Scenes from Public Service, Brooklyn’s Free Party for the People
By Natasha Cornelissen
It’s officially summer in New York when people are dancing in the streets. On June 14th, the Almira Kennedy Coursey Amphitheater in Bed Stuy’s Herbert Von King Park was packed to the brim while house music bumped from its epicenter. The afternoon was pleasantly warm, and as attendees stacked the bleachers and stood on platforms, the crowd moved together with a vibrant, contagious energy. Above the two DJs on stage, a handmade banner was strung that read, “Public Service.”
The ongoing party series, hosted in parks around Brooklyn throughout the season, is organized by Mickey Pérez and Toribio, two Caribbean-American Latinos who fuse their soulful dance mixes with the sounds of the Islands, Africa and South America. A completely DIY event, it operates through volunteer setups and donations. In fact, the bright pink speakers always present come from Karl of Karlala Soundsystems, who drives them over himself in a trailer and beckons dancers to help build up and break down.
This last edition of Public Service, held on the weekend of the Knicks’ monumental NBA win, on the same day as the Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade and during Pride month, exploded with a celebratory joy so palpable it filtered out of the park into the surrounding streets. As the party ended, the DJs got on the mic to thank everyone for coming and for bringing their incredible energy. Then, they closed it out with the same song that ends every party, a 70s salsa classic from New York’s Puerto Rican idols, Héctor Lavoe and Willie Colón: “Todo Tiene Su Final.” Everything has its end.
Here’s some photos that capture the scene of this amazing day.
