Things to Do in Brooklyn This Weekend: Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg
Brooklyn attractions are many but for my money, one of the most fun things to do in Brooklyn on the weekend is experiencing Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg. For the past few years, the great Brooklyn Flea and its also-great foodie spin-off Smorgasburg have become something of an institution in New York City. Open now and running every Saturday and Sunday from now through Thanksgiving in three Brooklyn locations–all equally appealing for different reasons–Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg make for a guaranteed pleasant weekend outing with friends, kids, a sweetheart, or just rolling solo.
Brooklyn Flea Expands and Attract Happy Crowds
Even as Brooklyn Flea expands (coming soon to LIC, South Street Seaport, and Philadelphia!) and continues to attract big, happy crowds everywhere it lands, the original, totally brilliant concept remains intact. This innovative Brooklyn flea market attracts more than 100 vendors, selling vintage clothing, funky antiques, hand-crafted goods, fashion accessories and jewelry, records, home decor. Adding to the fun is a carefully curated selection of local food purveyors slinging dishes both savory and sweet. It takes about an hour to wander through all of booths, and you can easily spend another hour or so eating and relaxing and soaking in the sunny, neighborly vibe. When I think of the best things to do in Brooklyn on a weekend, it's for all of the above reasons that Brooklyn Flea comes immediately to mind. Personally, I like the Williamsburg Brooklyn Flea version but, they are all worth checking out.
Smorgasburg…a Great Compliment to Brooklyn Flea
Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg go together like, well, like the many combination of great food you'll find at Smorgasburg. If you're into eating, the all-food Smorgasburg is clearly the move. Hosting between 75 and 100 vendors in two perfect-for-picnicking settings by the river–the one in DUMBO has the added attraction of being next to Jane's Carousel–Smorgasburg has become such a hit that chefs are now using this adhoc Brooklyn food festival as a kind of experimental testing ground for their brick-and-mortar restaurant creations. Yes, some of the lines at Smorgasburg are ridiculously long; the fabulous Mighty Quinn's BBQ, for example, even though it now operates an excellent East Village restaurant, still had 30+ minute waits for brisket on both days I went. But there is so much cheap-eat goodness here at Smorgasburg that it's the ideal place to try something new as well. For more, read our review last year of Brooklyn Smorgasburg. Tip: Check out Brooklyn Flea's vendors at peak eating times and your patience will be rewarded at Smorgasburg later on with shorter lines.
Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg details
Brooklyn Flea is located in Fort Greene on Saturdays, on Lafayette and Clermont Avenues, and in Williamsburg on Sundays, in the East River State Park at the end of North 7th Street. Both run from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and are readily accessible via subway or ferry.
Smorgasburg is located in Williamsburg on Saturday (same space as above), and DUMBO on Sunday, in the Tobacco Warehouse on Water Street. Both serve food from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Here is a complete list of vendors at Brooklyn Flea.
Posted in NYC Dining, NYC Events | Tagged Brooklyn • Brooklyn flea market • Brooklyn flea market Williamsburg
