Atlantic Antic: Howard Kolins on Brooklyn’s largest and oldest street festival

BROOKLYN EAGLE: What brought you to Brooklyn, and particularly Atlantic Avenue?

HOWARD KOLINS: I moved to Boerum Hill in 1985 as a renter and purchased a brownstone in 1987 only one block away from Atlantic Avenue on Hoyt Street. Attending the Atlantic Antic was an annual adventure.

EAGLE: Were you aware of the Atlantic Antic™, or were you a participant before you took the job of running it?

KOLINS: After learning that I was a stage manager at Radio City, my neighbor, Margaret Cusack, drafted me for the annual Hoyt Street Plant Sale. This all-volunteer effort is like putting on a large show, with plants instead of Rockettes. Margaret suggested I get more involved in our community by taking a seat on the Boerum Hill Association Board. The President of the board at that time was Sue Wolfe who is a board member of the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation. When she moved to Fort Greene, the board asked me to take the President’s chair.

EAGLE: What happened next?

KOLINS: As you can see when the AALDC needed in new Executive Director, I was a known performer. I took this seat in 2020 during the pandemic when my freelance work as an Event Producer came to a full stop. Joining the AALDC gave me another opportunity to service my community so I was happy to have something to challenge me during the pandemic shutdown.

EAGLE: For the average reader/neighbor who may not know Atlantic Avenue
intimately, can you clarify the difference between the Local Development
Corporation and the BID?

KOLINS: The AALDC was founded in 1974 as a precursor to the Atlantic Avenue Business Improvement District. Both organizations support the merchant community and often work together to promote the avenue and attract visitors by producing events like ArtWalk. The BID receives funds through property assessments while the AALDC raises funds separately. Our major fundraiser is the…