To celebrate the imminent reopening of the new Astor Place, The Village Alliance Business Improvement District present the first ever “Astor Alive! Festival” from September 16 to 17, 2016. The celebration will include entertainment, workshops, a grand procession, and more, which will be free and open to the public.
The festival will showcase Astor Place’s four new public plazas, among other civic space transformations as part of its larger $16 million revitalization project and for the first time ever, brings together the legendary theaters and dance companies of Astor Place and the East Village on to one performance venue.
“We are thrilled to present this three day cultural free festival and celebrate the continued revitalization and rich history of Astor Place […] We are working closely with the Department of Transportation, NYC Department of Design and Construction, NoHo-Bowery Stakeholders, City Love, Grace Church School and other community partners to showcase some of the neighborhood’s most beloved artists, cultural institutions, local schools and more.” – William Kelley, Executive Director of the Village Alliance. “
The Festival’s highlights will include:
Over 20 groups of performances over four performance stages including: La MaMa E.T.C., Joe’s Pub, Bowery Poetry Club, The Public Theater, Hetrick-Martin Institute, Rod Rodgers Dance Company, Peridance Capezio Center and Danspace Project, Theater for the New City and many more.
Alamo Plaza – September 16 – Astor Place Cabaret – a glamorous cabaret evening performed by a cast of thirty performers and six musicians presented by Joe’s Pub, La MaMa Cafe and Theater for the New City.
September 17 – Astor Alive! Festival Day – The four festival stages will feature music, dance, and spoken word performances by Peridance Capezio Center, Bowery Poetry, The Public theater, La MaMa E.T.C., Rod Rodgers Dance Company, Hetrick-Martin Institute, Grace Church School and many more.
September 17 – Astor Alive! Festival Day Parade – The Processional Arts Workshop, which is the official pageant puppeteers for the annual NYC Village Halloween Parade, is the vision behind the Astor Place Procession featuring giant puppets, spinning cubes, marching Brazilian drummers and a special finale appearance by the Blue Man Group!
The Processional Arts Workshop will be creating and building props and puppets at FREE and open to the public arts workshops between September 10th – 15th. To reserve a place visit the Astor Place website.
For more information on this one of a kind festival visit http://astorplace.nyc or follow Astor Place NYC on Facebook.