Annual River to River Festival Kicks Off June 14

by | Jun 7, 2017 | Culture, Downtown Living

New York City boasts dozens of outdoor festivals and free events during the summer, everything from theatrical productions like Shakespeare in the Park to dance, live music and visual art installations. Beginning next week, one festival will combine them all.

The 16th annual River to River Festival, presented by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), is from June 14 to June 25 and will offer a slew of free events throughout Lower Manhattan and Governor’s Island, including functions in theater, dance and the visual arts. The 12 day festival will include over 100 events, all of which are free. However, some are limited in space and require an RSVP, as seen on each event’s page.

The River to River Festival works with artists to allow more opportunities for audiences to experience creative processes.


Photo courtesy of Darial Sneed / lmcc.net

Fulton Center might be your subway stop or preferred Shake Shack location, but from June 15-18, it will play host to one of the festival’s events: Excerpts from “A Marvelous Order,” a multimedia opera about NYC developers Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs, will show at the downtown transit hub.

Other highlights from this year’s River to River lineup include “A Supple Perimeter,” an engaging and evolving art installation that explores space; and “Black Gotham Experience,” an interactive storytelling installation outlining NYC Black heritage. “The Set Up: Island Ghost Sleep Princess Time Story Show” is a collection of multiple dances that are the culmination of five years of work.

This year’s festival is presented in honor of two LMCC patrons and heroes. They are Trisha Brown, choreographer and leader in American postmodern dance who died in March, and David Rockefeller, a co-founder of LMCC in 1973, banker and philanthropist who also died in March.

For more information visit and a complete list of events and locations visit rivertorivernyc.com.

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