Pickle Day!?!

Hooray! Pickles! I can go on my way to work! Also it's not Aug 14, it's Oct 4! Whee!

Hosted by the NY Food Museum and the Lower East Side Business Improvement District, the Eighth Annual International Pickle Day takes place this Sunday on Orchard Street, rain or brine. Pickled things play a storied part in the last 400 years of Manhattan history, beginning when the island was “home to the world’s largest pickle industry” in the 17th century, and pickle barrels grew on trees.

Local talent at this year’s festival includes LES pickle stalwart Guss’, as well as the Big Three half-sour upstarts: Wheelhouse, Rick’s Picks, and McClure’s. Hauling mason jars from upstate is the exceptional Grey Mouse Farm; from Long Island comes newcomer Horman’s Best. Also making their debut is the collective of “young Jewish farmers” from Adamah, whose offerings include kosher kimchi. Roni-Sue’s chocolates will be on hand with a treat whose name contains two words that probably shouldn’t be placed together: “Pickle Truffle.”

In addition to tons of free pickles and pickle paraphernalia, this year’s festival also features canning demos, a “pickle science” event, and the space agey-sounding “multimedia tent for online pickle research.” Miscellaneous entertainment includes Shakespeare in the Park(ing lot), starting at 3 pm; the Festival provides free valet parking for bicycles all day. Lines are notoriously long, so get there early.

Sunday (September 14th) // 11 a.m-4:30 p.m. // Orchard Street (btw. Broome and Grand) // Free

Food Museum
via Gothamist

Brooklyn Historic Railway System!

A new trolley line being built independently in Brooklyn! Craziness. Apparently the BHRA owns those trolley cars in Red Hook behind Fairway. The cars were originally from Boston.



The people behind the BHRA also discovered a long-lost subway tunnel dating back to the 1840s from a forgotten line that far predates the MTA. It is in fact the oldest subway known to exist! More info and tours here.

The Atlantic Avenue Tunnel is officially the world's oldest subway tunnel. This tunnel was built in 1844, under a City of Brooklyn Street. It is a half-mile long and accommodated two standard gauge tracks. The tunnel was built in only seven months, using the cut-and-cover method; only hand tools and primitive equipment was utilized in its construction.

It was built to provide grade separation for early Long Island Rail Road trains that lacked brakes good enough to operate on city streets. The tunnel eliminated vehicular and pedestrian traffic conflicts and delays.