The Dumbo Parents Organization’s 2010 Summer Series kicks off this weekend through end of July. Join neighborhood families for a variety of free events throughout the summer, presented by DPO. The following events are planned for this weekend:

When: Saturday, June 5, 5-7pm
Kickoff Family Picnic
Bring your family, food and a blanket—we’ll provide live music and face painting for the kids.
Where: Cadman Plaza Park

When: Sunday, June 6, 3pm and 4pm
Amazing Art Workshops with Jen Ferguson
Where: Dumbo Arts Center, 30 Washington Street

Dumbo artist Jen Ferguson will lead two art workshops for children at the Dumbo Arts Center. Space is limited. To learn more about Jen Ferguson, visit www.artinchaos.com.

BIRD PAINTING (ages 2-4) 3-3:45 pm
Learn about all kinds of different songbirds and then paint and decorate your very own bird!

BROOKLYN BRIDGE PAINTING (ages 5 and up) 4-4:45 pm
We’ll discuss the importance of the bridge and some of its features- and then learn some tricks to making your own Brooklyn Bridge artwork!

For a listing of the Summer Series events, click here for a PDF file.

The following are selected links from this past week on blogs and websites with discussion about Dumbo (and its neighboring areas):

• old DUMBO sketch, 31May10, artsypants
• Pop Up, Jump Under, 02Jun10, NYTimes
• Red Hook Lobster Pound at BBP, 02Jun10, Gothamist
• ‘The Brooklyn Summer’ Cocktail at reBar, 31May10, BK Paper
• Lobster Pound guys stick it, 04Jun10, BK Paper
• What Color is Brooklyn Bridge Tan?, 02Jun10, BK Paper
• This Weekend: e-waste Recycling in BK Heights, 02Jun10, BHA
• Scenes from Vinegar Hill, 03Jun10, mheidelberger
• NOS Boutique & JUMP Presents ‘JUMBO’, 04Jun10, Vain
• Make Music New York DUMBO, 31May10, petermcdowell
• Red Hook Lobster Pound, 02Jun10, NYP
• Artist Aakash Nihalani in Dumbo, 02Jun10, LMag
• AIA Guide on Dumbo, 02Jun10, beyondchron
• Spike Lee Creates ABSOLUT BROOKLYN, 02Jun10, PRN

Preservalapagos: A night of original music and fun at Galapagos Art Space, one of Brooklyn’s premier art/music spaces, benefiting three city-wide and local historic preservation advocacy groups: The Historic Districts Council, Four Borough Neighborhood Preservation Alliance, and DUMBO Neighborhood Alliance.

The evening’s musical entertainment ranges from traditional Hungarian music to the latest in contemporary rock. Here are the bands:
Eletfa
The Worthy Few
Jan Bell
Risk/Reward

Sunday, June 6th, doors open at 7pm
Galapagos Art Space, 16 Main St.
tickets $20 online / $25 at the door

Dumbo’s Farmer’s Market starts a new season on Sunday (June 6) at Pearl Street Triangle (Pearl Stret and Anchorage Place near 62 Pearl Street) and is open from 11am to 5pm. Local growers and food producers will set up their tents every Sunday (11am-5pm, rain or shine) until November 21st this season. In celebration of the re-opening of the new location, there will be a ribbon cutting at 12pm and live music (an indie rock group called Railbird from Saratoga Springs) from noon to 2pm.

Community Markets, which designs and runs farmers markets throughout NYC said that in addition to the local produce, barrel pickles, artisan breads, baked goods and organic nuts, and nut-butters available from last years vendors, “this season’s market will feature new products like: raw honey from Burt’s Mountain Honey, gourmet marinated vegetables from Dolce Nonna and specialty mini quiche and savory bites from Yona’s Delights.”

Throughout the season Community Markets will be featuring cooking demonstrations, apple and tomato tastings and a composting workshop at the market.

(Photo of Pearl Street Triangle)

(Photo from brooklynbridgepark.org)

Pier 6 officially opens on Saturday, June 5, 2010. It looks to be one of the coolest kid’s playgrounds in the city, which includes a water park, a giant sandbox, swings- both single and double seaters (and Tarzan style ropes), and a long slides on 1.6 acres of landscaped lawn, trees, and tall grass.

There’s also a free ferry transportation from Pier 6 to Governor’s Island for Family Day (Sat, June 5). For information on Governors Island Family Festival on June 5, go to governorsislandalliance.org.

Below photos from the Brooklyn Paper article on Pier 6.

NY Magazine also mentions the Pier 6 opening in the latest issue. Are there other children’s playgrounds in NYC that rival this one?

Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park
(Atlantic Avenue and Columbia Street, Cobble Hill)

Enjoy the sunny day today!

(Photo by ad454 in the DumboNYC Flickr pool.)

As seen on Twitter, first reported by @DanielLammon:

Josh Derr also snapped a few shots:

A few interesting events tonight and tomorrow as a few events, as part of the 2010 World Science Festival takes place at Galapagos Art Space.

The Search for Life in the Universe, is an event that goes into the possibility of extraterrestrial life in the universe. Scientists on the hunt for distant planets and extraterrestrial intelligence will take us on their expeditions into faraway galaxies and barely visible realms. They’re going to have a number of very accomplished participants, including Jill Cornell Tarter, who was portrayed by Jodie Foster in the movie Contact, and Sir Paul Nurse, a Nobel Laureate. Full details, including ticket info, can be found at: worldsciencefestival.com/the-search-for-life-in-the-universe.

The Search for Life in the Universe
Thursday, June 3, 2010, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Galapagos Art Space

The Science of Star Trek, taking place on Friday evening, will discuss whether the seemingly science fiction elements of the show – time travel, humanoid aliens – could actually become reality. The original Star Trek and its numerous successors were far ahead of their time, but just how far? Will science eventually catch up to this series’ nearly five-decade-old creations? Full details available at: worldsciencefestival.com/the-science-of-star-trek.

The Science of Star Trek
Friday, June 4, 2010, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Galapagos Art Space

Sunset Swing is an annual party that will transform Pier 1 at Brooklyn Bridge Park into a festive, swing-era evening of music and dancing, cocktails, and food. Join 800+ guests to support programming in the Brooklyn Bridge Park. And all proceeds from the evening support free public programming in the park.

Sunset Swing
Thursday, Jun 3, 2010, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Pier 1 at Brooklyn Bridge Park
For more info, go to www.brooklynbridgepark.org.

For those of you who want to keep swinging, or for those who want to come support the Conservancy’s Junior Committee, enjoy cocktails and delicious hors d’oeuvres and treats from Baked, DUB Pies and Brooklyn Fare, and spectacular entertainment, including trapeze artists at Galapagos Art Space for the 1st Annual Twilight Swing After-Party. MyHome, Brooklyn, dedicated to ongoing civic improvement, much as the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy is sponsoring the event. All of the proceeds from the event will be used to support free, public programming in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Twilight Swing
Thursday, Jun 3, 2010, 9:00 PM – ?
Galapagos Art Space, 16 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY
For more info, go to www.brooklynbridgepark.org.

Just after I talked about the gentrification of Dumbo yesterday by saying that Dumbo is on new MTA map, that doesn’t mean Dumbo is insulated from crime. In fact, the oft sensational New York Post titles the latest 84th Precinct crime report “Massive Crime in Dumbo“. Not sure how they define ‘massive‘, but the latest report reported not only some iPhone, Blackberry, and other thefts, but a ‘thug’ beat up a guy walking on Front Street (between Bridge and Gold Streets, near the above photo) on May 26 and stole his bookbag after punching and kicking him in the head. According to a neighbor we spoke to:

“One happened last night (May 25) around midnight. Guy was sent to the hospital with a busted nose and a fucked-up shoulder. His bag was taken. This afternoon (May 26), around noonish, another man was mugged on the same block. Not assaulted but robbed.”

Detectives told the neighbor that there are two explanations for a recent spike in crime: 1) budget cuts have had some local jails release a bunch of juvenile delinquents, and 2) the summer heat. Even if it’s daytime, be aware of your surroundings and report any incidents to the 84th Precinct.

Call 311 or the 84th Precinct 718-875-6811 (store this number in your cell phone) so they can record and track the incidents. The 84th Precinct have been responsive to resident’s calls, so keep reporting the crimes so all residents in Vinegar Hill, Dumbo, and surrounding areas live in a safer neighborhood.