Bill De Blasio Plays Washboard With Park Slope Block Party Band

BROOKLYN, NY — Bill de Blasio — former mayor and current congressional candidate — assumed another role crucial in New York City: neighborhood musician.

Like any good Brooklynite on a sunny Saturday, de Blasio stopped by his Park Slope block party, where (after some schmoozing and selfies) he gamely donned a washboard and joined in with a neighborhood band.

"He was a last minute guest player," a de Blasio campaign volunteer, who asked not to be named, told Patch. "I don't know if he plays an instrument, but I would say the man has good rhythm."

On his part, de Blasio described the 11th Street block party as "one of the very best days of each year."

"For 22 years, Chirlane and I have been blessed to live with a warm and caring group of neighbors," de Blasio wrote on Twitter. "If you ever worry that there is no longer a sense of community in this world, just stop by a Brooklyn block party!"

De Blasio and wife Chirlane McCray moved to Gracie Mansion during his tenure as mayor, but have since returned to their longtime Park Slope residence on 11th Street (after a stint in the Downtown Brooklyn Marriott).

Since leaving office, de Blasio considered, and then backed-out-of, a Park Slope congressional bid and the gubernatorial race (he announced he wouldn't run for governor on his Park Slope block), before officially launching a congressional campaign in May.

The former mayor is now collecting signatures to get his name on the ballot in District 10, an empty, solidly Democratic seat that's quickly drawn a crowd of contenders.

The campaign volunteer told Patch that despite well documented — and self-described — unpopularity, de Blasio has been received positively throughout the district.

"It's been very positive vibes," she said. "People come up to him and thank him and take pictures almost with tears in their eyes."

On social media, people have been more critical.

In response to photos from the block party, for instance, neighbors in Park Slope made washboard-related jabs: "washed up" was said more than once on a local Facebook group.

Others took to Twitter to remind New Yorkers of de Blasio's murky past concerning seasonal events in Staten Island.

The volunteer insisted that the response was different on the ground.

"It was 99 percent positive," she said. "I think only one person made a slightly snarky comment."

De Blasio and McCray's attendance at the block party, though, was just that, according to the campaign volunteer, who said the event wasn't on behalf of the campaign.

"It was really just him and his wife chatting with neighbors and eating food," she said. "I could tell he was enjoying the downtime as opposed to working."