Brooklyn’s Montague Street kicks off Open Streets with exuberant party
Cake for everyone on Canon John Denaro’s birthday
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — The blazingly exuberant Hungry March Band kicked off Montague Street’s first Open Streets of the summer season on Saturday. The madcap marching band, first conceived at Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade, set the tone for the all-day party on Brooklyn Heights’ main shopping and dining strip.
Sponsored by the Montague BID, Brooklyn Heights Association and city Department of Transportation, the event also celebrated the 60th birthday of Canon John Denaro, pastor of St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church on Clinton and Montague streets. Canon Denaro joined in the fun with the band, posing atop a chair as band members danced around him.
This was followed by another musical spectacle as the 85-member Grace Chorale filled Montague Street and sang Happy Birthday, before Denaro blew out the candles and cut the cake for well-wishers.
“It’s the big 60 tomorrow,” Denaro told the Brooklyn Eagle. “I’m 59 for one more day.”