• Category Archives Festivals Parades and Events

  • Figment

    Posted on July 9, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    Figment was a one-day arts festival held on Governors Island (click here for more photos). There was a sense that this was to be a New York-style Burning Man – many of yesterday’s participants have attended, and the organizers have themselves have referenced Burning Man as an influence. The event took place at Nolan Park, a historic district with a shaded green surrounded by period homes. Attendees were encouraged to bring projects, contribute, and participate (at the Burning Man festival, being a spectator is discouraged in keeping with their 10 principles: radical inclusion, gifting, decommodification, radical self-reliance, radical self-expression, communal effort, civic responsibility, leaving no trace, participation, and immediacy.) Over 50 exhibitors attended, with names such as Misericordiam, Limbonade Stand, Krinkl-O-Torn, Groovehoops, Sisters, Earth Paint Tree, the Tub Project, Wish Tree, Zenbend Hanger Reuse Project, etc.

    From the Figment website: ” Expect a dizzying array of fabulous art and activities, spanning a variety of imaginative possibilities ranging from ambitious sculptures to exquisite performance to wild costuming to edgy arts and crafts and beyond.” The goals of Figment would not appear to be so ambitious for a first year festival, given NYC’s large population and arts community. However, although having the fest on Governor’s Island has its merits, having to transport everything and everyone by ferry definitely had a substantial impact. The free 10 minute ferry ride to Governors Island (the subject of a future posting) turned out to be somewhat harrowing. The lines for the ferry were huge, with waits of over an hour – by days end it was clear there would not be enough ferry space and crossings to carry everyone – only 6 ferries were scheduled between 10AM and 3PM. But I imagine this festival will build momentum and I look forward to seeing its growth in future years. Note: The events name “Figment” was inspired by an Andy Warhol quote stating that he would like his own tombstone to be blank: “No epitaph, and no name. Well, actually, I’d like it to say ‘figment’ “

    Posted on July 9, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in Art and Sculpture, Extreme NYC, Festivals Parades and Events. Bookmark the permalink.

  • NYC 777 YouTube Meetup

    Posted on July 8, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    Yesterday was 7/7/07, and there were numerous events scheduled to tie into what many saw as a propitious numerological date. At the very least, 777 certainly is a catchy tag. This gathering was the NYC 777 YouTube Meetup in Washington Square Park (click here for more photos). Here was another huge event which I had no knowledge of until I walked into it (I live neighboring the park), yet it apparently had been planned for months. According to the YouTube meetup website (now closed), the entire event actually spanned 5 days, with various parties and meetups in clubs and bars. As of today, I have found no mainstream press coverage – the only media I saw there was filming by MTV. The meetup had a cultish feel, not dissimilar to a Trekkie or SciFi convention. There was a lot of interviewing going on, with filming, photography, and interviewing. But there also was a lot of connecting of YouTube celebs, many meeting in the flesh for the first time, with names like happyslip, davidjr, abbegirl, thehill88, foureyedmonsters, ghostwise, brookers, kimeepower, lionsgrrr, etc.

    One of the main attractions was to be a performance by EepyBird, the brainchild of Fritz Grobe (professional juggler and performance artist) and Stephen Voltz (a lawyer). These two have a number of videos on YouTube and their own website, featuring their displays of Mentos and Diet Coke geysers, with an estimated twenty millions views webwide (one of their most viewed is the original Experiment 137, with one hundred jets going off in less than three minutes). Two-liter Diet Coke bottles are fitted with nozzles containing Mentos. When combined, a chemical reaction takes place, with geysers reaching heights of over 20 feet. Unfortunately, EepyBird’s permit only specified assembly and not their geyser display, so they were shut down. They appear to be parlaying their online success with an appearance on Letterman, Coca Cola’s use of Experiment 214 for three months on their website, talks with the Discovery Channel and History Channel about a science show, and a recent Emmy nomination…

    Posted on July 8, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in Festivals Parades and Events, People. Bookmark the permalink.

  • Mermaid Parade 2007 Part 2

    Posted on June 27, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    (see Part 1 here for more photos)

    This is part two of the 2007 Mermaid Parade in Coney Island. Please click on the photo for an enlarged, detailed view. This collage represents a small number of the 300+ photos I took at the parade. I endeavored to show the diversity of costumes that were present. As you can see, the themes of art parades in NYC are not policed, and many of the costumes certainly go beyond what one would expect in a Mermaid Parade: hula hoopers, goth garb, ghoulish characters, alien invasions, geishas, visual puns (like the Seapranos), Coney Island postcard groups, and creative assemblages. Of course, there were mermaids, anemones, nautiluses, brassieres from shells, seahorses, lobsters, and a myriad of other sea creatures. The creativity was overwhelming and tough to absorb and process with the volume and speed at which these remarkable displays passed by the spectators. Trying to get decent photos in this intense environment was a challenge. If you check back here in a day or so, I should have a link for more photos of the parade on my Flickr site…

    Posted on June 27, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in Extreme NYC, fashion, Festivals Parades and Events. Bookmark the permalink.

  • Mermaid Parade 2007

    Posted on June 26, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    This has become my favorite parade – it’s on the boardwalk, at the beach (yet reachable by subway), in NYC, beautiful mermaids, blue everywhere, Astroland with the Cyclone and Wonderwheel as backdrop, manageable in size, imaginative creative costumes, and a spirited atmosphere. Add a sunny day with blue skies and what’s not to like? It’s surprising how many have still not heard of the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island, celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2007. Click here and here for my postings of the 2006 parade.

    Founded in 1983 by Coney Island USA, the not-for-profit arts organization that also produces the Coney Island Circus Sideshow, the Mermaid Parade pays homage to Coney Island’s forgotten Mardi Gras, which lasted from 1903 to 1954. The Mermaid Parade celebrates the sand, the sea, the salty air, and the beginning of summer, as well as the history and mythology of Coney Island, Coney Island pride, and artistic self-expression. The Parade is characterized by participants dressed in hand-made costumes as Mermaids, Neptunes, various sea creatures, the occasional wandering lighthouse, Coney Island post card, or amusement ride, as well as antique cars, marching bands, drill teams, and the odd yacht pulled on flatbed. Each year, a different celebrity King Neptune and Queen Mermaid rule over the proceedings, riding in the Parade and assisting in the opening of the Ocean for the summer swimming season by marching down the Beach from the Boardwalk, cutting through Ribbons representing the seasons, and tossing fruit into the Atlantic to appease the Sea Gods. In the past, David Byrne, Queen Latifah, Ron Kuby, Curtis Sliwa, Moby, and David Johansen have presided over the assembled masses. Click here for their official website.

    Even though I set aside the day to see the event, I still missed many of the events: floats and autos on Surf Avenue, the costume judging, and the Mermaid Parade Ball. Tomorrow I will post a collection of the best photos of the hundreds I took in Part 2…

    Posted on June 26, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in Extreme NYC, fashion, Festivals Parades and Events. Bookmark the permalink.

  • Pride March

    Posted on June 25, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    This weekend was one of parades and marches; on Saturday, we had the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island and the Dyke March, and on Sunday, we had the 2007 NYC LGBT Pride march. The gay pride march in NYC, produced by Heritage of Pride, is the big kahuna – marchers included mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, one of the nation’s most prominent openly gay elected officials. Religious groups led the parade this year, with a float from Dignity, a gay Catholic group, Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, who heads the world’s largest gay synagogue, Reverend Troy Perry of the Metropolitan Community Church, and a Buddhist group. A big issue at hand locally and nationally is the issue of gay marriage, so there was cause for marchers to celebrate the recent passing of a bill in the New York State Assembly legalizing same-sex marriage – Govenor Eliot Spitzer supports the bill, although it is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled state Senate.

    Tens of thousands attended the march, which started at 52nd Street, proceeded down Fifth Avenue turning west along 8th Street, and finished in the West Village. Spectators lined the route. At this point in time, after 38 years, the march has become an institution, and in spite of the usual coterie of exhibitionists – dancers in bikini briefs, drag queens, Dykes on Bikes – and their voyeurs, the march is no longer the controversial event it once was…

    Posted on June 25, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in Festivals Parades and Events. Bookmark the permalink.

  • Dyke March

    Posted on June 24, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    This is Gay Pride Week (June 17-24, 2007), an international phenomenon now taking place in 140 cities around the world. Manhattan’s own celebration includes parades, marches, festivals, rallies, dances, and parties. Yesterday was the 15th Annual New York City Dyke March, taking place the day before the big Gay Parade (today). The Dyke March has been growing in size, which is particularly interesting, given that even in NYC, the lesbian community is still a relatively invisible group, particularly in comparison to the gay men’s community, which has made large gains in the last 40 years with visibility and approval in many spheres and sectors (the TV program Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, e.g.).

    Much of the populace now sees various sexual orientations as just part of the human condition – a percentage of the population has been gay/lesbian since the dawn of time and will continue to be so regardless of of any efforts to eradicate these groups. I believe that one of greatest problems facing full acceptance of the gay community is the continuing position of the various churches that view homosexuality negatively. Social mores in this country still trickle down from religious doctrine owing to a history largely as a Judeo-Christian society rather than secular…

    Posted on June 24, 2007 by Brian Dubé
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  • Fête de la Musique

    Posted on June 22, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    One of the most amazing things about living in New York City is that you can easily miss a major event. Like this one. I learned about this from a coworker in my office at the end of the day (and caught two performances – one in the photo). Make Music New York was NYC’s participation in the international Fête de la Musique, which is celebrated in 340 cities around the world. On the first day of summer, public spaces in all five boroughs become informal musical stages for all New Yorkers, amateurs and professionals, to perform for friends, neighbors, and passers-by, turning the city into a festival of live music making.

    The idea germinated in France in 1982, when a memo was sent from Maurice Fleuret, Director of Music at the Ministry of Culture, to his advisor, Christian Dupavillon, and lamented the fact that the French owned more than 4 million musical instruments, most of them in storage unused. A concept was born to encourage individuals to bring out these instruments, and professionals and amateurs alike would play everywhere, completely freely, indoors and out – in public squares, under porches, on covered walkways, in areas of school playgrounds, in hospital gardens, at entrances to music academies, or under café awnings just for the sheer pleasure of playing. Read about it here.

    This was New York’s first annual celebration. Schedules were available and printed in various publications and on the web. New York was a little late to get on board – I hope that it becomes successful in the coming years. I love the quote from Berthold Auerbach: “Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”

    Posted on June 22, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in Festivals Parades and Events, Music and Concerts, Street Performing. Bookmark the permalink.

  • Krishna

    Posted on June 10, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    The Hare Krishna Parade starts at 59th Street and works its way down Fifth Avenue, with devotees pulling three chariots (with wooden figures of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra). It ends in Washington Square Park, where booths are set up for the all-day Festival of India. A stage is set up for entertainment, showcasing Indian cultural and spiritual performances. There’s free food and display booths of books on bhakti yoga, meditation, information on vegetarianism, and Krishna consciousness. It was a very colorful event – those saris were beautiful. Click here for last years posting.

    Technically this is the Lord Jagannath’s Ratha Yatra Parade, Hare Krishna’s celebration of Ratha Yatra, a 5000-year old Hindu festival associated with Jagannath, a deity form of Krishna – the supreme god of Hinduism. If all of this sounds a little complex, it is. Hinduism has many scriptures and incarnations and deities of God – it has elements of monotheism, polytheism, pantheism, and monism. It is generally seen as henotheistic, a belief in a central God with other manifestations of God.

    The Krishna movement (International Society of Krishna Consciousness – ISKCON) in this country is relatively new but is based on Gaudiya Vaishnavism and the practice of bhakti yoga. The American movement was founded in in NYC 1966 by Swami Prabhupada. He led a group of followers to Tompkins Square Park, where under an American elm tree they began to chant the distinctive 16-word mantra: ”Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.” The tree was considered sacred by the Krishna adherents, and in 2001, NYC’s Parks Department officially recognized the historical significance of the Hare Krishna Elm tree…

    Posted on June 10, 2007 by Brian Dubé
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  • Dance Parade

    Posted on May 20, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    The 2007 Dance Parade caught me (and many others) off guard – I had no idea that this event was being held when I ran into it. I would deem it a tremendous success, given that it was a first annual event, with cold weather and rain, which did not deter dancers or observers. The parade worked its way from 32nd Street down Broadway and Fifth Avenue to end in Washington Square Park. The floats turned off towards Sixth Avenue – dancers remained in the park, where a stage was set up. Several hours of dancing ensued, both on and off stage – a DJ provided music.

    The raison d’etre for the parade, you may ask? From Dance Parade’s vision statement: “To celebrate diversity as ‘One Parade with Many Cultures.’ 49 genres are represented.” Click here for a list and more info on their website. Although the parade was not a protest, there was also a political agenda for some: change or repeal of the city’s cabaret law dating back to 1926 (enacted to restrict public lewdness and interracial mingling) – any venue where 3 or more people are dancing and food or drink is served requires a cabaret license. The law has been more aggressively enforced since the 1990s, where it has used to combat quality-of-life complaints and troublesome clubs. Difficult to obtain, only 69 establishments have cabaret licenses in Manhattan.

    Attendance along the parade route was light, but turnout in the park was huge, where participants along with gawkers filled the park plaza. Judging by this year’s revelry, I think this parade will become very successful in the years to come…

    Posted on May 20, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in fashion, Festivals Parades and Events, Street Performing. Bookmark the permalink.

  • Marijuana March

    Posted on May 14, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    This photo is from the New York City Worldwide Marijuana March, an annual event held on the first Saturday of May (click here for more photos). It is NYC’s celebration of a worldwide event called the Global Marijuana March or Million Marijuana March, now with 232 cities involved. Each city has its own spin, which involves marches, festivals, rallies, concerts, speakers, and information tables. The event, which has been going on for 40 years in NYC, is a celebration of marijuana culture with an aim to legalize cannabis for all uses – recreation, medicine, fuel, etc. Various groups are involved in the organization of the march, such as NORML, Cannabis Culture, and Cures-Not-Wars, one of the most interesting groups.

    Cures-Not-Wars is making efforts to legalize the use of ibogaine, a hallucinogen of African origin which is reputedly very effective in treating opiate addiction. Ibogaine is administered in many countries as an experimental drug. In other countries, such as the United States, it is a controlled substance, along with other psychedelics. Cures-Not-Wars is headed by Dana Beal, former Yippie, out of 9 Bleecker Street, the former home of the Yipster Times and now a museum.

    The figure at the center of the photo is, appropriately, David Peel, a musician and activist who is perhaps best known for his first album, Have a Marijuana, produced in 1968 with his group The Lower East Side. The parade has the feel of a sixties rally with a benign tone. The police appeared quite easy going and tolerant of the event. After all, how much of a serious danger can marijuana activists really be 🙂

    Posted on May 14, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in Festivals Parades and Events, People, Rebels of NYC. Bookmark the permalink.

  • Grad Alley

    Posted on May 10, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    Welcome to Grad Alley, the commencement eve celebration (Wednesday evening) of New York University – the world’s largest private university, with 40,000 students. A carnival-type atmosphere is created along West 4th Street, La Guardia Place, and the NYU plazas. There is free food, entertainment, a live D.J., and their own fireworks display. As I write this on Thursday morning, the commencement ceremonies are taking place in Washington Square Park, the “campus” for NYU.

    Grad Alley was absolutely packed.  NYU is for the student who wants to attend a large school, be in an urban environment, and take advantage of everything a city like New York has to offer. This is a factor in the strong standing of many of their departments/schools, which can draw from its NYC environment – e.g. law, film, & business. NYU is the polar opposite of the small school in the country, where a bucolic setting, small student body, and intimate contacts are the hallmarks. At times, NYU can feel a bit overwhelming and impersonal. Personally, I like it, but it’s not for the faint of heart – there is no hand holding here…

    Posted on May 10, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in Education, Festivals Parades and Events. Bookmark the permalink.

  • Flora

    Posted on April 29, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    Yesterday was the NYC GROWS Garden Festival, which was held in Union Square. This event was NYC’s celebration of National Garden Month. Our lady in the photo was created by Target, who sponsored the event. She was a big hit, with visitors taking photos of each other with her as backdrop. I thought she was beautifully done, with all manner of plants/flowers so cleverly used and her bevy of topiary dogs. Click here for more photos.

    I am not a gardener, but I can understand the benefits of being connected to something as important as plant life and seeing living things grow. In a time where everything is about speed and immediate gratification, gardening is a useful antidote by teaching patience – involvement in a process that can’t be rushed, where one MUST wait for results. A useful metaphor, for many of the things of value in life take time to come to fruition. I asked a Target rep if she had a name, and sadly, she did not. After considering many options this morning, I thought Flora might be an appropriate choice…

    Posted on April 29, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in Art and Sculpture, fashion, Festivals Parades and Events, Natural NYC. Bookmark the permalink.

  • Sakura

    Posted on April 25, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    One of the most beautiful phenomena in nature is the flowering of cherry trees in the spring. I remember one of my first family trips to Washington, D.C. to see the Cherry Blossom Festival and the display around the tidal basin. However, one does not have to travel that far – the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has their own display and festival (considered one of the world’s finest displays outside of Japan). Trees can be found at the Cherry Walk and Esplanade and in the Japanese Hill and Pond Garden.

    There are two cherry tree events going on: Hanami and Sakura Matsuri. Hanami (April 7 – May 6) is “the Japanese cultural tradition of viewing and cherishing each moment of the cherry blossom season—from the first buds to the brilliant blossoms to the petals falling like pink snow.” Sakura Matsuri is the Cherry Blossom Festival, which will be held this coming weekend (Saturday, April 28, and Sunday, April 29, 10 a.m.–6 p.m). There are over 200 trees in bloom with over 60 Japanese cultural events and performances over the entire weekend: pop concerts (happyfunsmile, ZAN, & hip-hop artist Akim Funk Buddha), a taiko drum concert, history of geisha, traditional music and dance, ice sculpture, ikebana, origami, kirigami, samari sword, bonsai, Go, tea ceremonies, craft demonstrations, and workshops. I highly recommend it – I think I may go again for the Festival…

    Posted on April 25, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in Festivals Parades and Events, Natural NYC, Parks. Bookmark the permalink.

  • Virginia Tech

    Posted on April 20, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    This is the candlelight vigil which took place last night in Washington Square Park to honor the victims, families, and friends of those affected by the Virginia Tech massacre last Monday. The vigil was organized by the Greater New York City Chapter of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association (Manhattan Hokies). All were welcomed to attend. I will not recount the details of the event, as there are better sources than this site for those interested. My condolences to all those affected by the tragedy…

    Posted on April 20, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in Festivals Parades and Events. Bookmark the permalink.

  • Easter Parade 2007

    Posted on April 9, 2007 by Brian Dubé

    I know this doesn’t look like the typical Easter parade, but this is New York City, where anything goes. In fact, I recognized one person who marches in the Village Halloween Parade in the same outfit. The Easter parade in NYC is more of an assemblage, with casual meandering along Fifth Avenue in the 50s, which was closed to traffic. I took over 100 photos, so this collage is just a sample. Click here for more photos.

    The weather was chilly, but many were not daunted. The dress ranged from the subtle and sophisticated to the outrageous, the appropriate to the inappropriate – families, the scantily clad, drag queens, elegant furs, beautiful hats (both small and large), and the heavily themed: tupperware bonnets, Coney Island Cyclone, bunny rabbits, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, and fantasy characters. The heaviest concentration of people was near St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where masses were being given all day; the Cardinal himself made an appearance, blessing the group. This is my second year. Along with the Mermaid Parade, I believe this to be one of the underrated secrets of NYC. It is very civilized, with no barricades or unmanageable crowding. I wouldn’t miss it, and I highly recommend it…

    Posted on April 9, 2007 by Brian Dubé
    This entry was posted in fashion, Festivals Parades and Events, Holidays. Bookmark the permalink.


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