Wingate Field

When I hear «Wingate Field» I immediately think about the famous free summer concerts. When I lived in Crown Heights we used to walk to this park because trying to find parking was a nightmare. You could always tell the nights of the concerts because the streets became more crowded and you saw tons of people walking with chairs and snacks. I’ve been fortunate to attend the concerts without incident. Even though there have been reports of some fighting or young people acting out.
You can find people from all cultures enjoying the free live entertainment. If you get there early enough you can get a seat in the middle of the stage area. However, it’s just as much fun having a makeshift area with friends and family. I remember the days when that last concert takes place which is usually, «Caribbean music» and it’s the onset for the West Indian Labor Day parade and its wondrous festivities of slamming food, great music and cool costumes.
When there’s not a concert going on you can take advantage of the track and take a walk, jog or run. I’ve used the track a few times and it has never been crowded so you can exercise in peace without too many distractions. This field is a gem for Brooklyn particularly during the summer months.

— Love the use of the free and relatively well maintained tracks
— Can’t say the same about the football field
— There’s always a game (at various levels of competition) going on at the basketball court
— There’s a lot of people there in the morning hours
— I’ve been in the evening several times, and it was not very crowded
— Free concerts on Mondays in July and August are a huge plus
TIPS:
— Try to come with only te things you need if you don’t have somebody to watch your stuff while you workout/​run/​play

Great spot for a nice work out or jog, plenty of room for stations and other people there doing the same.
Also in the summer you can catch a bunch of free concerts which are always a good time.
Tip
— those benches have seen some r rated stuff, beware of where you rest your head

There’s nothing better than a nice evening run at Wingate. The track is nice (although you can tell it will need to be repaired in the next few years. Nice areas to play basketball, soccer, handball and paddleball. Downsides are the lack of attractive area to bring kids and the area overall. Unfortunately Wingate attracts a very unfavorable crowd at times. The cops are always doing random drive throughs at night which can screw you up when you’re in the zone. I literally got a bottle of Poland Spring water stolen from me when I was on the track running earlier today so maybe them being there isn’t that bad a thing. Despite those few downsides its a pretty cool place.

I went here for a New Edition concert. This place is tucked away in the Wingate section of Brooklyn. So mainly locals know about this place. It is a nice park they alot of concerts and other outdoor events here. They have swings and stuff for the kids. This park is nice not my favorite but nice.

One of the best parks in Brooklyn to workout at. Wingate has a nice 5 lap for 1 mile track, and it has enough exercise stations to get a full body weight workout. I am there usually in the morning around 5:30am to 7:00am for my early morning run. Plenty of people there at that time of all ages and fitness level doing the same.
I the evening I come there to do my body weight exercising a. Love the pull up bars, dip bars and abs station. Plenty of good people there who will take time to help you out on improving your technique or show you different exercises.

dont go!

I’ve been coming to some of the events for the past couple of years and have had varying experiences of annoyance to pure elation! Last night was definitely one of those elated moments!
In the past, I’ve seen Erykah Badu, who was very late but wound up being pretty amazing but the stand out for me, had to be last night’s concert with the Men of Soul: Freddie Jackson, Peabo Bryson, and Jeffrey Osborne with a guest appearance by Melba Moore. I was able to procure VIP seats which allows you to skip the lines to the entrance and sit closer to the stage. I invited my Mother, Aunt, and 2 uncles… and besides the amazing music, I had not seen that look of joy on my dear mother’s face in an extremely long time! From the first song to the trio’s finale, these artists had my post mid century relatives freely dancing and smiling. I even watched my typically staid mother jump up to a couple of songs! The nostalgia that it brought back to me was sometimes overwhelming as I remember growing listening to my Mom play Angela Bofield, Phyllis Hyman, Phoebe Snow. to name a few… It was quite amazing.
I have to say that Peabo Bryson was a particular stand out for me as his voice was as resonant as ever! Jeffrey Osborne’s voice is ageless as his timbre transported me back to being a little large domed genermos eyed curly haired yellow kid chomping down on an ice pop in the back of my aunt’s gray tank like cadillac. Freddie Jackson’s recent weight loss definitely didn’t affect his vocal ability as he provided his usual seductive vocal gymnastics, nearly making this woman in front of me gasp… well she did a couple of times.
Anyway, this was an amazing time and my Mom was humming all the way home.
Additionally, they have a handicap accessible area and entrance.

In the words of the late George Steinbrenner, «As I’ve always said, the way New Yorkers back us we have to produce for them.»
The «we» in this case being Marty Markowitz and his groupies… and Applebees, and the city hall clerk and the people doing the shitty weapons frisk and the entrance and the rest of the million people that get a special thanks and individual applause… seriously about 40 minutes of applause and shout-​outs to neighborhoods, dead people, «legends’ of the local gyms and courts» and others…
Overall a dope spot to see a free show, but, very few white people here– thank God, finally a place to dance at a show and see some crazy «momentum» from the others moving around you.
I was dissapointed that the men handing out cards near the gate didnt give me one, RACIST! how do they know if I dont want to see Cuba Gooding sr. and friends in harlem next week?
Cmon, Everybody plays the fool– The Main Ingredient, I know this guy.
sad :(
The Applebees girls repp’n their own restaurant was one of the bright spots of the evening and LaTrice, next time Im at the Applebees Bed Stuy I Will let you seat me

One of the best kept secrets in terms of free summer concerts destinations… not anymore. (Sorry, did i ruin it now?)
Brooklynites in-​the-​know have been coming here for years to see all of the same R&B, hip hop, reggae & soca/​calypso concerts and performances by major top-​caliber artists people pay $ 50 – 100 at TicketMaster to see… people who rarely ever perform for free, and def. not at Summer Stage or the Bandshell to the best of my knowledge. By top notch, I’m talking about artists like Anita Baker and Stevie Wonder (last year).
Go to the website I listed, it’s not too late to catch some great ones this year, even though you already missed Erykah Badu last week (unless you went). Yes, free, and nothing like the way C. Park Summer stage crowds and lines can be. The crowds are very rough and critical of the artists here though… last year they just about heckled Anita Baker off stage. Also, you can bring lawn chairs here… its encouraged. There isn’t that much space to stand, so you might want to.
This Monday Jill Scott is performing and next week there’s a Beres Hammond /​Mighty Sparrow /​Bunju Garlin show (should be a concert of a lifetime). Patti LaBelle closes out the summer the last Monday in August, so don’t miss it!!!