Unless otherwise noted, canoeing events depart from 19th St. off of 3rd Ave. Walking tours start from different locations and bicycle tours depart from Brooklyn Borough Hall. Other events occur inside or outside our boathouse, at 165 2nd St. / off Bond St.
[ Rain 30 min. Prior to start time may cancel event and dates +30 days in the future are subject to change ]
Each year, as part of the Brooklyn Folk Festival , contestants gather on the banks of the fetid Gowanus Canal to see who can throw a banjo the farthest in the – BANJO TOSS: BANJO THROWING COMPETITION! The special “throwing banjo”, attached to a rope is tossed into the canal, a federally designate Super Fund site. The marked rope pays out, showing how far the banjo has been tossed. It is then hauled back in for the next throw.
The Brooklyn Folk Festival is presented each year by the Jalopy Theatre & School of Music, a grassroots Red Hook, Brooklyn community space that is a music venue, music school, and record label. We are excited to support the Banjo Toss event activity so please stop by and join the fun!
We are told the best preparation for this competition is to attend a show at the Brooklyn Folk Festival so purchase tickets now before they are sold out. While bearded men and women are growing in popularity as more people live, work and play in our Gowanus neighborhood, we are assured by the organizers that beards are optional. Our amazing collection of competitors reinforces the Dredgers theme of inclusion so stop by to cheer our competitors or compete in the toss as well!