{"id":281522,"date":"2026-06-29T20:12:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T20:12:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/281522\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T20:12:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T20:12:16","slug":"mayor-mamdani-presents-artwork-by-bronx-based-designer-edwin-reyes-at-tonita-fest-2026-bronx-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/281522\/","title":{"rendered":"Mayor Mamdani presents artwork by Bronx-based designer Edwin Reyes at To\u00f1ita Fest 2026 \u2013 Bronx Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

A crowd of thousands turned out June 28 for To\u00f1ita Fest, an annual block party honoring Mar\u00eda Antonia \u201cTo\u00f1ita\u201d Cay, who has kept her iconic Caribbean Social Club<\/a> going strong despite decades of neighborhood change.<\/p>\n

People packed Grand St. between Driggs Ave. and Roebling St. for a full day of live music and dance performances, a DJ spinning Latin club hits, mini soccer matches, merch sales, drinks and more.<\/p>\n

With broad support behind her<\/a>, To\u00f1ita has persevered despite the community change, the pandemic, city regulations and other small business challenges and is now celebrating 52 years providing a home for New York City Puerto Ricans, often called Nuyoricans, and the greater Latino community.<\/p>\n

Over the years, Cay has said she\u2019s been offered millions to sell her building and business, which regularly remains packed with people playing dominoes and pool, dancing and drinking beers that are still cheap in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. The annual festival turns out huge crowds \u2014 some holding giant cardboard cutouts of To\u00f1ita\u2019s face \u2014 in support of her institution and what she means to the Latino community.<\/p>\n

At the block party, Mamdani took to the main stage and shouted, \u201cYo soy Boricua,\u201d to the crowd\u2019s delight.\n<\/p>\n

He described To\u00f1ita as \u201can icon of this city.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery single day, she has helped to build a sense of community here, and a recognition for Nuyoricans across the five boroughs,\u201d Mamdani said.\n<\/p>\n

He said To\u00f1ita\u2019s mission is even more important today, amid water and power crises in Puerto Rico and very recent disasters like the Venezuela earthquake<\/a> that killed more than 1,450 people. The sense of pride fostered at To\u00f1ita\u2019s is \u201cnot specific to any one people, it\u2019s for all,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mamdani quoted Tonita as saying, \u201cI\u2019m staying here for my people, as long as I can. This isn\u2019t for me to make money and a fortune. It\u2019s to maintain a space for all of us to be together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before leaving the stage, he led the crowd in chants of \u201cTo\u00f1ita! To\u00f1ita! To\u00f1ita!\u201d and \u201cGo New York, go New York, go!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso presented To\u00f1ita with a key to Brooklyn and called the social club and the woman herself \u201ccultural icons.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is an honor to have her home be here in Brooklyn,\u201d Reynoso said.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

A Puerto Rican flag skirt becomes hangable art\u00a0<\/p>\n

The framed work by Bronx-based designer Edwin Reyes, titled \u201cBandera Viva,\u201d echoed one of his most prominent creations: a hand-sewn, ruffled Puerto Rican flag skirt, worn onstage by<\/a> singer Lor\u00e9n Aldarondo Torres of the band Chuwi during Bad Bunny\u2019s acclaimed residency tour.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For To\u00f1ita\u2019s version, Reyes used red, white and light blue to represent the territory\u2019s push for independence, rather than the dark blue that more closely resembles the United States flag.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Reyes told the Bronx Times that Mamdani\u2019s office contacted him via Instagram message only the Friday before To\u00f1ita Fest. They had seen past media coverage of the flag skirt and asked him to create something of his choosing to present to To\u00f1ita.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Reyes said he was \u201cso honored and so excited\u201d by the request and had already wanted to make a smaller, displayable version of the skirt.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

But with only one whole day to complete the project, Reyes said he scrambled to get fabric and a frame. His friend Joselyn Rodriguez of the Bronx, who runs an Etsy craft business @Funfindsshop,<\/a> created a metal placket to commemorate the work\u2019s title and the mayor\u2019s presentation to the legendary To\u00f1ita.<\/p>\n

Reyes said he loves going to the club and the block party, even though he\u2019s a self-described \u201chomebody.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you got me outside, you got me outside,\u201d he said, adding that the club\u2019s authentic atmosphere isn\u2019t easily replicated. \u201cIt\u2019s hot, claustrophobic sometimes, but I love it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

From the Instagram message to going through security to briefly meeting the mayor, Reyes asid the experience was surreal and quick, and he\u2019s still processing how much it means to him.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel really seen as a designer and a creative. For them to just entrust me with doing kind of whatever I wanted to do felt really exciting,\u201d Reyes said. \u201cI\u2019m excited to see what rolls out from this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Reach Emily Swanson at\u00a0eswanson@schnepsmedia.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0(646) 717-0015<\/a>. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n