Outdoor Music and Festivals – Including
20th Anniversary of River & Blues Concert Series – Highlight
More than 650 Programs & Events
The Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) today announced its Summer 2019 Program & Event Guide, detailing more than 650 public programs and events taking place across Battery Park City from May through August. The full calendar of mostly-free programs – including live music and shows, festivals and games, art and nature tours, and much more – is designed to enliven and enlighten residents and visitors alike as they enjoy Battery Park City’s parks and public spaces. The Guide is available on BPCA’s website, with hardcopies to all mailing list subscribers arriving in mailboxes this week. Interested individuals can subscribe to the mailing list online at bpca.ny.gov/news/events, by phone at (212) 267-9700, or at any BPCA program or event.
“There are many great things about summer, and among them is the
opportunity we have to present a diverse array of music, dance, cultural festivals,
theater, art, and games throughout Battery Park City,” said BPCA President
and Chief Executive Officer B.J. Jones. “So join us as we mark the 20th
Anniversary of the River & Blues music concert series, have some
neighborhood fun with an activity-packed Community Field Day, celebrate Pride
with a silent disco, laugh along with our first comedy show, and so much more. Here’s
to some fun in the sun in Battery Park City!”
“The summer is a great time for New Yorkers to enjoy time with our
family, friends, and neighbors. The summer events in Battery Park City offer
plenty of opportunities to learn, grow, and have some fun,” said Senator Brian Kavanagh, who represents
Battery Park City. “I encourage everyone to take advantage of this excellent
programming and I look forward to seeing you there!”
“Community Board 1 looks forward to another exciting season of summer
events by the BPCA,” said Manhattan CB1
Chairman Anthony Notaro. “All lower Manhattan can share in these community
building programs. Happy summer!”
The
Summer
2019 Program & Event Guide features more than two dozen
pages of illustrated program offerings organized by topics such as live music
and family events, as well by target audience, including those of interest to adults,
seniors, preschoolers, school-aged kids, and teens. The Guide also
includes information about Battery Park City’s Ball Fields, Community Center at
Stuyvesant High School, event space at 6 River Terrace, and a map of key
neighborhood locations, restrooms, art installations, and composting drop off
locations.
Highlights of the Summer Program & Event Guide include—
• Live Music Thursdays. Thursday night is live music night in Battery Park City! Join us on Thursdays in June, July, and August for free outdoor concerts showcasing a range of artists and styles from around the world.
o Interludes @ IHM – performances to capture the imagination at Irish Hunger Memorial Plaza (5PM)
• June 6: Sweet Megg & The Wayfarers // Delightfully enigmatic band leader Sweet Megg imbues each song with her own blend of melancholy and euphoria. The Wayfarers seamlessly incorporate elements of New Orleans and Harlem swing, Parisian cabaret, and gut bucket blues into one charming musical performance
• June 13: Mari Meade Dance Collective // The Mari Meade Dance Collective takes its inspiration from everyday interactions and our urban surroundings. The collective uses quirky movements and dynamic body work to create physical narratives of the human experience told in a series of contemporary dance vignettes.
• June 27: Opera on Tap // Opera on Tap brings its signature casual approach to opera performance to BPC with an immersive concert for all ages. Get ready to be inspired by up-and-coming singers and instrumentalists who relish the direct contact with audiences not inhibited by formal halls or opera houses.
o River & Blues @ Wagner Park – celebrating 20 years of world-class blues music and summer sunsets on the Hudson (7PM)
• July 11: Son Little
• July 18: Low Cut Connie
• July 25: The War & Treaty
• August 1: Amythyst Kiah
Stay tuned for more detail about River & Blues’ incredible 2019 lineup!
o Strings-on-Hudson @ Belvedere Plaza – Battery Park City’s al fresco classical music series, now in its third season on the waterfront (5:30PM)
• August 8: Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra // Grab a dance partner, bring the kids, and join musical director Gary S. Fagin and an ensemble from the Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra at the waterfront for a selection of timeless tunes in ¾ time. One-two-three, one-two-three; practice your waltzing—and then listen for old favorites, from Carousel Waltz to Blue Danube!
• August 15: Leadlights // The talented quartet, comprised of accomplished soloists who have performed at concert halls worldwide, perform a playful program with selections by Debussy, Ravel, Schubert, and NYC composer Jessie Montgomery.
• August 22: The String Queens // Praised for an “authentic, soulful, and orchestral sound,” The String Queens are a dynamic trio that creates stimulating musical experiences that inspire diverse audiences to love, hope, feel, and imagine! Their repertoire spans from the Baroque era to the Jazz Age through today’s Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
• Go Fish! Battery Park City’s Celebration of Life in the Hudson River Estuary: Saturday, May 11, 10am-1PM @ Wagner Park. Join experienced anglers for catch-and-release fishing and learn about life in the Hudson River. The day also features an art project and a nature walk. Plus: Don’t miss the kindie rock and reggae tunes of Brooklyn-based king of the dance party Father Goose!
o 10am-1PM: Catch-and-release fishing
o 11am: Art Project
o 11am: Nature Walk
o 12PM: Family Concert
• The Art of Nelson A. Rockefeller Park: Sunday, May 19, 2PM. Commissioned to celebrate where the city meets the waterfront, BPC’s public art is fascinating to view and discuss. Join contemporary art historian Dorothea Basile for thought-provoking dialogue starting at The Real World, moving to Pavilion and concluding at The Lily Pool, where poet and Irish Literature professor Jon Curley will discuss the poetry inscribed at the site.
• Participatory Community Dances: Select Saturdays, 6:30-8PM @ Esplanade Plaza.
o June 1: Retro Freestyle & Teen Dance Showcase – Brooklyn Dance Festival showcases, supports and fosters the borough’s dance companies, emerging artists, and youth ensembles. Catch performances from dynamic teen dance groups and take part in a movement workshop to learn some old and new school dance moves. The fun continues with an all-out freestyle dance party featuring your favorite hits from the 80s and 90s.
o July 27: Family Dance: Tarantella – Join Boston based ensemble Newpoli in an exploration of southern Italian tarantella and pizzica! Let yourself be enchanted by their mesmerizing, trance-inducing mix of classics and originals inspired by the cultures of the Mediterranean Sea. Wear your long skirts, wave scarves and learn a few simple steps that will transport you to an Italian village summer festival!
o August 24: Family Dance: Afro-Soca: Join award-winning dancer / choreographer Kwabena Safo-Agyekum for a high energy celebration of Afro-soca. This colorful and rhythmic experience fuses together the music and dance of soca, dancehall, Afro-beats, and hip-hop with central African movement and Caribbean traditional dance. Enjoy a live performance of Carnival classics and favorite tunes of the 2019 Soca playlist.
• Silent Disco Pride Party: Saturday, June 15, 7-10PM @ Wagner Park. Celebrate World Pride Month with a silent disco dance party featuring pride DJ’s from QuietEvents. Breath-taking sunset views and Lady Liberty serve as backdrop to the hottest beats pumped through light-up headphones. Check-in with friends sharing info about LGBTQI+ community services and stay tuned for a few more surprises that will truly make it a special night! Headphones free; deposit required.
• Swedish Midsummer Festival: Friday June 21, 5PM @ Wagner Park. The Battery Park City summer classic! Celebrate the summer solstice with traditional Swedish folk dances from Barnklubben Elsa Rix, and join in lively dance around the Midsummer pole. Make wreaths from beautiful flowers representing those in bloom on the solstice in Sweden. Enjoy a parade, children’s games, Swedish delicacies, and traditional music by Paul Dahlin and fiddlers from the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. Presented in partnership with the Consulate General of Sweden in New York.
• Battery Park City Community Field Day: Thursday, June 27, 10am-1PM @ Rockefeller Park. School’s out! Join us at this community favorite in Rockefeller Park. Fast break to the basketball court for a trick shot show featuring NYC’s own Harlem Wizards. Kick back with some ice cream, and listen to beats by a live DJ. Engage in classic field day games like potato-sack races, relays and tug-of-war. Don’t miss out on face painting, giant lawn games, water play, and spinning the BPC Big Wheel for prizes.
• Teen Art Experience: July 8-26, 10am-4PM @ 6 River Terrace. Join other teens as we explore BPC’s unique urban landscape and make artwork inspired by its parks, gardens and world-class public art installations. Gain new perspectives with visits to our neighborhood museums and institutions. In-studio and outdoor sessions in drawing, painting, ceramic sculpture and printmaking will be led by professional artists. We will collaborate on group pieces and create individual work for culminating art shows. Registration required; weekly rates available.
• Saturday Family Workshops: 11am-12:30PM @ Rockefeller Park.
o May 18: Classical Music – Be part of a family orchestra in this fun-filled, immersive musical workshop led by the classical duo Colibri. Learn about composer Arvo Pärt and help perform segments of his works Fratres and Spiegel Im Spiegel. The program ends with a full performance by the musicians.
o July 27: African Drumming and Dance – Sankofa founder Maxwell Kofi Donkor will lead a spirited and joyful performance workshop that includes hands-on drumming and guided movement embodying the infectious rhythms and sounds of West Africa. Drums provided.
o August 24: Colors & Rhythms of India – Dive into the vibrant world of Indian culture, art and music with an interactive workshop led by 2018 Grammy nominated artist, Falu. Explore the hues, color traditions and languages spoken in India and learn about Indian music solfege and rhythms. Music performance begins at 11:45am.
• TIME:SPANS Festival: Saturday, August 10, 7PM @ Wagner Park. TIME:SPANS is an annual festival dedicated exclusively to the presentation of twenty-first century music. BPC hosts the festival’s opening night performance of Klaus Lang’s Bright Darkness by Israel-based Ensemble Nikel. Enjoy an immersive experience in this surround-sound performance by physically entering into a musical journey with audience members and musicians.
• Battery Dance Festival: August 11-16, 7-9PM @ Wagner Park. Celebrate the 38th year of New York City’s longest-running public dance festival presented by Battery Dance. Enjoy six days of exciting international and local dance companies against one of the most beautiful backgrounds in the city. More info: batterydance.org/batterydancefestival.
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