Panama Day Weekend Happenings

That's right, it's time once again for Panama Day! Franklin Avenue was once the epicenter of the largest Panamanian community in the United States, and while many folks have moved out of the area, they still return every year to celebrate Panamanian heritage, culture, and independence (from Colombia, with a little help from a canal-hungry, gunship-sending, big-stick-carrying Theodore Roosevelt in his imperialist mode). If you've never experienced the drum-and-bugle-led parade or the fantastic food (a mix of Latin and West Indian influences - Panama's citizenry, many of whom migrated from the British West Indies to work on the railroad and the canal, is remarkably diverse), make sure you take a stroll up the Avenue. While you're at it, check out the Built in Brooklyn Craft Fair at LaunchPad from 12-6.

- And don't forget the Obama fundraiser at the Candy Rush on Sunday!