Save the Pool Party!
Word is spreading fast around the ‘hood that the Jelly Pool Party, originally, famously held at McCarren Park, and unceremoniously moved to the redeveloped East River State Park, is now in danger of happening at all next summer. This according to the organizers themselves in a sky-is-falling email to their subscribers. They write:
The future of the Pool Parties at the East River State Park could be in jeopardy. After a very successful 2009 season with 8 weeks of free performances including Grizzly Bear, Girl Talk, The Black Lips, Dirty Projectors, Deerhunter, Dan Deacon, No Age, Mission of Burma, Beach House, and Simian Mobile Disco, news came from the New York State Parks Department and the Open Space Alliance that the East River State Park may not be available to JELLY for the 2010 season. This will ultimately put an end to the flourishing free summer series.
Senator Schumer rallies the folks at the Pool Party, photo Tim Griffith
Like a good blockbuster, there’s a hero emerging and he’s got juice. It’s Senator Schumer, a native of Brooklyn who’s already been quoted by the ‘Times with kind words for the pool party and a promise he’ll try his darndest to have it return to the waterfront in 2010. He also apparently rides his bike through Williamsburg.
“I happened to pass by the Jelly concerts when I was riding my bike through Williamsburg and was amazed at the thousands of people who lined the streets to come to the concerts,” the senator said on Wednesday. “People from every part of the country who had made their way to Brooklyn, enjoying music and one another’s company – it’s the best of New York. When I heard that the concerts might be canceled, I couldn’t understand why, given that this is exactly what our parks are supposed to be for, and I am going to do everything I can to see that they continue.”
If you’ve been a fan of the pool parties at both McCarren Park and most recently East River State Park, you owe it to yourself and your fellow music lovers to remind the good Senator how much fun it is to have that music blasting all summer.
You can Contact Senator Charles Schumer via his Senate Contact Page.
photo: (top) Jay Z, Beyonce Knowles and Senator Chuck Schumer credit: Michael Rusch
photo: Jay Z attends the Pool Party with Beyonce Knowles, Senator Chuck Schumer rallies the crowd. credit: Tim Griffith, BrooklynVegan.com
video: Beyonce and Solange Knowles rocks out to the Grizzly Bears performing at East River State Park, August 30, 2009
