Wild NYC wind gusts wreak havoc on vendors during DanceAfrica Bazaar return
Wind gusts marred the long-awaited return of the DanceAfrica Bazaar to Fort Greene, wreaking havoc on vendors who saw tents overturned and merchandise destroyed Saturday afternoon, witnesses said.
The wild weather had some vendors — who came as far as North Carolina — running for cover when the gusts rocked the event around 1:15 p.m.
“It was a tornado that came through here today. The wind spiraled everything out of control,” a shaken Kathy Cissokho, 69, of Baltimore, who sells sterling silver merchandise, told The Post. “I needed four people to hold my tent down but the wind was lifting people up. Tents were flying, tents were destroyed. My tent costs $239. I only used it once and now it’s gone,” she said.
Lamented Mahamadou Jawara, 59, who came from the Bronx: “This is the first time we are having it [the bazaar] since COVID and for this to happen,” he said, shaking his head as a man helped him retrieve what was left of his beaded jewelry. ”It was a loud noise. It was seconds that everything started blowing away. People were screaming. Some people were afraid. Everything was chaotic.”
Individuals fork over close to $700 to set up their tents for three days — Saturday, Sunday and Monday — for the space.
One vendor, Samantha, who anticipated making about $2,000 before the winds came, tried to look at the bright side. “We do have tomorrow, we do have Monday so we are hoping we will be able to recoup some of that money,” she said. “The heavy wind didn’t last long… but it felt like eternity. There is debris in my eyes and everywhere.”
BAM officials did not immediately return messages.
