Old Timer’s Day will return to Red Hook, by Nathan Weiser

Red Hookers from all over the country will visit the old neighborhood for the 32nd annual Old Timers’ Day. Held the second weekend of August, this year events will include events at Wine Park and the main event on Sunday at Coffey Park.

Old Timer’s events are held at many NYCHA developments. The Red Hook Houses, originally built in 1939, is one of the oldest.

The Red Hook Old Timers’ Committee oversees the activities. They have been headed by Ray hall the past three eyars.

On Friday, August 11, from 11 am to 1 pm, there will be a senior event in Wine Park, which is next to the Miccio Center. It will be followed by a kids jam. Later in the afternoon will be the meet and greet.

“During the kids jam we do fitness and conditioning drills with the kids,” Hall said. “We will run a tournament. These are kids 10 and under.”

“We will do fun activities and games with them, and will give them prizes just to give the kids something to do that weekend,” Hall said. “When I took over I wanted to do things for kids, too.”

Hall said the Saturday activity will also happen at Wine Park. There will be an evening party from 6 until 10 pm since so many people are going to be in town looking for something to do.

“Everybody will dress up in white,” Hall said. We will play music and hang out. We used to do a boat ride but then we wouldn’t get back til the wee hours and people would be too tired to enjoy Sunday.”

Sunday’s main event with food and music will take place at Coffey Park. Everything will start at noon and will go until about 7 pm. There will be a band for the people attending the event to enjoy.

“This is when we will have the Latin band and some regular music playing,” Hall said. “I will bring a powerful sound system, an earthquake sound system. The Latin band will bring their guitars, their drums and their congas and they will perform. It was great last year.”

Hall plans on inviting Affinity Health and those types of group as well as organizations from the neighborhood. According to Hall, organizations will bring food and try to sell their food during the event at Coffey Park.