Last August, Hurricane Irene made many New Yorkers tape up their windows, evacuate their apartments and sop up leaks when they returned (after she’d been downgraded to a Tropical Storm). But Irene wreaked the most havoc on the Afro-Punk Festival. An amazing lineup of musicians was cancelled because of a freak weather pattern, but this year, thank god, the forecast is clear for two full days of FREE performances from TV on the Radio, Reggie Watts, Gordon Voidwell, Toro Y Moi, Das Racist, Janelle Monae, Cerebral Ballzy and other big names from the worlds of hardcore, hip-hop, soul and funk. In addition to all the live music in Commodore Barry Park, there’ll be a gathering of over a dozen food trucks including Rickshaw Dumpling, Mexicue, Korilla BBQ, Desi Food Truck, and Jamaican Dutchy; an artisan market; a showcase of tricked out motorcycles; and a skate competition. The fest runs from 11am to 9pm both days; check out the schedule here.
