ENTERTAINMENT,   B RONX  &   B ROOK LYN  S T Y LE  –   A DV E RTI S E M E NT 
 Braata Productions ‘Old Time Grand Market’ Returns For Two Shows Only, Dec. 14 & 15, NYC 
 NEW YORK, NY. Thursday, 
  November 21, 2019--  
 Christmas  is  a  time  of  year  
 when we celebrate our cultures  
 and traditions. And  
 where else to celebrate those  
 heartwarming traditions, if  
 not at the gran’ market? 
 Well,  get  ready  for  a  celebration  
 of ‘Christmas in the  
 Caribbean’, here in New York  
 City, on December 14 & 15. 
 Braata Productions will  
 once again offer New Yorkers  
 an exciting and colorful taste  
 of  a  traditional  Caribbean  
 Christmas,  when  it  presents  
 its  annual  Old  Time  Grand  
 Market celebration at two  
 venues in the city. 
 First up, will be the Harry  
 Truman  High  School  auditorium, 
   located  in  Co-op  City,  
 Bronx, on Saturday, December  
 14. The vendor’s market  
 will ‘open for business’ at 5:30  
 pm, followed by the concert  
 segment at 7:00 pm. 
 Folks in Queens, Manhattan  
 and Staten Island, will get  
 their  sampling  of  the  annual  
 yuletide traditions a day later  
 on  Sunday,  December  15,  at  
 The Park Church Coop, 129  
 Russel Street, in Greenpoint,  
 Brooklyn. 
 The vendor’s grand market  
 will open at 3:30 pm, to  
 be followed by the Christmas  
 concert at 5:00 pm. 
 Seeped  in  holiday  traditions, 
  ‘Grand Market’ – is a one  
 stop  offering  of  music,  food,  
 craft vendors and numerous  
 activities  for  children  and  
 families, in an atmosphere of  
 merriment and merchandizing. 
   However,  by  including  
 performers  and  participants  
 from  the  Caribbean,  Braata  
 has  dramatically  expanded  
 the appeal and the audience  
 for the event, over the past six  
 year. 
 “Ole  time gran’ market  is  
 important to help keep the  
 Caribbean holiday traditions  
 and practices alive among  
 our people, so we don’t forget  
 where  our  traditions  started  
 and how they make us feel”,  
 offered  Andrew  Clarke,  who  
 BRONX TIMES REPORTER, D 68     ECEMBER 13-19, 2019 BTR 
 will celebrate his seventh season  
 as producer of the annual  
 event. 
 Sharing  the  main  stage  
 with the Braata Folks Singers  
 this  year,  will  be  The  Batingua  
 Arts Ensemble, representing  
 Trinidad & Tobago  
 and the nationally acclaimed  
 balladeer and recording artiste, 
  Pluto Shervington, from  
 Kingston, Jamaica. 
 Though  a  largely  Jamaican  
 tradition  at  Christmas  
 time, ‘Ole Time Grand Market’ 
  incorporates the wider  
 Caribbean Diaspora and encourages  
 broad-based  support, 
  evidenced by its growth  
 and success over the years. 
 “When we started in 2013,  
 we had no idea how we would  
 be  received.  The spirit  of  the  
 traditional Caribbean Christmas  
 was fading somewhat in  
 New York, and we thought  
 this would evoke a bit of  
 nostalgia for some and be a  
 source  of  cultural  education  
 for others”, offered Clarke,  
 who conceived the traditional  
 (Braata) folk and culture ensemble  
 in 2009. 
 Vendors  participating  in  
 this family friendly event,  
 will be selling everything  
 from food and craft items to  
 toys  and  Christmas  specialties. 
  Patrons and especially  
 first  generation  Jamaicans  
 will  be  taken  back  in  time  
 to  the  days  of  pound,  shilling  
 and pence (national currency), 
   artifacts  including  
 clothes iron, chimmey (bed  
 pan),  and  displays  of  holiday  
 treats like black cake, punch  
 a crème and sorrel, that make  
 Christmas  time,  a  holiday  
 like no other. 
 The Jonkanoo Parade is  
 sure  to  raise  the  level  of  awe  
 and excitement across all age  
 groups while browsing thru’  
 the marketplace! 
 “It’s a collaborative with  
 a number of cultural groups,  
 restaurants  and  key  stakeholders  
 who see the need to  
 keep our culture vibrant and  
 expose it to our younger generation, 
  who are not so familiar.” 
 This  year’s  community  
 partners are Team Jamaica  
 Bickle (TJB) and the Jamaica  
 Progressive League (JPL). 
 Tickets for both shows are  
 available  on  the  Braata  Productions  
 website and at select  
 Caribbean outlets in the boroughs. 
   Tickets  are  $25  presold, 
  $30 at the door and $20  
 for seniors and students with  
 ID, at the door. 
 For tickets and information, 
  call (917) 668.2209. See  
 also www.braataproductions. 
 org . 
  
  
   
  
  
   
  
  
   
 
				
/www.braataproductions
		/www.braataproductions