Cozy up to a dazzling, sip-tacular Saturday at The 2025 Jersey City Craft Beer Festival, a blockbuster beer extravaganza that will wow your palate and level up your fall with incredible flavors. We’re talking 3.5 Hours of endless brews, taking place at the stunning Harborside Atrium starting at 6:00pm on Saturday March 22, 2025. Views of the Manhattan skyline and waterfront vibes? We’re all in!

Access to 3.5 Hours of Tastings of 100+ Ales, Porters, IPA’s Sours and more sourced from local, national, and international breweries

Casual beer enthusiasts to beer aficionados will find bliss, so take your souvenir tasting glass and drink up! Just steps from the waterfront, immerse yourself in this stunning autumnal escape with unrivaled views of the city and the shimmering Hudson River. This expansive, light-filled space will play host to an adventure where every pour feels like a journey through vineyards far and wide.

Interactive games and live music will level up the energy as you and your crew make your way through a staggering array of libations. Each bottle has been curated to showcase exquisite wines, featuring revered labels like Tom River Brewing, Angry Erik Brewing, Birdsmouth Beer, Jersey Cyclone, Czig Meister and more. The brewers themselves will be deck, eager to unveil their coveted creations and answer all your viticulture-related questions.

As you bite into eats like Angry Archie’s Lobster Rolls, Chavas Empanadas and more (for purchase) the golden hues of the sunset reflect off the Freedom Tower and the skyline transforms into a masterpiece, raise a glass to an unforgettable Saturday…

Jersey City Craft Beer Fest

harborside atrium

6-9:30PM

Jersey City, NJ 

https://beerfestnewyork.com/jersey-city-craft-brew-fest

The post 2025 Jersey City Beer Craft Festival first appeared on River View Observer.

Yoga, Dance, Music, Film, and so much more 

By Sally Deering

Summerâ€s just around the corner and after the winter we had, every day should feel like the 4^th of July. One of the many benefits of living here on the Hudson is not only our close proximity to all things Manhattan, but the many activities that are offered either on the water or close to it. From kayaking to dance performances to film screenings on a starry night, there are plenty of fun things to do this summer; hereâ€s a sampling…..

SUMMER ENCHANTED EVENINGS

Hoboken Concert Series

Thurs, 7 pm: Jun 25-Aug 20

Sinatra Park Amphitheater

Between 4^th & 5^th Streets, Sinatra Drive, Hoboken

www.hobokennj.org

Music under the stars; what a great way to spend a weekday night. Hobokenâ€s Cultural Affairs department presents free outdoor performances this summer with a little something for everyone.   And donâ€t miss the community play along on Thurs, July 23^rd when the Guitar Bar All Stars attempt to beat the worldâ€s record for “Most People Playing a Stringed Instrument on the Same Song”. Hundreds of local musicians gathered for a group performance of Bob Dylanâ€s “Knockin†on Heavenâ€s Door” last year. Tutorials are provided for guitar, mandolin and ukulele on the Guitar Barâ€s YouTube page, so start practicing for that world record. Hereâ€s the summer line-up!

Jun 25:   Karen Kuhl Band and Christine Santelli Band

Jul 2:      Hoboken All Star Jam featuring Krystal

Jul 9:      Hoboken Summer Bash hosted by Frank Raia

Jul 16:                The Gordys and Abbe River & Friends

Jul 23:                Guitar Bar All Stars

Jul 30:    Ray Rodriguez y Swing Savroso.

Aug 6:    Skanatra (reunion concert)

Aug 13:  Swingadelic

Aug 20:  Julio Fernandez & Friends featuring a Top Flite / Park Ave Band Reunion

Kayak & Paddle-Board the Hudson

Hudson River Recreation

(914) 682-5135

www.kayakhudson.com

If youâ€re looking for some interactive fun in the water, why not explore the historic Hudson in a kayak, with lessons and tours offered by Hudson River Recreation. Since 1998, its experienced staff has guided thousands of kayakers – from beginner to pro – “through some of the most stunning waterways in New York.” Their program lineup includes regularly scheduled guided kayak tours, instructional kayak lessons, recreational and touring kayak rentals, stand up paddle boarding tours, lessons, and rentals. In addition, they offer special events like fireworks paddles, moonlight paddles, and kayoga (kayaking & yoga).

 MOVIES UNDER THE STARS

Wednesday nights at 9 pm:

Jun 17 & 24; Jul 8, 15, 22 & 29; and at 8:15 pm Aug 5, 12 & 19

Pier “A” Park

First St & Sinatra Drive, Hoboken

Instead of spending Wednesday nights watching MODERN FAMILY reruns, why not grab a blanket or lawn chair and head over to Pier “A” Park in Hoboken for some free movies under the stars. You may bring a picnic, but no booze (subject to a fine). Assisted-listening devices are available, but must be reserved three weeks in advance (call 201-420-2207). Hereâ€s the lineup:

Jun 24: THE IMITATION GAME, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley.

Jul 8:  SAVING MR. BANKS, starring Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson.

Jul 15: BIRDMAN, starring Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, and Edward Norton.

Jul 22: THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, starring Frank Sinatra and Angela Lansbury.

Jul 29: BIG HERO 6, Academy Award Winner for Best Animated Feature Film.

Aug 5: CINDERELLA, starring Lily James, Cate Blanchett and Richard Madden.

Aug 12: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2; at 7 pm, Preschool of Rock performs.

Aug 19: Disneyâ€s FROZEN.

HUDSON RIVER DANCE FESTIVAL

Wed & Thurs, June 17, 18 at 6:30 pm

Pier 63 in Chelsea, NYC

www.HudsonRiverPark.org

A huge free treat for dance lovers, the Hudson River Dance Festival features some of the best dancers in New York as they take the stage for this celebration of Modern Dance. For two nights only; bring a blanket (chairs are not allowed on the Pier 63 lawn) and watch the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Parsons Dance and Ballet Hispanico with the Hudson at their feet.

WALK THE WATERWAY

Sun June 28, Sept 13, & Sept 27

Hudson River Waterfront Conservancy

Sponsored Waterfront Walks

www.hudsonriverwaterfront.org

To get a good view of the new and improved waterfront, the Hudson River Waterfront Conservancy (HRWC) sponsors waterfront walks that focus on different locations on the Hudson. Each waterfront walk is approximately 2-3 miles. Upcoming walks:  June 28, Bayonne, Dennis Collins Park; Sept 13, Liberty State Park, North/Liberty Marina; Sept 27, Edgewater South.

Walkers meet at 9 am and walk from 9:30 to noon and return to the starting point by 12:30 pm. Cost per walk:  $5 per person, payable in cash or check on day of walk. Each walker will be asked to sign a release form. To sign up, email walks@hudsonriverwaterfront.org with your contact info, date of the walk you are interested in, and number of walkers.

RIVER DANCE

Thurs, Jul 9 – Aug 13, 6:30 pm

The Kennedy Dancers

1. Owen Grundy Pier

Exchange Place, Jersey City

(201) 659-2190

www.kennedydancers.org

The Kennedy Dancers†Professional Company and Inner City Youth Junior Dance Company perform on the J. Owen Grundy Pier with the Manhattan Skyline as their backdrop, and as part of Jersey City’s Summer Dance Festival Series.

DOWNWARD DOG ON THE PIER

Free Waterfront Yoga by Michelle Timek

Sat, July 11, Aug. 8, Sept 12, 9-10:15 am

1. Owen Grundy Pier

Exchange Place, JC

(201) 357-7292       

www.michelletimekyoga.com

 

Bring your yoga mat, a bottle of water, and your pals to free yoga on the waterfront by Michelle Timek who teaches yoga in downtown Jersey City. In 2010, Timek began offering free guided yoga sessions on the Hudson to give the community the chance to enjoy the experience of yoga with the beautiful skyline in the background. What began as a small gathering grew to more than 60 participants at each class last summer. Timek focuses on movement, breath, laughter, fun, ease, playfulness and discovery. “It’s quite a magical site and feeling to see everyone gathered together in front of the glistening water and skyscrapers, collectively saluting the morning sun. The energy, views and experience is all so amazing. We’re so excited for this season to do it all over again.”

The post Fun Hudson-Great Things to Do and See on the Hudson Waterfront first appeared on River View Observer.

MAYOR MARK A. SMITH HAS DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN THE CITY OF BAYONNE, EFFECTIVE AT 6:00 P.M. SUNDAY NIGHT. WE ASK THAT ALL NON-ESSENTIAL VEHICLES STAY OFF THE ROADS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. HIGH WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS ARE EXPECTED. THE CITY OF BAYONNE IS ASKING RESIDENTS TO AVOID PARKING IN AREAS THAT HAVE FLOODED IN THE PAST. WE SUGGEST THAT RESIDENTS IN FLOOD-PRONE AREAS MOVE THEIR VEHICLES TO PUBLIC SCHOOL PARKING LOTS. ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL PARKING LOTS WILL BE OPEN FOR PUBLIC PARKING DURING THE EMERGENCY, BEGINNING AT 6:00 P.M. SUNDAY.

WE ARE ESTABLISHING SHELTERS AT TWO PUBLIC SCHOOLS BEGINNING AT 8:00 A.M. MONDAY. THOSE TWO SCHOOLS ARE NICHOLAS ORSEKO SCHOOL AT 24^TH STREET AND AVENUE E, AND MIDTOWN COMMUNITY SCHOOL AT 23^RD STREET AND AVENUE A.

IF YOU NEED HELP BEING TRANSPORTED TO ONE OF THESE SCHOOLS ON MONDAY, PLEASE CALL THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TOMORROW AFTER 8:00 A.M. AT EITHER 201-858-5805 OR 201-858-6281. AT ANY TIME, YOU MAY ALSO CALL THE MAIN BAYONNE POLICE NUMBER, WHICH IS 201-858-6900.

PLEASE MOVE PATIO FURNITURE, GRILLS, UMBRELLAS, AND OTHER LOOSE OBJECTS INSIDE TO PREVENT THEM FROM BECOMING AIRBORNE IN THE HIGH WINDS. KEEP GROUNDS AND BALCONIES CLEAR.

LOCAL DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES WILL BE ON THE JOB TO HELP RESIDENTS DURING THE STORM.

PLEASE DO NOT CALL 9-1-1 UNLESS IT IS A GENUINE EMERGENCY. THE CITY OF BAYONNE HAS ESTABLISHED TWO SPECIAL PHONE NUMBERS FOR THE CURRENT EMERGENCY. THOSE PHONE NUMBERS ARE 201-858-7183 AND 201-858-7184. FOR NON-EMERGENCY CALLS, PLEASE DIAL THE MAIN POLICE NUMBER 201-858-6900.

TO REPORT ANY DOWNED POWER LINES, CALL PSEG AT 1-800-436-PSEG.

WE WILL MAKE MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS AS NEEDED FOR YOUR SAFETY. STORM ANNOUNCEMENTS WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE ON BAY-TV CHANNEL 78 ON CABLEVISION AND CHANNEL 42 ON FIOS, AND ON THE CITY WEBSITE, WHICH IS WWW.BAYONNENJ.ORG.

BE SAFE AND STAY CALM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

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The post THE CITY OF BAYONNE HAS ISSUED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANE SANDY: first appeared on River View Observer.

With the Jersey City and New York Skyline  in the background, the Space Shuttle Enterprise rests on a Weeks Marine barge.

The Space Shuttle will sit at Weeks until Tuesday morning then transferred by Barge to Port Elizabeth before its last journey to The Intrepid Sea,  Air and Space Museum  in New York   where it will be permanently on display.

The post SPACE SHUTTLE ENTERPRISE SITS IN BAYONNE WAITING FOR ITS TRIP TO PORT ELIZABETH first appeared on River View Observer.

(New York, N.Y. – October 4, 2011)  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a plan to contain and control soil and ground water contamination at the Quanta Resources Superfund Site in Edgewater, New Jersey, which is located along the Hudson River. Soil and ground water underneath the site and adjacent properties are contaminated with arsenic, lead, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds resulting from over 100 years of past industrial activities in the area. Exposure to these pollutants can have serious health effects, and in some cases, increase the risk of cancer. Because of the nature and complexity of the contamination at the 15-acre site, EPA divided the investigation and cleanup into two phases – one addressing the contaminated soil and ground water and the other focused on contamination in the river. The final plan announced today is the first phase of the long-term cleanup. A future cleanup plan will address contamination in the Hudson River.

The plan to address the contaminated soil and ground water was proposed in July 2010. To encourage public participation, EPA held a public comment period that ran over 60 days, conducted two public meetings and carefully reviewed input from over 70 interested individuals or parties.

The site contains an estimated 150,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil requiring treatment to protect people that may come into contact with it. EPA will solidify and stabilize areas of soil contaminated with oily liquid and arsenic by turning them into leak-proof blocks underground. The process will be done in several steps. It will begin with the clearing of vegetation and debris from the surface, and the removal of approximately the first four feet of the surface soil. This material will be sent off-site for disposal at a licensed facility. EPA will treat the toxic pollutants further underground by mixing the soil with cementing materials that will harden in place. The process is similar to making concrete. Clean material will be put on top of these solid blocks.

Ground water from the site flows to the surface water of the Hudson River. EPA will remove pollutants from the ground water by installing an underground barrier system that will allow the ground water to flow naturally through a special material capable of removing contaminants. The ground water barrier will be monitored and deed restrictions will be put in place to restrict the use of ground water from the site and other activities. Throughout the cleanup, monitoring, testing and further studies will be conducted to ensure the effectiveness of the remedy.

Some of the areas of soil contaminated by oily liquid are under buildings on a neighboring property, 115 River Road. These buildings, which are currently occupied by a number of small businesses, will remain in place in the short-term and the contaminated material beneath them will be managed in place. EPA has determined that there is not an immediate need to demolish the buildings. A system to keep potentially harmful vapors from the contaminated soil and ground water from entering the buildings will be installed. This is a precaution since periodic indoor air testing at these buildings since 2002 shows that exposure to vapors is not currently occurring.  In addition, a barrier wall will be installed to isolate the pollutants underneath the buildings and keep them from seeping into the Hudson River. The contaminants under the buildings will be treated by a solidification and stabilization method when this property is eventually redeveloped.

Sediment near the site in the Hudson River also contains elevated levels of arsenic, lead, poly aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds and oily liquids. EPA is completing separate studies of the Hudson River contamination that will lead to a second and final cleanup plan for the site.

The Quanta site, located on River Road at the intersection of Gorge Road in Edgewater, was built as a coal tar facility beginning in the 1880s.  In the 1970s, the site’s “tank farm” was used to store waste oil prior to reprocessing. The state of New Jersey closed the facility down in 1981 when some storage tanks were found to contain waste oil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls. Between 1985 and 1992, EPA supervised a series of emergency actions at the site that included safely removing and disposing of millions of gallons of waste oil, sludge and contaminated water from the tanks, and cleaning and dismantling the emptied storage tanks and piping. Subsequent sampling at the site revealed the presence of residual contamination in the soil, ground water and sediment that pose a long term risk to human health and the environment. Today the site is surrounded by a thriving waterfront community of businesses, apartment buildings and major roadways. The site was added to the federal Superfund list in September 2002.

Visit EPA’s webpage for additional information about the Quanta site or to view the Record of Decision: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/quanta

The post EPA Announces Cleanup Plan for Quanta Resources Superfund Site in Edgewater, New Jersey first appeared on River View Observer.

On the morning of the 9/11 attack, Jersey City photographer Sandra Swieder grabbed her camera and notebook and headed to the waterfront where she captured the heroic rescue and recovery efforts of firefighters, police officers, doctors, nurses, EMTs and other volunteers. In the days and months that followed, Swieder continued to photograph and collect stories from survivors, witnesses and emergency responders this side of the Hudson.

 On Sept. 1 and running through Sept. 15, Art House Productions, a non-profit organization committed to the development and presentation of performing and visual arts in Jersey City presents “From Across the River,” a photography exhibition by Swieder that captures the events of September 11th from the New Jersey perspective.

 “With the tenth anniversary coming up, we thought it was a very important story to tell,” Arthouse Productions’ Executive Director Christine Goodman says. “Some people say ‘who wants to relive these images? But Sandra’s photographs have hope, too. What Sandra’s done is document the people and their stories and the real strength of the everyday individuals who rose up that day.”

On the morning of September 11, 2001, after the attacks on the World Trade Center, Hudson County’s waterfront became the hub for emergency personnel, volunteers and over 200,000 survivors who were ferried from lower Manhattan to the Jersey waterfront. When they arrived on the Jersey side – in Hoboken and Jersey City – thousands were decontaminated and triaged, some were hospitalized and given shelter.

That waterfront triage in Jersey City became a five-block radius of emergency personnel, volunteers and family members and the staging area at Exchange Place turned into a lifeline to “Ground Zero.” Swieder, with her camera and notebook, documented the events. She established relationships with key emergency personnel, collected their stories and created a historical record of images and personal accounts and put it all together in “From Across the River.” The exhibit consists of photography and interviews of First Responders, with approximately thirty images ranging from 11×14 to 6 ft. Images have been produced on a number of different mediums such as Plexiglas, canvas and photographic paper. The exhibition will also include a memorial sculpture of reclaimed steel from Ground Zero by artist Matt Johnson.

“It is extremely important to preserve the history of events that transpired on the Jersey side,” Swieder says. “This project illustrates what took place along the Hudson River and how New Jersey responded to the immediate needs of lower Manhattan that Tuesday morning and in the days, weeks and months following.”

Goodman says “From Across the River,” is a powerful exhibition but absolutely essential to our culture and history.

 “It’s preserving the history of what happened on the Hudson River that day and how our New Jersey community came together with New York,” Goodman says, “and how our emergency responders, our citizens, police officers, firefighters and everyday people rose up in this time of need. The work is powerful. It’s preserving our history and honoring these people. Sandra’s work is about healing and community.”

 Funding for “From Across the River” is by Hudson County Executive Thomas A. DeGise, the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Hudson County Office of Cultural Affairs & Heritage/Tourism Development.  The exhibit will be up for two weeks at Arthouse Productions and then moved to the Brennan Courthouse where it will be installed for the public to view in the Theodore Conrad Rotunda from Sept. 22 through Oct.14.

 .”It’s not only about us, it’s much bigger,” Swieder says. “My intentions are for it to travel. I think people really need to understand what happened that day. My energies are positive. I’m a single mom with a three year-old. How do I tell the future generations what happened that day? What images do they have of the firemen, the twisted metal and the dust-covered buildings? This is a different perspective. I tried to capture the beauty and the unity of the people that day. Maybe this can bring some closure, some healing. People can look at the worst day of American history in a different light.”

Now to Sept.15th

From Across the River

Art House Productions
One McWilliams Place
(Housed in the former St. Francis Hospital Building, SE corner of Hamilton Park)
Jersey City, NJ

For more info or to schedule a viewing appointment, call (201) 915-9911 or email info@arthouseproductions.org.
Opening reception: Thurs, Sept 1, 7-10 p.m. 

Gallery Open:  Sept. 9^th, 7-9 p.m.

Closing reception: Sept 15, 7-9 p.m.

Additional viewings by appointment; to schedule a visit call 201-915-911

 

Special Anniversary Gallery Openings
Sat. and Sun, Sept. 10 and 11, 12-6 p.m.

The post From Across the River: Images and Reflections of September 11th from the Jersey Side first appeared on River View Observer.

Photos by Steveamack.com

USING PAIR OF CIRCLE LINE SIGHTSEEING SHIPS, GLOBETROTTERS ATTEMPTED HISTORIC SHOTS OVER WATER WITH LOCAL STUDENTS CHEERING ON
         This past  Tuesday, February 15 at 11 a.m.With two basketball hoops placed on one Circle Line Sightseeing ship on the Hudson River, Harlem Globetrotters Big Easy Lofton and Buckets Blakes  boarded a second ship and attempt the first 4-point shots over water.  

Elementary school students from nearby PS 111  cheered on the shooting exhibition followed by a Circle Line cruise with the Globetrotters.  Aboard the boat, Big Easy and Buckets gave a motivational presentation while incorporating the Globetrotters’ signature moves.

The 4-point shot will make its NYC debut on the basketball court at Madison Square Garden on Friday, Feb. 18, one of six games in the area from Feb. 18-21.  The Globetrotters will also take the court at the IZOD Center and Nassau Coliseum.  Fans can purchase tickets at HarlemGlobetrotters.com or Ticketmaster.com.

Throughout the Globetrotters’ 2011 “4 Times the Fun” Tour, every Globetrotters game features two designated 4-point shooting circles on each side of mid-court, each located 35 feet from the basket (12 feet beyond the NBA 3-point line).

The post HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS TAKE THEIR NEW 4-POINT SHOT TO HUDSON RIVER first appeared on River View Observer.

By Sally Deering

 International street artists like “Big Foot,” “Kid Zoom,” Jason Maloney and Ron English travel the globe creating art on the urban landscape. The artists – all world renown – paint murals on big concrete canvases like bridges, embankment walls and building facades that draw tourists, bring ka-ching to a city’s coffers and transform dilapidated structures into works of art. And because they’re painted on concrete walls, the artists’ works can’t be bought or sold or compete with the gallery sales of their paintings, so they do it all for free.

 

The Jersey City Street Art Initiative is like many public art happenings taking place in cities around the world. English, a Jersey City resident, worked with several street artists on a “Separation Wall” in Palestine and just returned from Miami, Florida where he was invited by real estate mogul Tony Goldwyn to create murals in a neighborhood of broken-down buildings to help transform it into a hip and happening hub of homes and restaurants. (Back in the day, Goldwyn initiated the transformation of Soho in New York City from a neighborhood of abandoned warehouses into a hip and thriving upscale arts district.)

 

“In Miami, that whole neighborhood is being filled with murals by most of the famous street artists on the planet and now they have all these galleries there and really nice restaurants,” English says. “We did murals on a Separation Wall in Palestine and people flew in from Tokyo and Switzerland to see the murals we worked on. Then I go back to Jersey City and wonder why we can’t get something going on here. If we had a big mural project we could attract tons of tourists and catch a boon to the economy.”

 

English took his idea to Greg Brickey, art curator at the Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs (and also an artist) and Bob Antonicello, Executive Director of the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency who embraced the opportunity to transform some of Jersey City’s blight spots into works of art. Since the Initiative began more than a year ago, several murals have already gone up. On the brick façade of the Hudson County Art Supply building on Newark Avenue and Coles Street, English, Big Foot and Jason Maloney created a whimsical mural depicting a wide-eyed child in shorts and T-shirt emblazoned with an upside-down peace sign. Several artists including

Christian Santiago and Megan Gulick of Jersey City are painting a block-long concrete wall between Oakland and Baldwin facing the General pencil factory. And Big Foot, who English describes as “Rembrandt with a spray can,” has been working on a section of an embankment wall on Baldwin Avenue near Journal Square. Plans are also in the works for a temporary wall gallery in the east plaza of the Powerhouse station in downtown Jersey City.

 “There’s an explosion of street art here,” Brickey says. “Every two weeks another piece goes up. We’re not focusing on one area. We’re looking for spots where the work will fit into the environment and become part of the environment rather than disrupt what’s happening. The plan is really to let it happen in the most organic way possible.”

 On a walk in the Heights section of Jersey City, you’ll come across a mural of bright colored fish, ducks and bunnies on the side of Daisy’s Cleaners, a 20-foot-by-25-foot brick wall on the corner of South Street and Central Avenue. The mural is by Megan Gulick, a local artist who is also one of the artists painting the block-long mural on Baldwin.

 “I like painting big and I thought it would be fun,” Gulick says. “I’m more of an illustrative painter and most of my work has been indoors and I want my stuff to be bigger and I don’t care if they sell. I also want to give back to my community.”

 Gulick says she enjoyed painting the mural on Central Avenue because it got her in touch with the people in the Heights neighborhood.

 “I met a lot of great people in the Heights, some special little kids,” Gulick says. “One little girl gave me a bracelet and I gave her a little fish painting. There’s definitely a community there and I’ve gotten some honest responses to the mural. It’s a very colorful, bright happy piece and a tribute to the Heights.”

 As Executive Director of Jersey City’s Redevelopment Agency, Antonicello sees the Jersey City Art Initiative following in the footsteps of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Project, where street artists paint murals featuring the likenesses of real people who live and work in Philly’s neighborhoods. The mural painted at the Hub, an intersection on Martin Luther King Drive in the Greenville section of Jersey City was a neighborhood-based project painted by street artists, local children and teachers from Snyder High School.

“We call these types of projects soft redevelopment,” Antonicello says. “It’s not bricks and mortar, but just as important because it sends a positive message to the people who work and live in that neighborhood.”

 Jersey City stands right across the Hudson River from New York City, the art capital of the world where internationally-acclaimed artists display their works in museums and galleries and outside in parks and on the city’s streets. According to Antonicello, approximately 30,000 artists (in the visual and performing arts) claim art or art-related work as a large source of their personal income. They make Jersey City their home, in part, because of its proximity to New York. At least that’s how it starts. Then, as the artists settle in they begin to fall in love with the place, make friends with their neighbors, raise families and get involved in their community.

 “We’re lucky in Jersey City to have this community of artists here,” Antonicello says. “They are the invisible hand bringing art to the people. Not everyone can go to a gallery or museum, but if you’re walking down Central Avenue to the Brennan Court House, take a moment when you’re on Baldwin Avenue and look up at the wall. You’re going to be somewhat stunned, 140-yards of top-notch street art in what was a pretty ugly spot.”

 The Jersey City Street Art Initiative is not city funded or federally funded, but accepts private donations that Antonicello says are easily offered by members of the community. When Antonicello approaches local real estate developers for donations, he never gets ‘no’ for an answer, he says, and so far the Initiative has raised $18,000, much of it used for summer job salaries for the kids involved in the Hub mural and stipends for the artists along with paint supplies. Other donations roll in too, like 20-gallons of primer they just received.

The mission of the Jersey City Street Art Initiative is to bring art into local neighborhoods in locations that will have the most impact on the community.

Public art has always been a part of human history,” Antonicello says. “In Jersey City, we don’t have commissioned outdoor art, so how do we fill that need?  We choose good walls, good canvases in highly visible locations where a statement can be made, where people can be uplifted and with the help of artists like Ron English, we’re presenting a high-level of art to the people. We’re not rendering any opinion that people will like everything they see, that’s the nature of art. Leondardo Da Vinci was an artist and so is Kid Zoom and so are the kids who painted the mural at the Hub, in their own right. For the folks going into the Hub, all those kids were Leonardo Da Vincis.”

 For more information, go to www.thejcra.org

Here are some more  photos of Wall Art captured by our photographer Newsboi around Hudson County. These photo’s may not represent wall art affliated with the Jersey City Arts Intiative.

The post WALL ART-INTERNATIONAL STREET ARTISTS TURN JERSEY CITY BLIGHT INTO PRICELESS ART first appeared on River View Observer.