Happy Holidays from DumboNYC! Hope you had a great year and hope 2012 will bring you joy.

[DumboNYC.com is taking a vacation. In the meantime, take a look at some photos of Dumbo (in the DumboNYC Flickr Pool) or submit a story or event about Dumbo. We'll be back next week.]

The DUMBO Improvement District is holding its 6th Annual Tree Lighting – Tuesday, 12/6 at 6pm under the Archway. Come have a Jacques Torres hot cocoa, sip Brooklyn Roasting coffee, and kick off the season with the whole neighborhood. Details and a full calendar of DUMBO happenings here.

Plus, get your tree/wreath/garland straight from Vermont this year at the Archway Tree Sale. Delivery and pick-up services available. Read more here.

As Above – So Below is a video mapping projection installation during the Dumbo Arts Festival in September 2011. This video from one of the artists, John Ensor Parker, is the only one that shows the full installation as it happened. It was conceived and created by a group of six artists, John Ensor Parker, Simon Anaya, Farkas Fulop, Johnny Moreno, Richard Jochum, & Ryan Uzilevsky. With significant sponsorship from visual production company Senovva, the artists developed a multi-perspective 3D installation that spans a nearly 30,000 square feet canvas on the Manhattan Bridge Anchorage in Brooklyn.

The DUMBO Improvement District has been serving the Dumbo community for 5 years (Thanks Dumbo BID!). To celebrate, they’re throwing a party with their friends from the Brooklyn Flea – an all day food & beer fest “Under The Archway.”

Friday, September 16, 2011, 12PM-9PM, with beer starting at 3PM. Free for all ages to enter. (21+ to purchase beer)

The Dumbo BID is also buying your first beer! Bring a friend to get signed up for the mailing list, and they’ll buy their first beer too. www.dumbo.is/buyingyouabeer for more details.

PLUS: Fill in the blank for “DUMBO IS ______” to win dinner in DUMBO, courtesy of the Dumbo BID.

The BID will be relaunching their website on Friday. Come celebrate 5 years of Dumbo support.

These photos by Josh Derr of Dumbo’s Stabber Alley (at the base of the Manhattan Bridge) got some new graffiti, Gothamist first reported. Stabber Alley got some recent fame when people competed for mayorship on Foursquare last year.

The complete tag reads “No tiene dinero pero tengo mi corazon…”, which according to Gothamist translates to “You have no money but I have heart…” which doesn’t apply to many of Dumbo’s residents, at least according to the latest census.

(Photo courtesy of Dumbo Improvement District)

From June 18th through July 2nd, the Dumbo Improvement District has partnered with Sing for Hope Pop-up Piano to bring a baby grand piano to The Archway under the Manhattan Bridge; the piano will be available to be played by all who pass by. This two week public residency is part of Sing for Hope’s Pop-Up Pianos public art project, presented in collaboration with the City of New York that will bring 88 pianos to public space and parks across the five boroughs of New York City this summer. The piano, designed by Polish-born American-residing visual artist Olek, has been crocheted with vibrant fibers, and will be unveiled to the public on the morning of June 18th.

The installation will be one of the largest public art festivals in New York this summer, and is expected to reach more than 2,000,000 people. To see a full list of locations, please visit www.singforhope.org.

Borough Concert: On Friday, June 24th, Sing for Hope and the DUMBO BID will hold the third Pop-Up Piano Borough concert under The Archway. Prize-winning pianist Elaine Kwon performs throughout the evening wearing a custom crocheted outfit to match Olek’s piano. Also performing are the piano-based folk pop group Greene Girl, (the name is derivative of the neighborhoods Fort Greene and Greenpoint), Melanie Edwards Laboratories, percussionist Jibrail Nor, guitar/bass/trumpeter Greg Bandolik and Lacrymosa, who showcases her unique singing/songwriting/piano talents.

There is also a Sing for Hope piano at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1.

(Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Bridge Park)

Dumbo Improvement District Press Release (PDF 1.32mb)

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The Dumbo Improvement District presents the 3rd Annual Epic Dumbo Stoop Sale at The Archway on Saturday, June 18 (Water and Adams Streets). A great opportunity to find new homes for your gently used items!

DJs from halcyon will be spinning throughout the day and at 2pm there is a dance party with DJ Kai.

DUMBO Business Improvement District (BID), Two Trees Management Company, and NYCwireless announce that Dumbo is now New York City’s first neighborhood to offer wireless internet access on streets, in its parks and plazas. DUMBO Wi-Fi is made possible by a public-private partnership between the neighborhood’s largest real estate holder, Two Trees, and the entity most directly responsible for guiding the development of public space in the Dumbo community, the Dumbo BID.

“We are encouraging people to step out of their offices and homes and engage with one another and the neighborhood in new and different ways,” said Alexandria Sica, Executive Director of the Dumbo BID. “Dumbo is the epicenter for digital start-ups and production companies. Wi-Fi is one more way to inspire the workforce we have and help attract new talent to the Brooklyn Waterfront. In DUMBO, you can put together a proposal while gazing at the Brooklyn Bridge and all of Manhattan. Creativity can literally flow into the streets. Businesses will be born in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The next Etsy could be thought up right under the Manhattan Bridge!”

The building, installation, and maintenance of the Wi-Fi network is executed by NYCwireless, a non-profit organizations that builds, supports, and advocates for free, public Wi-Fi Internet access in New York City.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz was in Dumbo today for the announcement at The Archway. He said, “For the first time in New York City, an entire area has become a hot spot – a haven for bloggers, Tweeters, emailers, Facebookers and everyone else who thrives on the internet. One day, mark my words, this area will rival Silicon Valley in terms of high tech ingenuity – so it’s only natural that Dumbo is the first neighborhood to be truly connected 24/7.”

The Dumbo BID has provided free wifi at the Brooklyn Bridge Park (Main Street Lot) since 2006 and was the first Brooklyn park to do so. Today’s announcement by the Dumbo BID may pave the way for the 64 other Business Improvement Districts in NYC to offer internet access for their residents and businesses.

{Using Internet Outside? In Part of Brooklyn, Free Wireless Access Arrives, 02june2011, NYTimes}
{Press release from Two Trees (610kb PDF file)}

On Saturday, May 21, 2011, Brooklyn Craft Central Spring Market will be taking place at The Archway in Dumbo (Google map). The outdoor market, partnering with the Dumbo Improvement District, will feature 55+ vendors of craft and food. Brooklyn Craft Central will bring products that are both high quality, original in their conception and not the old run-of-the-mill street fair fare. There will also be entertainment and music, including Poloppo for kids where they can create their own crafts.

When: Saturday, May 21, 2011, 11am-6pm (rain or shine)
Where: The Archway (Under the Manhattan Bridge in Dumbo, Google map)

Dumbo Improvement District, with media partner BBC America, celebrates the wedding of HRH Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton with a live viewing and British-style street party under The Archway in Dumbo. The event will be FREE and open to the public.

If you missed the royal wedding early this morning, there are still lots of activity at The Archway in Dumbo. The Brooklyn Ink live-blogged the event at The Archway.

There will be activities for children from 10AM to noon. Kids (and parents), come in costume or with a “fancy” hat. There will be a craft table for making crowns and tiaras. There will be a photo booth on hand with props and dress up clothes.

9:00AM: Replay of BBC America Coverage Begins
10:00AM – 12:00PM: Crafts for Kids
5:30AM – 2:00PM: Contests for the Best Dressed, Best Hat, Best Child’s Costume & Best Dressed Dogs.

Note: The Wedding Party at The Dumbo Loft (155 Water St Dumbo) is sold out for both all-day & evening pass. (royalweddingnyc.com) 9am–1am. However come down for the free festivities at The Archway through 3pm today.

Directions to THE ARCHWAY – DUMBO
F-train to York Street; exit station and turn right onto Jay Street, left of Front Street, right on Pearl Street/Anchorage Place, walk one block. A/C – trains to High Street/Brooklyn Bridge; exit at Cadman Plaza West stairwell, cross Cadman Plaza Park, pathway curves to the left. Walk downhill on Washington Street, turn right on Water Street. 2/3 – trains to Clark Street; exit the station and turn left onto Henry Street. Pass Cranberry Street and make a right on the footpath; you will see A/C train station. Cross Cadman Plaza Park, pathway curves to the left. Walk downhill on Washington Street, turn right on Water Street.

(Photo courtesy of Jeremy Presner)