Jersey City, NJ – Talk of the first annual Everything Jersey City Festival has captured the imagination of many local performers, merchants and organizations whose contributions will create a unique celebration of one of the most diverse cities in the United States.
Over 400 local businesses, food vendors, non-profit organizations and sponsors with ties to Jersey City will be participating in the festival, which will take place on Central Avenue between Hutton and South Streets from 11 AM to 6 PM on Saturday, May 17th.
The festival’s three stages will have a decidedly local flavor, with all performers hailing from Jersey City or the surrounding area. The two main festival stages will feature performances by The Legendary Teenagers (“Why Do Fools Fall In Love?,” Ray Rodriguez y Swing Sabroso, Amy Speace, Runaway Orange, The Eamonn Ryan Band, Surati, BuzzUniverse, and D. Plumbers, as well as demonstrations by Family Fitness Martial Arts, Don & Rosita Dance Studio, Jang Star Tae Kwon Do, and the Kennedy Dancers.
Nino’s Shoes (344 Central Ave.) is sponsoring the festival’s third stage at Lincoln Street. Featuring Jersey City’s own DJ Commandante, the Lincoln Street Stage will also include performances by Willie Moreno y Su Orquesta, NJ4, El Intocable, RNS and Salsa Fever On2 Dance Academy. “As a business owner on Central Avenue, I wanted to do my share to make the festival a success in its first year. Two stages are great, but three stages are even better,” said Nino’s Shoes owner Marc LoSchiavo.
Goehrig’s Bakery (475 Central Ave.) will also bring something special to the festival by sponsoring a cake decorating demonstration at 2 PM at its booth between Thorne Street and Charles Street on Central Avenue.
But businesses are not the only Jersey City institutions making their mark on the event. The non-profit Hope Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, soon to open a new location just off Central Avenue at 110-116 Cambridge Avenue, will be hosting a student showcase in front of the building under construction with art workshops and performances by dance and vocal students throughout the day. The Hope Center will also sponsor a puppet theater in the municipal parking lot south of Central Avenue and Bowers Street.
Two notable organizations will also be offering tours within the Heights during the festival. The Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy will kick off a tour of Heights historical landmarks at 1:00 PM in front of CapitalOne Bank at the corner of Central Avenue and Bowers Street. The Jersey City Reservoir Preservation Alliance also plans to offer free tours of the reservoir at 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00 PM. Visit the JCRPA’s booth near Central Avenue and Zabriskie Street during the festival for more information.
Organized by the Central Avenue Special Improvement District (CASID) in partnership with Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, the City of Jersey City Municipal Council, Hudson County Executive Thomas A. DeGise and the Board of Chosen Freeholders, and hosted by Heights Councilmen Steve Lipski (Ward C) and Bill Gaughan (Ward D), the first annual Everything Jersey City Festival is also sponsored by numerous businesses and institutions with strong ties to Jersey City, including the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation and the State of New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zone Program, the Jersey City Division of Cultural Affairs, the Hudson County Office of Cultural Affairs and Tourism, the Jersey City Parking Authority, the Jersey City Incinerator Authority, The Jersey Journal, the American Flag Company, Sovereign Bank, Milrose Consultants Inc., United Water, SuperCoups, Metro Honda, PSE&G, LibertyHealth and the Jersey City Medical Center, The Jersey City Reporter, Liberty Academy Charter School, Coach USA, Hudson County Community College, Hudson Medical Group, Advanced Healthcare Services, Christ Hospital, New Jersey Transit, Susan Newman Design, Bank of America, NY Waterway, State Farm Insurance, The Franklin Group, CapitalOne Bank, P.O.M. Planning Services, Hauptman Carpets, Goehrig’s Bakery, Blimplie Subs & Salads, and Immigration Advocacy Services. In addition to those listed above, elected supporters include Councilman-at-Large Peter Brennan, Freeholder Eliu Rivera, Assemblywoman Joan Quigley, Assemblyman Vincent Prieto, Congressman Steven Rothman, and Congressman Albio Sires.