It's the remarkable Zlatne Uste Golden Festival, New York’s biggest Balkan music event and showcase, back in Brooklyn for a big anniversary party of music. The ornate venue is equally as memorable for old world European sensibility as the music itself: the Grand Prospect Hall.
The Golden Festival event starts on Friday with an hour-long dance workshop at 7:30, followed by music and dancing past midnight, and picks up again on Saturday evening through early Sunday morning.
Not sure what Balkan music is, actually? Well as one might expect it's a melange, a veritable stew of Albanian, Bulgarian, Romany (Gypsy), Macedonian, Serbian, Greek, Turkish, Hungarian, Norwegian, Klezmer, Ukrainian, Georgian music strains.
The Golden Festival aims to be a full-out festival, complete with "mouth watering Balkan refreshments", and folk art vendors. An inter generational affair, children are welcome.
Promotional materials describe a very different event than a rave in Bed Stuy or an all night dance party in Gowanus. It suggests, "Join a circle and dance hand in hand with the friends you came with, and the friends you haven’t met yet."
Admission: $25 for Friday and $50 for Saturday. Profits are donated to charitable or educational organizations serving Balkan cultures and communities.
What is Zlatne Uste Balkan Brass Band?
According to their press release, "Zlatne Uste Balkan Brass Band (www.zlatneuste.org) founded the Golden Festival in 1986 and has sponsored it ever since. Zlatne Uste is formed of American born musicians who play the ebullient brass music steeped in the traditions of Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Northern Greece. In 2010 the band made their 5th trip to the Dragačevo Brass Festival in Guča, Serbia, after which they studied with Romani musicians in South Serbia." The group has toured in North America and elsewhere.
Golden Festival Event Details
Where: Grand Prospect Hall, 263 Prospect Avenue, between 5th and 6th Aves., Park SlopeWhen: Friday, Jan 13th, 7:30 pm – 12:30 am; Saturday, Jan 14th
Admission: Friday, Jan 13th, 7:30 pm – 12:30 am; Admission: $25, students with ID $2
Saturday, Jan 14th, 6 pm – 2 am; Admission: $50, students: $40
Two Night Festival Admission: $70, students $55
Children 12 and under: free
Discounts for advance online purchase via the website, www.goldenfest.org
Subway: R to Prospect Ave. Limited on site valet parking $10
