Our nation’s recent tragedy may have delayed Hoboken’s Arts & Music Festival, but it’s not going to stop it. The city’s biannual festival, originally scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 23, will take place instead on Sunday, Sept. 30 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. along Washington Street (from Newark to Seventh Street). As always, the mile-square city’s main strip will be transformed into a marketplace for over 300 artists, photographers and craftspeople with three outdoor performance stages and more than 30 international food vendors.
"Considering what’s going on, we’re doing what we can to make it as fun for people as possible," Geri Fallo, Hoboken’s director of cultural affairs, said last week.
Two stages will be set up at the ends of the festival featuring music ranging from bluegrass to country to swing to salsa to jazz to rock ‘n’ roll. Specifically, this year’s festival will feature the musical talents of Herman’s Hermits starring the British heartthrob Peter Noone , Richie Havens, The Moonlighters, Swingadelic, Fuerza Juvenil, Abbie Rivers, Jose Conde Band, Eugene, The Damn Lovelys, and Fuerza Juvenil (The Backstreet Boys of salsa).
The third stage, located on Washington and Third streets, will feature magic acts, storytelling and musical entertainment catering to children all day long. There will also be face paining, pony rides, and a moonwalk to entertain the kids.
Along with the art and music, the city will set up a World Trade Center Relief tent where they will sell T-shirts to raise money for the recovery effort. The Red Cross will also be on hand collecting donations and offering information.
"I’ve had two vendors who have offered to donate all of their proceeds to the Red Cross, and several vendors have offered to donated 10 percent of their gross profits to the relief effort," Fallo said. "People need the festival as morale booster, and if we can raise money for the cause, that makes the whole event worth while."
The festival is being sponsored locally by The Hudson Reporter newspapers, New Jersey Lottery, PATH, TDI, WNEW, News 12 NJ, NJ Online, Viacom Outdoor Systems, and The Trust Company Bank of NJ.
The rain date is Oct. 7. For more information, call 420-2207.
The Festival’s lineup
First Street Stage
Noon: The Moonlighters
1 p.m.: Eugene
2 p.m.: Swingadelic
3:15 p.m.: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
5 p.m.: Richie Havens
Sixth Street Stage
Noon: Ernie Contri
1 p.m.: The Damn Lovelys
1:45 p.m.: Abbie Rivers
2:30 p.m.: Gene D. Plumber
3:45 p.m.: Jose Conde Band
5 p.m.: Fuerza Juvenil
Third Street Stage
Noon: Danny Alderman, a.k.a. Kin Eagle
12:45 p.m.: Karl’s Circus Comedy
1:45 p.m.: Danny Alderman, a.k.a. Kin Eagle
2:30 p.m.: Storytelling by Lisa Derenzes
3:15 p.m.: Karl’s Circus Comedy
4:15 p.m.: Storytelling by Lisa Derenzes
5 p.m.: Manny and Joy