Westchester Square - Every year Bronx Week touts many events helping the community expand. And this year was no exception.  With Bronx Council on the Arts beginning to transition into their new home which will be located in Westchester Square within a space previously occupied by a Washington Mutual bank, the organization set off the Bronx Week Festival by embracing its new location to reach out to the community and take steps toward improved relations with Bronxites.

Hundreds of vendors, artists, performers and patrons were present to help start the event off right including notable Bronx artists Ray Felix, Daniel DelValle and Sean Paul Gallegos showing and selling their work.  Felix was representing Bronx Heroes Comics and selling their variously titled publications including Bronx Heroes and Runaway Slave.  DelValle was selling small, numbered prints of his work.  And, Gallegos was easily running out of his large handcrafted bags made of colorful fabrics that he also sells online.

Amongst the vendors were hat makers $ Man and A.J.Sister Black of Official Native Head Gear with their one-of-a-kind creations.  There was also a paperclay beadmaking class taught by ceramicist Gail Sharbaan being held at the Huntington Free Library.  Anybody who has taken a class with her knows that she's very helpful and creates a very positive environment for learning.  Books and postcards touting historical images of the beautiful Bronx were available to purchase through The Bronx County Historical Society.  And, speaking of books, local author Wanda Thomas was selling her self-published books about positive self awareness called Beautiful Me and Handsome Me, both illustrated by John Higgins and available for purchase online.

On the other end of the spectrum, there was face painting, a balloon castle and pony rides for the kids.  MetroOptics Eyewear was giving free vision screenings to the public.  Live music was a mixture of many different sounds and included the street corner voices of Little Italy's very own Streets of the Bronx Band led by Butch Barbella, formerly of The Earls and The Duprees.  A CD packed with the sounds of local Bronx musicians and singers was being handed out for free courtesy of the New York Daily News.  Genres of music include rock, rap, jazz, latin and doo wop.  And, the scent of all kinds of delicious food wavered in the air.  It was a great time to be out and about.  I'm looking forward to next year's event when BCA will have finally taken residence and begun to take root.

By Xavier Figueroa

Editor, photographer, writer and founder of Bronx Art Guide

Xavier Figueroa's website

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