Eat, Drink, and Give Old Brooklyn
By: David Robinson
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2026 print edition of Old Brooklyn News.
Most people hear “season of giving” and think of the winter holidays. At Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation, our season of giving arrives a little earlier.
Fall is when much of our work is at its most visible. The Old Brooklyn Farmers Market is in full swing. Old Brooklyn Nite, our annual fundraiser, brings neighbors and supporters together in September. Then, in October, OB StreetFest fills Broadview Road with music, food, local businesses, and thousands of people celebrating our community.
These events are plenty of fun, but they also help sustain our work throughout the year.
Old Brooklyn Nite, held on Saturday, September 12, is our largest and most direct annual fundraising opportunity. The money raised supports programs, projects, and services across the neighborhood. That includes work residents regularly see, such as community events, the Farmers Market, homebuyer education, volunteer programs, public art, and neighborhood beautification. It also supports the less visible work happening every day, from helping residents navigate resources to supporting local businesses and advancing major community development projects.
We work hard to stretch every dollar, but there is sometimes a misunderstanding about how our events and programs are funded.
OB StreetFest, taking place this year on Saturday, October 10, is supported by Councilman Kris Harsh as a Councilmatic event. That designation allows the City of Cleveland to provide certain city services and equipment without charging OBCDC. The portable stage, the road barricades, porta johns and cost of police services are some examples of what’s covered. Those services save us money, but the designation does not provide cash to pay for the event’s other needs like staff time, audio and visual costs, signage, or musicians. The remaining costs must still be covered through sponsorships, vendor fees,
fundraising, and purchases made during the festival.
The same is true for the Old Brooklyn Farmers Market, running through Thursday, September 24. The City allows us to use Loew Park at no cost, and we are grateful for that partnership. However, the actual cost of producing the market is raised privately.
Later in this magazine, you will read about the impact of our home repair program. This is one of the few OBCDC initiatives that does receive direct financial support from the City of Cleveland. However, that funding does not cover the materials and supplies used to complete repairs or the costs associated with supporting the volunteers who make the program possible, including providing food and drinks during workdays. OBCDC must privately raise approximately $14,000 each year to fill those gaps.
That is why support comes in many forms.
Buying a ticket to Old Brooklyn Nite, becoming a sponsor, donating an auction item, or making a direct contribution provides critical funding. But attending our other events matters too. When you purchase a beer in the StreetFest beer garden, buy a T-shirt from our merchandise table, or support a participating local business, those individual purchases add up. They help us continue creating events and programs that bring people together and strengthen Old Brooklyn.
Giving is not limited to money. Volunteering your time, joining a committee, sharing our work with your neighbors, or simply showing up also makes a difference. A strong community development organization depends on an engaged community behind it.
This fall, I hope you will enjoy everything Old Brooklyn has to offer. Visit the Farmers Market. Celebrate with us at Old Brooklyn Nite. Bring your family and friends to StreetFest – and yes, buy a beer! However you choose to participate, know that your support helps OBCDC continue investing in the people, places, and future of Old Brooklyn.
Thank you for making fall our season of giving.
