Tag: river to river

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Events Living

River to River Festival Continues Through This Week

This week, summer in Downtown New York City continues with an abundance of cultural events. The annual River to River Festival is bringing storytelling, art, theater, dance and interactive performance to Lower Manhattan from now until this Sunday, June 25.

The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, which provides leadership in cultural planning as well as supports and nurtures artists and art advocacy groups, has hosted the River to River Festival for 16 years now. They seek to provide a nurturing environment for artists, and, for the consumers of their art. The council is doing just that this week with more than 100 performances over the course of the 12 day festival.

If you missed the first few days of the festival, there are still many more events to  experience before the end this Sunday. We’ve a highlighted a few must-see events for the remainder of the festival. All events are open to the public.

“Thank You For Coming: Play”

Photo courtesy of Whitney Brewer

There’s still one more chance to see this dance production by Faye Driscoll. The performance focuses on language and questions of how it enhances and reduces our lives. You won’t want to miss this engaging performance.

Today, Wednesday June 21 from 2 to 2:40 p.m.
Intersection of Broad and Wall St. 

“EARTH POTENTIAL“

Photo courtesy of Katja Novitskova

The Public Art Fund is presenting this sculptural exhibition by up-and-coming artist Katja Novitskova. This will be the Estonian artist’s first major outdoor exhibition in the U.S. and encourages onlookers to consider the impact of technology on the earth. These seven, large-scale other-worldly sculptures are taking over City Hall Park this week.

Thursday June 22 to Sunday June 25, during regular park hours, from dawn to dusk
City Hall Park

“Black Gotham Experience”

Photo courtesy of Kamau Ware

This interactive storytelling project by Kamau Ware will inspire visitors to consider the impact of the African Diaspora on New York City and its history and give insight into NYC’s Black heritage. The experience spans the festival with events including walking tours, graphic novels and exhibits. Some events require an RSVP, so make sure you check the event page.

Various dates and times available on event page.
192 Front St., Seaport District

For a full list of events, including times and locations, visit the River to River calendar page.

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Events Living

Downtown TripPicks: June 12 – June 19, 2017

Trip.com is an innovative planning tool that tailors recommendations for places to stay, eat and play to your specific tastes. It also allows you to share your great experiences with people who have the same interests as you; people in your “tribes.” Trip.com’s TripPicks This Week feature empowers you to discover and take advantage of great events, openings and exhibits throughout the city each week.

Here are some exciting events and sites to check out this week in Downtown New York, courtesy of Trip.com. Visit their site or download the app for more upcoming events.

Dance and Fitness Week

During New York Dance Week notable dance and fitness studios invite participants to try their hand (and foot) at ballroom, tap, bhangra, mozambican, ballet, modern, swing, hip-hop, pilates or yoga. Take free classes at some of New York’s best dance and fitness studios, such as Mark Morris Dance Center, The Ailey Extension, Peridance Capezio Center, Capoeira Guanabara New York, Flamenco Vivo, Bolly X, H+ | The Hip-Hop Dance Conservatory and many others. Free.

Check site for locations
Thursday, June 15-Saturday, June 24 (check site for times)

 

Queer Comedy Festival

The unofficial LGBTQIA Comedy Festival, QueerCom 2017, is a 3-day event jam-packed with laughs, hilarious improv, stand-up, sketch, drag, musical acts, film screenings and a ton of other creative acts that showcase the best and funniest of NYC’s LGBTQIA comics and artists. $10.

Peoples Improv Theater (Flatiron)
Friday, June 16-Monday, June 18 (check site for showtimes)

River to River: Music, Theater, Dance and Art

Taking place in various locations throughout Lower Manhattan, River to River is a festival of music, theater, dance and art. Among our must see events are the “Black Gotham Experience,” “Harbored,” “A Marvelous Order,” “Catacomb” and “R2R Living Rooms.” Definitely hit up “Night at the Museums.” Free.

Check site for complete list of venues
Thursday, June 16-Sunday, June 25 (check site for times)

Rooftop Bar Cinema

This summer, Hotel Hugo’s Cuban themed rooftop bar, Azul, presents a new rooftop cinema series, essentially combining two of summer’s quintessential activities – outdoor film screenings and scenic rooftop drinking. Think pastel sunsets, comfy seating, tropical cocktails, yummy tacos and cool films. Cheers to that!

Azul Rooftop (South Village)
Check site  for times. 

Egg Rolls, Egg Creams and Empanadas

The Museum at Eldridge’s annual Egg Rolls, Egg Creams and Empanadas Festival is a celebration of Lower East Side – one of New York’s most diverse neighborhoods. Hear Chinese opera, klezmer, salsa and plena music. Brush up on your Yiddish, Mandarin and Spanish with onsite language lessons.  Learn Hebrew and Chinese scribal art, design Puerto Rican masks or play mah jongg. And, it goes without saying, egg rolls, egg creams and empanadas will be abundant. Free.

The Museum at Eldridge (Lower East Side)
Sunday, June 18 from 12-4pm

Yoga Recharge

Start the week off right with yoga, in a castle! Presented by the Consulate General of India, Castle Clinton, located inside Battery Park, will host an evening of yoga, meditation and music. Choose from a host of wellness activities including shankdwani, yoga mudras, sun salutations, yoga on the pole, pyramid formation, desk-top yoga, yoga on ropes, pranayama and meditation, with musical performance by Butterthief. Free.

Castle Clinton (Battery Park)
Monday, June 19 from 5-8:30pm

Soho International Film Festival

The Soho International Film Festival has grown exponentially since its inception in 2010. It showcases films from filmmakers (both seasoned and emerging) around the world that broach a variety of topics. See them here first, before they are picked for a wider distribution. Tickets start at $16.

Village East Cinema (East Village)
Thursday, June 15-Thursday, June 22 (check site for times)

Categories
Culture Living

Annual River to River Festival Kicks Off June 14

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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Culture Entertainment Events Living News

Night at the Museums

Photo courtesy of Liana Sonenclar

The annual “Night at the Museums” event was a smashing success. A total of 14 museums plus the Wall Street Walks team, opened their venues to residents and visitors last week. Downtown museums were free to the public as part of the River to River Festival.

The most popular destination was the 9/11 Memorial Museum; hundreds of people lined up early for a chance to have free admission to the 9/11 Memorial Museum and reflect on the significance and tragedies of the day. The 9/11 Tribute Center also had special programming, hosting a one-hour walking tour of the 9/11 Memorial led by FDNY, NYPD, survivors and 9/11 Family Members.

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Other area museums had special programming for the night, such as the Fraunces Tavern® (located at the site George Washington was sworn in as president) which featured a special colonial dancing and music demonstration. The Poet’s House had a poetry scavenger hunt. The NYC Municipal Archives Visitors Center featured a special one-night exhibit where visitors were able to view blueprints and abandoned plans for a scrapped Downtown Civic Center in Lower Manhattan project.

All museum attractions captivated guest such as the solid gold Monopoly set at the Museum of American Finance and a piece of George Washington’s hair at Fraunces Tavern®. Guests young and old enjoyed the experience.

 

-by Alyssa Bajek

 

Categories
Culture Entertainment Events

River to River Festival 2014

river to river

Lower Manhattan is a cultural epicenter with streets peppered with art, music, and history. The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) is keenly aware of this fact, and works to showcase this rich downtown culture. Once a year the council holds the River to River Festival, an eleven-day exhibition of downtown’s hottest artists, musicians, performers, and cultural activities. From June 19 to June 29, thirty five projects featuring over ninety artists will be open to the public at a handful of Lower Manhattan venues and parks. The LMCC hopes the festival will educate, inspire, and bring together people living downtown as well as expose other city dwellers to the treasures of this thriving neighborhood.

Gathered here is the full list of events that will take place over the next eleven days. For more information, visit the festival’s website.

River To River 2014:

R2R Bash
North End Way
June 19 at 5:00pm

The Signs of Paradise
Battery Park
June 20-29 at 8:00am-8:00pm

Two Women
LMCC’s Arts Center at Governors Island
June 20 at 2:00-3:00pm
June 22 at 2:00-3:00pm

What Was Wasn’t Here
Governors Island: Nolan Park, Building 10A
June 20 at 3:00pm
June 21 at 1:00pm and 3:00pm

Ex-Situ Series: Terry Riley & Friends
Federal Hall
June 20 at 7:30pm
June 21 at 7:30pm-8:40pm

New York Walkscape
Throughout Lower Manhattan
June 21 all day

And Death Shall Have No Dominion
Starting locations vary, ending in Rockefeller Park
June 21 at 11:00am

Digital Sanctuaries, NYC
India House
June 21 at 1:00pm, 3:00pm, 5:00pm

R2R Living Room: Everyday I’m Hustlin’
South Street Seaport: Nelson Blue, 233 Front Street
June 21 at 9:00pm

Bang on a Can Marathon
Brookfield Place, Winter Garden
June 22 at 2:00pm

In Conversation: Susan Rosenberg on Trisha Brown
Governors Island: LMCC’s Art Center
June 22 at 4:30pm

Where Are We Right Now
Pier 15
June 22 at 7:00pm, 8:00pm
June 24 at 7:30pm

River To River
Elevated Acre
June 23-25 at 1:00pm

Collaboration Town In Development: Staged Reading of New York
One Liberty Plaza, Twelfth Floor
June 23 at 2:00pm
June 24 at 5:00pm
June 26 at 2:00pm

Ludic Proxy
One Liberty Plaza
June 23 at 5:00pm
June 25 at 2:00pm
June 27 at 4:00pm

Ex-Situ Series: Kimmo Pohjonen & Jeffrey Zeigler
Pier 15
June 23 at 7:00pm

Of History (Virgule De L’Histore)
John Street United Methodist Church Courtyard
June 24 at 3pm
June 25 at 1pm and 5pm

Night At The Museums
Various Locations
June 24 at 4:00pm

…And Other Stories, Ethel With Special Guest Kaki King
Brookfield Place, Winter Garden
June 24 at 7:30pm

…Moses(es)
St. Cornelius Chapel, Governors Island
June 25 at 2:45pm
June 26 at 1:45pm and 3:45pm

I’m Going To Toss My Arms – If You Catch Them They’re Yours
Pier 15
June 25 (Public Dress Rehearsal) at 7:00pm
June 26 (Performance) at 7:00pm

R2R Living Room: Mike Iveson/DJ Hotel Scampi
South Street Seaport: Barbalu, 227 Front Street
June 25 at 9:00pm

The Set Up: I Nyoman Catra
120 Wall Street
June 26 at 5:00pm
June 27 – 28 at 1:00pm

The 22nd Annual Poets House Showcase Opening
Poets House
June 26 at 5:30-8:30pm, Reading begins at 7pm

Premiere
Bowling Green
June 27 at 3:00pm
June 28 at 3:00 and 5:00pm

Fronteras: New and Old Sound From Latin America And The Caribbean
The Uplands, South Street Seaport
June 27 at 4:00pm
June 28 at 5:30pm
June 29 at 1:30pm

In Conversation: Maria Hassabi, Paolo Javier, And Kaneza Schaal
Poets House
June 27 at 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Open Studio with Process Space Artists-In-Residence
LMCC’s Arts Center at Governors Island
June 28—29 12:00–5:00pm

Ubiquitous Dividend: A Day-Long Celebration of Robert Kocik’s Supple Science
Poets House
June 28
Workshop:  2:00–5:00pm
Performance: 6:00–8:00pm

Bronx Gothic: The Oval
LMCC’s Arts Center at Governors Island
June 28–29 at 3:00pm

On Video: New York Close Up
LMCC’s Arts Center at Governors Island
June 29 at 4:30pm

Seaport Block Party: Turntables On The Hudson Reunion: Dj Nickodemus, Mariano, Nappy G, And Manhattan Samba
South Street Seaport: Front Street
June 29 at 6:00pm

R2R Living Room: DJ Maria + Nappy G
South Street Seaport: Nelson Blue, 233 Front Street
June 29 at 8:30pm

 

-Linda Tell