By Nicholas Katers
Things to Do in Williamsburg, New York
Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood became a hotbed among painters, multimedia artists and musicians in the 21st century. Williamsburg is a well-traveled section of Brooklyn among music and art fans looking for the cutting edge in the creative world. Visitors to Williamsburg may not realize at first sight that the neighborhood is filled with affordable destinations. Your trip to Williamsburg,
New York can expand beyond music venues to parks, museums and other destinations in the area.
Williamsburg Art & Historical Center
The Williamsburg Art & Historical Center is located inside of the Kings County Savings Bank Building, a National Register of Historic Places entrant built in 1860. The center opened in 1996 to accommodate projects and installations from local artists. Visitors see paintings and hear lectures from Williamsburg artists weekly at the WAH Salon Art Club. The center's home is a testament to its restoration efforts with photos and artifacts commemorating multiple renovations.
Williamsburg Art & Historical Center
135 Broadway
Brooklyn, New York 11211
(718) 486-7372
www.wahcenter.net/
Brooklyn Cyclones
The Brooklyn Cyclones brought professional baseball back to Brooklyn when they started play in 2001. The Cyclones play in the 7,500-seat KeySpan Park with a view of the Atlantic Ocean just outside of the outfield gates. This franchise plays games from July to September, offering affordable baseball to Williamsburg tourists turned off by expensive Yankees and Mets games. The Cyclones offers promotions for most home games including Fireworks Fridays, bobblehead nights, free T-shirts and discounted tickets.
Brooklyn Cyclones
1904 Surf Ave.
Brooklyn, New York 11224
(718) 449-8497
www.brooklyncyclones.com/
McCarren Park
The 35-acre McCarren Park is a great space for athletes, music fans and naturalists in the Williamsburg area. The park features fields for impromptu basketball, soccer and football surrounded by running tracks. The city runs a SummerScreen Series from June to August to provide free movies for tourists and residents in Brooklyn. The McCarren Park Pool re-opened in 2005 as a concert venue for indie rockers and bands traveling through Brooklyn during the summer.
McCarren Park
780 Lorimer St.
Brooklyn, New York 11222
(718) 965-6580
www.nycgovparks.org/parks/mccarrenpark
Public Assembly
Public Assembly is a music venue in Williamsburg with a full schedule of music acts and drink specials each week. The signature event at Public Assembly is Monday Night Burlesque, which features dancing, singing and stripteasing for visitors over 21. Visitors heading to Public Assembly find dance music, CD release parties, karaoke and open mic nights throughout the week. This venue spreads 4,000 square feet of seating, bar space and stages across its front and back rooms.
Public Assembly
70 North 6th St.
Brooklyn, New York 11211
(718) 384-4586
www.publicassemblynyc.com/
Resources
About the Author:
Nicholas Katers has been a freelance writer since 2006. He teaches American history at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wis. His past works include articles for "CCN Magazine," "The History Teacher" and "The Internationalist" magazine. Katers holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in American history from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, respectively.
Photo Credits:
Photo by jet200nyc (Flickr)
