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Brunch your way through a Bloody Mary Festival in Brooklyn

Brunchers everywhere congregate at the annual Bloody Mary Festival, which hits Brooklyn this weekend.
Brunchers everywhere congregate at the annual Bloody Mary Festival, which hits Brooklyn this weekend. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Optimus Ride

The annual Bloody Mary Festival is headed to Brooklyn’s Grand Prospect Hall on April 7, bringing dozens of craft Bloody Marys and bagels galore — the perfect duo for New York brunchers.

More than a dozen local bars and restaurants will be lined up to pour endless Bloody Marys, including Dos Caminos, Bleecker Street Bar and Lobster Joint. Bloody Marys will range from the traditional drink to more craft creations topped with seafood, biscuits, chicken and veggies. All attendees will be able to vote for their favorite Bloody Mary for the People’s Choice Award. Other food and beverage vendors, including Vegan Rob’s, Smashmallow, Polar Seltzer, Coney Island Brewing and High Brew Coffee will also be there to perfect the brunch festival experience.

When guests take a break from the bites (including a bagel bar) and booze, they can dance along to musical performances from The Afro-Latineers and Craig Greenberg while enjoying games, prizes and photo ops.

If the mimosa is the king of brunch beverages (just go with us here …), the bloody mary is the queen. Sunday, all hail the queen.

The annual Bloody Mary Festival, in Brooklyn, is serving the adult beverage every which way, as interpreted by more than a dozen mixologists. Sip the traditional, or varieties topped with seafood and chicken drumsticks, then balance the booze with the bagel bar and offerings from a number of food vendors.

“Seeing the attendees hop from table to table, tasting the bloody marys the city has to offer, is like watching children in a candy shop,” fest organizer Yunna Weiss says.

Children with valid IDs, of course, and ones who care that the proceeds go to a cause: environmentally minded nonprofit GrowNYC. ” class=”wp-image-128734792″/>

If the mimosa is the king of brunch beverages (just go with us here …), the bloody mary is the queen. Sunday, all hail the queen.

The annual Bloody Mary Festival, in Brooklyn, is serving the adult beverage every which way, as interpreted by more than a dozen mixologists. Sip the traditional, or varieties topped with seafood and chicken drumsticks, then balance the booze with the bagel bar and offerings from a number of food vendors.

“Seeing the attendees hop from table to table, tasting the bloody marys the city has to offer, is like watching children in a candy shop,” fest organizer Yunna Weiss says.

Children with valid IDs, of course, and ones who care that the proceeds go to a cause: environmentally minded nonprofit GrowNYC. Photo Credit: The Bloody Mary Festival/Castle Hill Photography

Festival organizer Yunna Weiss said that as much as she and the other organizers love Bloody Marys, what they love most is the fun they see on attendees’ faces during the event.

“New Yorkers are known for their love for brunch and the restaurants participating in the event bring their love and passion for the most beloved brunch cocktail to the event,” she said. “Seeing the attendees hop from table to table, tasting the Bloody Marys the city has to offer, is like watching children in a candy shop.”

Proceeds from the festival will go toward GrowNYC, an organization that seeks to create educational environmental programs for communities throughout New York City. Weiss said organizers chose to donate to GrowNYC because of the importance of the organization’s mission to create a healthier and more sustainable future.

"Their multifaceted environmental programs span from recycling to gardening to education," she said. "Environmental sustainability is such a relevant topic in today’s world and we think they are doing an amazing job across all of their programming." 

Tickets and more information are available at TheBloodyMaryFest.com. 

IF YOU GO: The event is from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Grand Prospect Hall (263 Prospect Ave., Brooklyn). Tickets are $50 for general admission (which includes unlimited food and drinks and activities) and $65 for VIP (which allows guests to enter 45 minutes early and pick an official Bloody Mary Festival product)