I Love A Parade: A Neighbor’s Old Park Slope Photos

“What is it that we all like about a parade?” asks neighbor David Oppenheim, a former public school teacher who, after retiring, recently returned to his former passion of photography, publishing a catalog of work on his website StockOPP.

Though not originally from Brooklyn, David has lived in Park Slope for 32 years, and one of the things he’s seen a lot of are parades. He’s shared these photos with us for a look back on some of the festive neighborhood gatherings from the past, mostly in the 1990s.

“What’s not to like?” he says. “

(or so it seemed there were more of them!). Now there don’t seem to be as many, and they seem kind of mechanical compared to the community-oriented, family attended parades in the past.”

As a photographer who was published in Rolling Stone and Popular Photography — check out some work he recently shared with Gothamist — he always had his camera ready at these local events.

“Some I shot because I was there as a father of my son, who played baseball in the 78th Precinct league.”

“Some were at St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Park Slope.”

“Once I made it to 4th Avenue to see the front-runners of the New York City Marathon.”

“Other photos reveal a more nostalgic or relaxed view of Park Slope,” he continues. “On the street my son proudly beaming at seeing an old antique car sitting right in front of our apartment.”

David says he misses the old Park Slope, but enjoys bringing it back with these photos. And if the old days are gone, at least one thing has changed for him for the better.

“I am not a born Brooklynite,” he says. “But I feel like one.”

Be sure to see more of David’s photos at StockOpp and on Instagram.

All photos courtesy David Oppenheim