Alexander Shlaferman
WILDLIFE: Hundreds party on the Manhattan Bridge early yesterday in an event organized by teen biz whiz Alexander Shlaferman (inset). (
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About 600 revelers took to the Manhattan Bridge Saturday night and early yesterday in a pop-up electronic-dance party that led to the arrest of its organizer and two DJs, authorities said.
The event, called Xandernation, was organized by Alexander Shlaferman, a teenage business phenom who goes by the name Alex Xander.
The free event, which blasted electronic music on a full sound system, was held in the middle of the Manhattan Bridge on a pedestrian walkway. The organizers did not have a permit.
Hipsters took to Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to capture the party, which began at about 9 p.m. Saturday.
“What more could you want? Everybody else is stuck in a little box they call a New York City club,” said Shlaferman, a 19-year-old NYU dropout.
“We had people out in the open air for free, having the time of their life.”
At about 12:30 a.m., cops from the 84th Precinct in Downtown Brooklyn arrived and took the organizer into custody, along with DJs Brendon Risano, 23, and Giacomo Nacci, 20.
“The sergeant said he’s never seen anything like that in 15 years,” said Shlaferman. “I told him, ‘Thank you.’ ”
The three men were taken to the station house for four hours. They were given desk-appearance tickets for reckless endangerment and other charges — and bonded with the officers.
Shlaferman, who runs a multi-million dollar toy company, said the cops talked to them in the cell, gave them water, and let them keep their equipment.
“We love all the guys there,” he said. “We showed respect to the police, and they showed respect back to us.”
The Bensonhurst native, whose company, Vante Toys, makes a boomerang airplane called Super Looper, was not too concerned about getting a rap sheet.
“I assume they’re all misdemeanors and I’m not worried,” he said. “I would do it all over again.”
Shlaferman added that Xandernation has organized five other parties, including one in an air hangar at Floyd Bennett Field and in warehouses around the city. But he’s never been arrested before, he said.
“I can go to a New York City club and spend $3,000 on a table, and have fun for three or four friends,” he said. “Or I can spend that money and make a thousand people happy.”