The Day: Afropunk Fest, Back to School Fun and a Boutique Owner Profile

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A collection of deer heads were on display for sale at the Brooklyn Flea this weekend. (Photo by Brien Foy)

Good morning, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill.

Though all eyes were on the Barclays Center and MTV’s Video Music Awards last weekend, one local music event was not forgotten in the shuffle. Afropunk Fest drew nearly 30,000 to Commodore Barry Park, according to festival organizers. Brooklyn Based was on the scene taking photos of the fun for its blog post, but our favorite portraits came from RedBull.com. The eye-catching fashion was also prevalent and blogs such as Fashionista were quick to chronicle all the trends.

XXL Magazine listed the top ten surprising things they saw during the weekend festival, but we think there were more than just a handful of great things to come out of Afropunk. On top of our list is the story of the bicycle collective Red, Bike and Green, which traveled 286-miles to Afropunk from Washington D.C., according to the blog Colorlines.

If you want to see more from the festival, check back later today for our wrap on the fun. Be sure to also share any photos you snapped on The Nabe’s Flickr group.

Here’s more news to start your day:

  • You might have let your kids get away with eating some extra sweets this summer, but there’s still time to help them get back into healthy habits thanks to a North Brooklyn Asthma Action Alliance “Back 2 School Health & Fitness Day,” Myrtle Minutes reported. The free event, which celebrates and encourages eating well and exercise, includes music, games and face-painting. Head to 100 North Portland Avenue between 1 and 4:30 p.m. to take part in the fun.
  • We saw a bit of the action at the Brooklyn Flea last weekend in this Fan Fotos post on the Flea’s blog. For those of you looking to scope out a vendor early, we saw Melody’s Addiction has posted photos of leather ruffle earrings that will come to market on Sept. 7 and 21. If earrings aren’t your thing, is there a specific kind of vendor you’re craving, locals? Let us know in the comments below.
  • Charnier Corey – who recently entered the local retail market with his shop, Leisure Life NYC – was profiled in a post on In Her Shoes. In the post, he details his rise from a construction worker in Harlem to a fashion entrepreneur making a living in one of the borough’s fashion centers. “We chose Brooklyn’s Myrtle Avenue because the neighborhood is an untapped market full of artists, students and creative business professionals. We have seen the shift and development in Brooklyn and we would like to be included in the new group of Brooklyn-based boutiques and businesses,” he told the blog.