Myrtle Avenue Holiday Windows Contest: A New Spin on a Popular Holiday Tradition

This Saturday December 6th is the kickoff of a new Myrtle Avenue Holiday tradition! Eighteen local businesses are offering up their storefronts to local artists who are volunteering their time and talents for the Holiday Windows Contest. The contest will bring together local artists and Myrtle merchants to display holiday inspired scenes painted on a portion of each participating merchant’s storefront window using a kit of materials provided by us. Each kit includes 7 colors of poster paint, paint brushes, and a set of white holiday lights, and artists are allowed to spend up to $20 on any additional materials they want to use that are approved by both us and the merchant. Think of it as a more simple and affordable way to play off the New York tradition of beautiful and elaborate holiday window displays.

Visitors to the avenue will be able to vote via text message up until Christmas day for their favorite of the sixteen storefront holiday scenes by texting the code displayed in each window. The winning artist or team of artists will win gift certificates totaling $250 to any of the participating businesses.

We hope the community will come out this Saturday from 12 pm to 5 pm to watch some live art making in action, up and down the avenue. The participating businesses are:

Fort Greene SNAP (329 Myrtle)
Ray's Barber Shop (331 Myrtle)
Burzh-wa (352 Myrtle)
Gnarly Vines (350 Myrtle)
Kinara II (368 Myrtle)
The Bakery (154 Vanderbilt)
Duncan’s Fish Market (385 Myrtle)
Kiini Ibura (388 Myrtle)
Kapella’s (417 Myrtle)
Karen’s Body Beautiful (436 Myrtle)
Jive Turkey (441 Myrtle)
Joseph Tyler Salon (456 Myrtle)
Optimum Care Rehab (474 Myrtle)
Barking Brown (468 Myrtle)
Zaytoons (472 Myrtle)
Sandbox Pack & Ship (487 Myrtle)
Pillow Cafe (505 Myrtle)
Square Root Café (584 Myrtle)

In addition to the window painting there will be a coat drive held by students from Benjamin Banneker Academy for Community Development on Saturday, December 6th at 11:30am on Clinton and Myrtle in front of Connecticut Muffin. The drive is a part of NYCares and will be put on by a student group called the Banneker Brothers United.

So join in the events along Myrtle Avenue this weekend to get yourself in the holiday spirit!

See our website for more information: 
http://www.myrtleavenue.org/blog/index.cfm/2008/12/3/Holiday-Windows-Con...

Provided by:
Meredith Phillips Almeida, Director of Community Development
Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership