Theater for the New City has currently scheduled over 200 performing arts organizations, independent artists, poets, puppeteers and film makers for its 29th annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts.
Indoor performances will take stage from 6 PM to midnight each day, utilizing two of TNC’s four theaters. From 10 AM to 6 PM Saturday, vendors and food sellers, including booths from nearby restaurants, will set up in the closed-off block of East Tenth Street between First and Second Avenues. The festival has been presented annually since 1996, although in 2020 it was produced online due to pandemic concerns. A cohort of theater, dance, performance, music, film, literary and visual artists are participating on all three days. An afternoon of performances for and by kids will be presented Saturday afternoon. A fine art show will be hanging throughout the fest in the theater’s lobby gallery. A film program will be presented Saturday from 1 PM to 11 PM, featuring works by auteurs from the Lower East Side/East Village along with works that reflect the essence of the neighborhood.
This year, the festival is mounted with the theme “Democracy: Use it or Lose it.” The subject will be addressed in some of the playlets and acts written for the festival. As of this writing, the performers’ roster includes such luminaries as David Amram, Austin Pendleton and Penny Arcade. City council member Carlina Rivera will speak.
