Drummer's Grove

1968 - present

Drummer's Grove was birthed as "Little Caribbean" emerged in the late 1960s as an Afro-Caribbean enclave in the neighborhoods east of Prospect Park. The first drum circle gatherings began in 1968 as an outlet of catharsis and joy for local musicians who named themselves the Congo Square Drummers, likely after the legendary antebellum site in New Orleans. Historically, the eponymous Congo Square served as a Sunday revival place of spirituality and music for enslaved peoples and the Congo Square Drummers cited these musical ancestors as their inspiration and connection to the broader African diaspora through time and space. As the drum circles became increasingly popular, they drew large Sunday crowds from the surrounding neighborhoods and became regular fixtures in the spring and summer months. In 1997, the Prospect Park Alliance officially recognized Drummer's Grove as a place of importance in the park and renovated the site to include seating for drummers and spectators. Drum circles continue every year between April and October on Sunday afternoons, and Drummer's Grove serves as a beloved community meeting place for Black Brooklynites. Community members are welcome to freely join circles, and one can find drummers of many ages participating in the joyful community.