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Jersey City’s Got Everything -For Now

Sat, 07 May 2011 05:56:44 +0000

The Everything Jersey City Festival will Celebrate Community Pride and UEZ Support at a Time when Budget Cuts Loom

By Sally Deering

Â If you don’t know by now, one-third of Jersey City is a designated Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ\) a designation that offers local businesses tax and other financial incentives to help grow their businesses and stimulate local economy.Â Sale tax revenues generated by UEZ businesses go for economic development and neighborhood improvements like street lights, paving, flowerboxes — and other programs that give constituents a feeling of pride in their community.

To celebrate the UEZ’s success revitalizing the Heights section of Jersey City – the neighborhood nestled on the cliff above Hoboken – the Central Avenue Special Improvement District (CASID) Management Corporation presents the Everything Jersey City Festival which takes place Sat., May 21st from 11 am-to-6 pm along Central Avenue from Congress to Hutton Streets.

The Festival will feature four stages with live entertainment including Queen of Freestyle Judy Torres who has made Jersey City her home for the past 16 years, has recorded numerous CDs and is an on-air personality on WKTU radio. Torres sings Freestyle, a form of dance music with a Latin influence that became popular in the late 1980s and early 90s and her hits include “No Reason to Cry,” and “Come into my Arms.” Torres performs nation-wide and just returned from a show at the Continental Airlines Arena in Miami. She has a huge local fan base and she’s excited to be bringing her show live to her Jersey City fans for a second year.

Â “This is home,” Torres says. “Two weeks ago I performed at Michael Anthony’s on the waterfront; I performed at Pershing Field. There aren’t too many places in Jersey City to perform. When I did the Everything Jersey City Festival two years ago, we had a great crowd. It was a lot of fun It’s very nice to see people in the area coming out to have a good time. It’s a wonderful community celebration.”

Central Avenue will be lined with tables and tents featuring local artists showing (and selling) their work, vendors selling foods and crafts and of course, goodies from the eateries and stores that line Central Avenue. Arts groups like Pro Arts Jersey City, a non-profit community arts group that sponsors the annual Jersey City Studio Tour and Art House Productions, a 2,000-member multi-arts non-profit group are participating and several community organizations will present interactive demonstrations. Activities for kids will include a rock climbing wall, petting zoo, obstacle course, moonwalk and super slide. And for bargain-hunters, CASID has something very special planned: a huge one day sale among Central Avenue businesses (jewelry, clothing, shoes, furniture,) on the day of the Everything Jersey City Festival. Sales will offer 10% to 50% off select merchandise and festival-goers will find great bargains when business owners sell their wares at the Sidewalk Sales.

Â “One of the reasons for the Everything Jersey City Festival is to show how great Central Avenue is,” William Clarke, Director of CASID says. “We try to involve our business owners as much as possible. It becomes a true community event. We focus on Jersey City-Hudson County based artists and we try to focus on the creative aspects of Jersey City. You’ll see things here you won’t see anywhere else. We try to make it as unique event as possible.”

The Festival’s mission is to prove the UEZ Program builds and sustains communities, but on July 1^st when the New Jersey State Budget is finalized and approved, community activities like the Everything Street Festival and many local non-profits may no longer receive UEZ funding.

“The status of the UEZ remains iffy,” Clarke says. “We won’t know for sure until the New Jersey State budget is finalized. But even if it ends in July, our organization will continue to exist. Sure it will change things, but it’s not the sole source of our organization. We’re an autonomous agency. We’ll exist no matter what.”

Â When Governor Chris Christie released his budget, it called for no administrative or project funding for the cities, Steve Lipski, CEO of the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation says. That means there will still be a UEZ program, but no monies will be turned over to municipalities or the zones to administer programs. Businesses will still realize tax benefits but they won’t receive assistance from the zone leaders and municipalities through the monies that were collected from the UEZ and returned to the cities.

Â But the fight to restore funding isn’t over, Lipski says.

Â “We stand squarely with Mayor Healy in the fight to restore UEZ funds which are absolutely essential to help small businesses and fund essential projects critical to the city,” Lipski says. “Governor Christie sent in his version of the budget and the State Legislators are reviewing it to make their necessary input. There are budget hearings going on as we speak.”

Â The end of UEZ funding would have a negative impact on community organizations like Washington Park Association (WPA), says President Mory Thomas.

Â “The UEZ funding allows for festivals like these which brings thousands of people to the Heights and unites the community in a way that hasn’t happened for years,” Thomas says. “At the first Everything Festival, it was the first time I’d seen the community come out and be engaged in an event. For people to come out and enjoy being on the street, talking to each other and hanging out as a community, that’s something you can’t put a dollar amount to. What I would like to see from the UEZ money is more community-engagement activities.”

Â The Washington Park Association along with the Riverview Neighborhood Association, the Jersey City Parks Coalition and St. Anne’s School will host a special “green” event in the heart of the Everything Jersey City Festival. Amid the urban landscape of storefronts, in the middle of Central Avenue, they will create a green “Open Space” – a little park with trees and plants and benches. And there’ll be a “greening” workshop for festival-goers, too.

Â “During last year’s Everything Jersey City Festival, we decided that this year we would create an open space on the streets where the festival is,” Thomas says. “It will be a nice little breather in this concrete jungle we live in and bring people awareness to the issue of open space especially in Hudson County which is one of the most densely populated in the country.”

Along with headliners Judy Torres and The Black Hollies, CASID has lined up more great entertainment:Â Celtic Cross, Celtic folk-rockers performing classic Irish music; Rumba Con Son, Central New Jersey’s hottest salsa band; Woodfish, a funk-rock band from the Jersey Shore; Ray Rodriguez y Swing Sabroso, a salsa swing band; Ed Solomon & Go Falcon!, poppy punk rockers; Lea Le Grace, pop-rocker; Stephie Coplan & the Pedestrians, a piano-driven pop-rock trio; and Catch Wild, alternative rockers from Jersey City.

Â The Actor’s Shakespeare Company at NJCU and the Hope Center Dancers will perform and Family Fitness Martial Arts and Jang Star Tae Kwon Do will present demonstrations.

Â The Black Hollies, a Jersey City-based rock band with psychedelic influences has several hit songs out in the mainstream. “Can’t Stop These Tears (From Falling)” was featured on an episode of “The Vampire Diaries,” and “Tell Me What You Want” was picked up by the NFL which used it for an ad campaign. The band features Jon Gonnelli, guitar and organ; Herbert Wiley, lead guitar; Nick Serrante, drummer and Justin Angelo Morey, lead singer and bass guitar. Several members reside in Jersey City, including Morey, who says the band has lots of fans, but may be more well known in other big cities like Austin, Texas, thanks to iTunes and YouTube.Â “The song we did for ‘Vampire Diaries’ became one of the most downloaded songs on iTunes and YouTube,” Morey says.

Â Art House Productions will be at the Festival to talk about their programs and Pro Arts Jersey City will be featuring several artist-members who will be on hand to discuss their work – always a fun thing to do at a festival. Who doesn’t enjoy talking to artists about their inspirations? Artists exhibiting for Pro Arts Jersey City will be Ibou Ndoye, Deirdre Kennedy, Christina Soto, Sharon Harvey and Holly Williams.

Â Art House Productions, a 2,000-member multi-arts organization that produces visual arts programs for more than a decade in Jersey City produces on average one community-art event a week including JC Fridays – a city-wide happening held four times a year that presents art programming at approximately 40 venues. It’s a way to introduce people to the arts in Jersey City, Christine Goodman, Founder and Executive Director says, and each event attracts 3-5,000 people. But if the UEZ funding is cut in July, JC Fridays may not go on.

Â “If UEZ funding is cut, it will have a huge impact on our decision to continue JC Fridays,” Goodman says. “We’d like to keep it going. We’ve faced this problem in the past, but it’s going to be a challenge. The future of JC Fridays is a little uncertain at this point.”

Designed to stimulate the local economy, the Everything Jersey City Festival is sponsored by corporations, local businesses, government officials, city agencies and non-profit community groups serving the Jersey City area including Capital One Bank, Christ Hospital, LibertyHealth/Jersey City Medical Center, Metro Honda, City of Jersey City, City of Jersey City Division of Cultural Affairs, County of Hudson, County of Hudson Cultural Affairs and Tourism, C-Town Supermarkt, El Sabroso Restaurant, Footprints Realty, Goehrig’s Bakery, Hauptman Carpets, Hudson County Community College, Infinite Print, Jersey City Incinerator Authority, Jersey City Independent, Jersey City Parking Authority, Milrose Consultants Inc, Panepinto Properties, PSE&G, Spectra Energy, State Farm Insurance, Stop & Shop Supermarkets, Susan Newman Design, Inc., The American Flag Company, the Hudson Reporter, Jersey Journal, Jersey City UEZ Program/EDC, U.S. Representative Steve Rothman, United Water and Wells Fargo Bank.

Things may change after July, but for now, the Everything Jersey City Festival, paid for in part by the Jersey City UEZ Program promises to be a great event that celebrates community spirit and pride.

Â And with a little luck come July, let’s hope it won’t be the last.

Â Â Everything Jersey City Festival

Sat, May 21,

Central Avenue between Congress and Hutton Streets

Jersey City

For more information, call CASID at 201-656-1366,or visit its website, www.centralavesid.org

For more information on the sources included in this story visit:

www.judytorres.com

www.theblackhollies.com

www.arthouseproductions.org

www.proartsjerseycity.org

www.wpanj.org

www.jcedc.org

The post Jersey City’s Got Everything -For Now first appeared on River View Observer.

NEWPORT CULTURAL FESTIVAL JERSEY CITY-FUN UNITES ALL

admin — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:20:02 +0000

River View Observer Festival Pick for Saturday, September 25th -“A wonderfulÂ FunÂ day out with theÂ family and friends.”Â

Bing.com

The Newport Neighborhood Association (“NNA”) is excited to be hosting its fourth annual International Cultural Festival on Saturday, September 25th from noon to 7:00 pm on Town Square Place, the old Pavonia Avenue, in Jersey City’s downtown Newport community.Â This location is just outside the Newport/Pavonia PATH station in Newport, across the street from the eastern entrance to the Newport Mall.Â The NNA has planned an even bigger event than last year’s Festival which drew roughly 2,500 to Newport as this year’s event will have something for all ages, many cultures, and something new, including showcasing a bike show by Grove Street Bicycles, several new performers and legos for kids.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Robert Vivien, NNA President, said that “the Festival is a multi-cultural event that will celebrate the rich diversity of Newport and Jersey City.”Â Vivien added that “the Festival is also a Charity Benefit to raise funds that will enable the NNA to continue the NNA Scholarship Fund for an eligible student. Â Â

Besides featuring a large cross-section of music and dance including Asian, Indian, Latino and American, the celebratory part of the Festival has local teen sensation Brady Cudmore with his band, Aphrodesia, who will perform pop tunes and dance numbers.Â Brady has a large following among Jersey City public school students.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The live entertainment doesn’t stop there – also appearing is ANEJO, fronted by Newport employee Willie Maldonado, which will provide ample rhythms to get everyone up and dancing.Â Coming back to the Newport stage is the electric Indian dance troupe, Ayesha’s Bollywood Funk NYC, which thrilled last year’s audience. China will amply be represented as both the New Tang Dynasty dancers will perform with the mystery and grace of the Orient as well as Chinese Boy, who will play an authentic ARHOO. Â The Doo Wop legends, “Select Blendz” will sing a capella classics of the ’50s and ’60s.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The children’s portion of the show includes local violin instructor Muhammad Bilal’s Childrens Classical Music Ensemble, which is comprised of a collection of up to 2 dozen kids who performed a breathtaking violin interpretation of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy;” Kala’s Indian children dancers, Legos for Kids brought to you by The LEGOMASTER and face painters and clowns round out the children’s portion of the Festival.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Festival is also a Charity Benefit to raise funds that will continue the NNA Scholarship Fund earmarked for an eligible student.Â Vivien stated that “the Festival’s substantive purpose is to address the needs of an eligible student dedicated to serving the community by providing a scholarship for him/her to fulfill a dream of attending college or for an at-risk youth to attend an after-school program.Â

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â When you get hungry, there will be plenty of fine cuisine from several cultures to choose from, including the French fare of Hoboken based “The Crepe Grill”, delights from Amiya’s north Indian cuisine and Newport’s CC Caterers, who specialize in South Indian cuisine, the Asian Fusion of Nanking, the dishes of three of the most prominent Newport restaurants, the Italian fare of Newport’s own Michael Anthony’s Restaurant, Â the seafood of South City Grill and the Mexican dishes of Boca Grande.Â The Middle East will be represented by Taboulle Grill from the Newport Mall, with the lighter fare of wraps from Tommy2 Scoops.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Need something to wash that down? Â Michael Anthony’s will be there to serve a selection of fine wines and Samuel Adams, Yuengling Lager and Coors Light beer.Â Need a pick me up to go with desserts, check out the fine pastries and coffees of the Cocoa Bakery, Jersey City’s newest addition founded by Jessica Issacs, former pastry chef at New York City’s Nobu Restaurant, as well as the homemade gelato of Tommy2 Scoops.Â

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â What other fun is there to be had?Â Kids will enjoy the clowns and face painting as well as the children’s boutique, Giggles n Barks, and Legos for Kids brought by The Legomaster.Â Christ Hospital will have tables to provide blood pressure testing, Modells Sporting Goods will hold Raffles; Metro PCS will be signing folks up for new cell phone service and Mandarin Together Fun will sign folks up for Chinese language classes. Â Â

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â And to meet the NNA’s goal of establishing the NNA Scholarship Fund, there will be an Auction and Raffle to raise funds with donated items from prominent local merchants, including a weekend stay at the posh new Newport WESTIN with other prizes from donors such as several leading local restaurants, including Confucius.Â Donations were also provided by downtown merchants Canis Minor Pet Boutique, New York Sports Club, Runner’s High, Big Drum FRAME Shop, and Carol’s Daughter.Â

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Joseph Reiman, an NNA Trustee, says, “by reaching out to so many cultures and by presenting such an array of talent, performers, artists and culinary delights, folks are going to want to come check this out.”Â The NNA Festival’s major sponsor is Knight Capital, with Morton Williams, Amiya Restaurant, Tommy2 Scoops, South City Grill, Peerless Beverage Co., the University of Phoenix and Capital One Bank community level sponsors.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Festival is easily accessible by public transportation as Town Square Place/Pavonia Avenue is directly across from the Newport Pavonia PATH station and around the corner from the Newport Bergen-Hudson Light Rail stop by the Newport Centre Mall.Â There is also ample parking with garages nearby the Festival grounds. The RAIN Date is Saturday, October 2^nd, noon to 7 pm.

The post NEWPORT CULTURAL FESTIVAL JERSEY CITY-FUN UNITES ALL first appeared on River View Observer.

Jersey city’s -Historic Downtown Special Improvement District

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:26:08 +0000

HDSID is a public-private partnership through which property owners and business owners have a direct impact on Historic Downtown Jersey City neighborhoods and their development. HDSID works with local businesses, property owners and neighborhood associations in conjunction with the City government to promote the area, improve the services provided and undertake any and all activity to make Historic Downtown Jersey City a better place to live, work and visit.

Working with local businesses, cultural organizations and neighborhood groups to promote the area and make downtown Jersey City a better place to live, work and visit.

LearnÂ More- http://www.jcdowntown.org/

Business in the Historic Downtown Special Improvement District

3rd Edge Communications