Brooklyn man organizes festival to bring old friends together

How many times have you wished you could go back to your old neighborhood and see your old childhood friends? As the Pix 11, one man from Brooklyn decided to create his own festival to hang out with his old buddies.

Welcome to the second annual Old Timers' Festival, where people who grew up on or near 4th Street and Fifth Avenue in Park Slope come together to meet family, friends and neighbors and reminisce about the good old days.

Organizer John Lee grew up in this corner of Park Slope and says he has so many great memories that he founded this festival, paying for it himself, to bring all his old friends and family together to eat, listen to music and just remember the old days.

“I wanted to see my friends, just because, and not on such a sad occasion as a funeral,” Lee said. “I wanted it to be a happy moment where we just have fun. Memories cannot be valued."

Several generations together

Lee introduced PIX11 News to the queen of the festival, 92-year-old Consuela Fenton, who everyone knew and loved growing up in the 60s and 70s in Park Slope.

“I'm proud of it,” Fenton said. - Wonderful memories". Daughter Fenton traveled from Schenectady, New York to celebrate with her mother, siblings and friends.

“We grew up in this area. We all went to school together,” Richardson said. “Mom worked at IPS 321 as a security guard. Everyone knew and loved my mom,” she added.

Those present remembered those close people from the area who left and released white balloons into the sky in their honor. “This is joy. It's impossible to convey,” said Pastor Robin Johnson of the Church Without Walls. “We didn't know colors. We had so many friends, all races, good friends," she added.

As this festival grows every year, organizer John Lee is already planning the Third Annual Old Timer Festival next August.