My notes on each in order were: “playful”; “loving”; and “reflective.”

The last two pieces in the program were Hong’s Nostalgia, which she described as “chasing a dream” and for which my notes are “plaintive, then lovely,” and Horse Racing, by the Chinese composer Huang Haihuai (1935-1967) which evoked the propulsive rhythm of hoofbeats and concluded with a convincing whinny on the ehru.

I have friends who think that the purpose of music, or of any art, should be to provide pleasure. I believe that great art should not only please, but also challenge the listener, viewer, or reader to hear, see, or understand in a new way. For me, Joy Luck Trio fulfilled that purpose. It made me hear music in a way I never had before.

The Brooklyn Heights Association has notified us of two events coming next weekend. The BHA sponsored Longest Table will be back on Remsen Street beween Hicks and the Promenade entrance on Saturday, May 16 from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. Bring your own lunch or a dish to share, and meet your neighbors. There’s more information here; if you want to attend please register here.

It’s a short walk from Remsen Street to Willow Place, between Joralemon and State streets, where the Willowtown Spring Fair will also be happening on Saturday from noon until 5:00 pm. There will be: live music; food; games, including a kids’ sack race (see video above); plants, baked goods, and boutique items for sale; a presentation by the Heights Players (perhaps a scene from Nine to Five); face painting; a bouncy house; a raffle; and a walking tour.

We have word from Notify NYC that there will be a fireworks display tonight (Friday, May 8) from near Liberty Island starting at about 8:30 pm. This will be the third one within a few days. According to NYC 311 the sponsor is “Corporate Cruise 2026.” The same source tells us there will be more fireworks Saturday evening, May 9, starting at about 9:45, on the East River. Where on the East River isn’t specified, so it could be close to Brooklyn Heights or away up river. The sponsor is shown as “Greenlight Capital — The Wedding Collab.”

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this weekend (late tomorrow evening, Friday, May 8 through early Monday morning, May 11) should be a “green light weekend,” as there are no planned cancellations, route changes, or station skips directly affecting service at any local stations.

The following work week: Monday morning, May 11 through Friday evening, May 15, things get complicated, if only late at night. All week there will be no late night to early morning 4 train service, as 4 trains will terminate and originate at Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall, but 3 trains will be making all 4 train stops between Borough Hall and New Lots Avenue. On the late night to early morning Wednesday to Thursday the only service at Court Street or the N/R platforms at Borough Hall or Jay Street-Metro Tech will be Manhattan bound N trains, as Brooklyn bound N trains will be re-routed to the Q line between Canal Street and DeKalb Avenue and R train service will be suspended in both directions between Whitehall Street-South Ferry and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center. On the late night to early morning Thursday to Friday the only service at Court Street or the N/R platforms at Borough Hall or Jay Street-Metro Tech will be Brooklyn bound N trains, as Manhattan bound N trains will be re-routed to the Q line between DeKalb Avenue and Canal Street, and R train service will be suspended in both directions between Whitehall Street-South Ferry and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center.

These are the PLANNED changes affecting local service for this weekend and for the following week. Always check MTA Info for unplanned service changes that may affect local service or service on other parts of your trip, or for planned service changes that affect stations to or from which you may be traveling. You can also get real time service alerts: register here.

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We’ve been advised by NotifyNYC that tomorrow, May 5, starting at about 9:30 pm, there will be a fireworks display launched from near Liberty Island. This should be visible (and audible) from Brooklyn Heights, especially from the Promenade. There were fireworks from a similar location recently, of which we did not receive prior notification.

This coming weekend – late Friday evening, May 1 through early Monday morning, May 4 – there will be no Manhattan bound service at High Street as Manhattan bound A and C trains will be re-routed to the F line between Jay Street-MetroTech and West 4th Street-Washington Square. This means extra Manhattan bound service at York Street in DUMBO.

The following work week — Monday morning, May 4 through Friday evening, May 8 — the only planned service change affecting local stations is that late nights to early mornings all week there will be no Brooklyn bound N train service at Court Street or at the N/R platforms at Borough Hall or Jay Street-MetroTech, as Brooklyn bound N trains will be re-routed to the Q line between Canal Street and DeKalb Avenue. R trains should be running normally in both directions, as should Manhattan bound N trains, at these stations.

These are the PLANNED changes affecting local service for this weekend and for the following week. Always check MTA Info for unplanned service changes that may affect local service or service on other parts of your trip, or for planned service changes that affect stations to or from which you may be traveling. You can also get real time service alerts: register here.

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Nine to Five will run for three consecutive weekends, with the first performance this coming Friday, May 1, at the John Bourne Theater, located at 26 Willow Place. There is an accessible entrance at 25 Columbia Place, directly behind the theater. Performances will be on each Friday and Saturday starting at 8:00 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm. The final performance will be Sunday, May 17. There’s more information here and you can buy tickets here.

New York State Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, who represents Brooklyn Heights and nearby neighborhoods in our State Legislature, will host “Java with Jo Anne” next Thursday, April 30 from 9:30 to 11:00 am at the DeKalb Market Hall in Downtown Brooklyn, 445 Albee Square West. “Find us downstairs near the escalators closest to Trader Joe’s and Pan D’Avignon.” If there’s “a community issue or current event you’re passionate about? Come and talk with me about it!” If you would like to attend, RSVP here.

Donations for Brooklyn Book Bodega and Little Essentials will be collected at St Ann’s Parish Hall (157 Montague Street) from 10am-1:30pm.

Fresh Direct bags are needed to pack up items.  Please bring your bags directly to Parish Hall tomorrow.

Litter Cleanup – Rescheduled to Saturday, May 9th. Sign up here.

Clean up Neighborhood Tree Beds – Rescheduled to Saturday, May 9th. Sign up here.

Friends of Hillside Dog Park is still planning to meet at 9am to spread mulch and do some other work in the dog park until the rain sends everyone home.

Cadman Park Convervancy will make a decision concerning the “Mulch Fest” at noon. Check their website this afternoon.

Looking for an indoor volunteer event?  PS8 is looking for some more volunteers tomorrow to help organize supply closets, move out old furniture and assemble IKEA pieces. Sign up here.

If you have any questions, please contact Lucy Sullivan, the BHA’s spring intern.

This weekend – late night Friday, April 24 to early morning Monday, April 27 – the only service at Court Street, the N/R platforms at Borough Hall or at Jay Street-MetroTech will be Manhattan bound N trains during days and evenings. There will be no R train service nor overnight N train service.

The following work week – Monday morning, April 27 through Friday evening, May 1 – late nights to early mornings Monday to Tuesday through Thursday to Friday 4 trains will be stopping and originating at Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall, so will not be serving Brooklyn, but 3 trains, which do not normally serve Brooklyn late at night will make all 4 train stops from Borough Hall to New Lots Avenue. These same late nights Manhattan bound N trains will be re-routed and will not stop at Court Street or at the N/R platforms at Borough Hall or Jay Street-MetroTech, but Brooklyn bound N trains and R trains in both directions should be running normally.

These are the PLANNED changes affecting local service for this weekend and for the following week. Always check MTA Info for unplanned service changes that may affect local service or service on other parts of your trip, or for planned service changes that affect stations to or from which you may be traveling. You can also get real time service alerts: register here.

Photo: MTAEnthusiast10, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

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Brooklyn Bridge Park will host a number of activities from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm, including nature walks, talks by experts on various nature and conservation related subjects, workshops, crafts, and collection of articles for recycling. Full details are here.

Heather Wolf, Brooklyn’s avian maven, author of Find More Birds and Birding at the Bridge, will lead a bird tour in Brooklyn Bridge Park this Sunday, April 26, from 9:00 to 10:30 am. “Spring migration is in full swing!” Free tickets will be available here starting Wednesday at 10:00 am.

For those who would like to learn more about birds and birding, Heather will conduct a class, Birding in NYC and Beyond, this Wednesday evening, April 22, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at the Prospect Heights Brainery. The fee is $12; you can sign up here.

The photo is by Heather, who “spotted this Song Sparrow gathering nesting material at Pier 6. It flew off with that mouthful to one of the mallow patches in the flower field, where it’s working on a nest.”

This coming weekend – late Friday evening, April 17 through early Monday morning, April 20 – there will be no Manhattan bound service at High Street as Manhattan bound A and C trains will be re-routed to the F line between Jay Street-MetroTech and West 4th Street-Washington Square. This means extra Manhattan bound service at York Street in DUMBO. All weekend 4 trains will terminate and originate at Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall and so will not be serving Brooklyn, but 3 trains, which do not normally serve Brooklyn on weekends, during the weekend will serve all 4 train stops from Borough Hall to New Lots Avenue. Those traveling to or from the East Side of Manhattan can transfer between the N or R, both of which should be running normally, and the 4, 5, or 6 at 14th Street-Union Square.

The following work week – Monday morning, April 20 through Friday evening, April 24 – late nights to early mornings Monday to Tuesday and Tuesday to Wednesday there will be no 2 train service in either direction between Chambers Street and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center. As 3 trains do not serve Brooklyn during these hours, there will be no service at Clark Street or at the 2/3 platforms at Borough Hall. Travelers to and from the West Side of Manhattan may transfer between R and 1 trains at Whitehall Street-South Ferry and 1 and 2 trains at Chambers Street. Late nights to early mornings all week N trains will be re-routed to the Q line in both directions between DeKalb Avenue and Canal Street, but R trains should be running normally, so there should be service in both directions st Court Street and at the N/R platforms at Jay Street-MetroTech.

These are the PLANNED changes affecting local service for this weekend and for the following week. Always check MTA Info for unplanned service changes that may affect local service or service on other parts of your trip, or for planned service changes that affect stations to or from which you may be traveling. You can also get real time service alerts: register here.

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The Grace Chorale of Brooklyn, under the direction of Hannah Nacheman, will be at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church, 157 Montague Street, this Saturday, April 18 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, April 19 at 3:00 pm to present “A More Perfect Union,” a concert “Celebrating 250 Years of Struggle, Hope, and the Ongoing Work of Democracy.” You can buy tickets here.

This weekend – late Friday evening, April 10 through early Monday morning, April 13 – C trains will not be running in either direction. A trains should be running normally in both directions, and Brooklyn bound F trains will be re-routed to the C line between West 4th Street-Washington Square and Euclid Avenue. This means that at High Street the only Manhattan bound service will be by the A train, while there will be Brooklyn bound service by A and F trains. At York Street in DUMBO there will only be Manhattan bound F train service. Late nights all weekend – Friday to Saturday through Sunday to Monday – 4 trains will terminate and originate at Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall and so will not be serving Brooklyn, but 3 trains, which do not normally serve Brooklyn on weekends, will serve all 4 train stops from Borough Hall to New Lots Avenue. Those traveling to or from the East Side of Manhattan can transfer between the N or R, both of which should be running normally, and the 4, 5, or 6 at 14th Street-Union Square. On Sunday morning from 7:45 to 10:00 2 trains will be running on a reduced schedule – approximately every 15 minutes.

The following work week – Monday morning, April 13 through Friday evening, April 17 – late nights and early mornings Monday to Tuesday through Thursday to Friday there will be no Manhattan bound service at High Street, as Manhattan bound A trains will be re-routed to the F line between Jay Street-MetroTech and West 4th Street-Washington Square. Meanwhile, Brooklyn bound F trains will be re-routed to the A line between west 4th Street-Washington Square and Jay Street-MetroTech. This means no Manhattan bound service at High Street and no Brooklyn bound service at York Street in DUMBO during these late night hours, but extra Manhattan bound service at York Street and extra Brooklyn bound service at High Street. These same late nights-early mornings 4 trains will terminate and originate at Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall and so will not be serving Brooklyn, but 3 trains, which do not normally serve Brooklyn late at night will serve all 4 train stops from Borough Hall to New Lots Avenue.

These are the PLANNED changes affecting local service for this weekend and for the following week. Always check MTA Info for unplanned service changes that may affect local service or service on other parts of your trip, or for planned service changes that affect stations to or from which you may be traveling. You can also get real time service alerts: register here.

Voices in the Heights will be at the First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn, Pierrepont Street at Monroe Place, on Saturday at 7:30 pm, presenting My Politic, “an indie-Folk duo” whose “body of work consistently showcases engaging slice-of-life storytelling, expertly crafted characters, highly skilled acoustic instrumentation and sibling like harmonies”; along with Buffalo Rose, “a singularly spectacular six-piece band” who, despite their name, hail from Pittsburgh, and who style their music as “Theatre Kid Americana.” You may attend in person or watch the concert streamed on line; buy tickets here.

Bargemusic will begin its 2026 concert season this weekend at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse, easily accessible from the Heights via the Joralemon Street entrance to the Park. There will be two free concerts each weekend, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, both starting at 2:00 pm. This weekend will feature “Quintessential Quintets by Mozart” on Saturday and Sunday. There’s a full schedule of this season’s concerts here.

A beautiful, sophisticated play, The Wolves presents a season in the lives of these young women. We see their anxieties, hear their secrets, watch them resolve their petty squabbles and deeper divisions. In a world where we rarely get to explore the relationship of just women, alone on stage together, this play truly is an exceptional window into the physical and emotional struggles of female adolescence. 

The play, directed by Dorea Slagle, will be staged at the John Bourne Theater, located at 26 Willow Place. There is an accessible entrance at 25 Columbia Place, directly behind the theater. There will be seven performances: 8:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, April 10 and 11; 2:00 pm on Sunday, April 12; 8:00 pm on Friday, April 17;  2:00 pm and 8:00 pm on Saturday, April 18, and 8:00 pm on Sunday, April 19. The play runs for 90 minutes with no intermission. You may buy tickets here.

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This coming Easter and Passover weekend – late Friday evening, April 3 through early Monday morning, April 6 – there will be no Brooklyn bound service at High Street as Brooklyn bound A and C trains will be re-routed to the F line between West 4th Street-Washington Square and Jay Street-MetroTech . This means extra Brooklyn bound service at York Street in DUMBO.

The following work week – Monday morning, March 30 through Friday evening, April 3 – late nights Monday to Tuesday through Thursday to Friday there will be no 4 train service in either direction in Brooklyn, but 3 trains, which do not normally serve Brooklyn late at night, will be running and provide service to and from New Lots Avenue.

These are the PLANNED changes affecting local service for this weekend and for the following week. Always check MTA Info for unplanned service changes that may affect local service or service on other parts of your trip, or for planned service changes that affect stations to or from which you may be traveling. You can also get real time service alerts: register here.

Walking along State Street you may have noticed a red brick townhouse bearing a plaque that reads “WELCOME TO The Islamic Mission of America DAWOOD MOSQUE” with a subtext in Arabic. As reported by Mary Frost in the Eagle, in the early morning hours of March 9 a man scattered pages torn from the Quran, Islam’s holy text, in front of the mosque. He returned later and smeared what was identified as feces on the mosque’s door. As the Eagle story reports, the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force,  which released the surveillance camera photo of the suspect above, is pursuing the investgation.