9/11 Interfaith Memorial Service
The Hoboken community will come together on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 2 p.m. on the southeast corner of Hoboken’s Pier A Park to share in its annual September 11th Interfaith Memorial Service for the victims, their families, the City of Hoboken, and the entire nation.
All are invited to attend.
“Fifty-six Hoboken residents were lost on Sept. 11, 2001,” stated the media release on the service, which also provided an update on the town’s 9/11 memorial.
The release ssaid an estimated $1.47 million “is in place for construction of Hoboken’s 9/11 memorial.”
A glass manufacturer has successfully demonstrated a method to strengthen the panels to make them structurally suitable for the memorial. This month the manufacturer successfully fabricated one of the glass panels and mounted it to the steel base as a demonstration and proof of concept for how all the panels for the memorial will be fabricated and mounted.
“Architectural plans and bid specifications are being finalized, and then the project will be going out to bid for construction,” said the release provided by the city.
Volunteer for CASA
Learn how to become a CASA volunteer and help foster children find safe and permanent homes. You may attend an information session at the Hudson County Courthouse, 595 Newark Ave. Rm 901 on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m. An additional info session will be held in Weehawken on Wednesday, Sept. 21 in the community room of Riva Pointe Condos at 7 p.m. For further information, visit www.hudsoncountycasa.org
Oysterfest takes place Sept. 17
Oysterfest, one of the largest oyster festivals in the country, is coming to Pier A in Hoboken on Sept. 17 from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The festival will have performances by Wyclef Jean, Icona Pop, Plain White T’s, Desiigner and Nico & Vinz.
Oysters from both east and west coasts and a variety of beers and a full bar will be available throughout the festival.
Event attendees must be 21 years of age or older and no bags will be allowed in the venue and no outside food or beverages will be permitted.
General admission is $53.75 per person, reserved seating is $100 per person, and the ticket prices do not include food and drink.
A private table for eight persons costs $1,750 and does include food and drinks. All ticket sales are final, no refunds.
More information can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oysterfest-hoboken-tickets-21023397548, and there is a link to allow attendees to reserve parking at nearby garages.
Actor Douglas Taurel honors veterans in ‘The American Soldier’
Stage, film, and television actor Douglas Taurel will perform his solo show “The American Soldier” on Sept. 9, 10 and 11 at Mile Square Theatre, Hoboken.
Based on factual stories and accounts from soldiers and family member letters written from the American Revolution all the way through current day Afghanistan, the play examines the internal struggles and problems that soldiers face when returning home from combat.
“I tell the story with a through line and a message I am trying to communicate and not chronologically,” Taurel said. “I play soldiers ranging from Revolution, Civil War, World War I, WWII, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. A father in the wake of his soldier son’s suicide, a wife and son dealing with the father’s absence while he is away and a grieving mother remembering her son and his story of how he died.”
Taurel described his hope that the audience would came away from his play with a “deeper admiration and appreciation of sacrifice.”
“It’s a different time that we live in,” he said, “because with WWII for example, everyone knew someone who went off to war – you had a father, neighbor, brother, someone – and now civilians don’t have as much of a direct connection to it.”
“The American Soldier” received four stars at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland and has been nominated for an Amnesty International Award.
In 55 minutes, enhanced by an interplay of sound and lights, Taurel enters into the personas of 14 veterans and their family members, telling their stories of courage and sacrifice. “The American Soldier” exposes their flaws, and their scars, with both darkness and humor.
Taurel describes ”The American Soldier,” as more than a play, as a journey through the American story, with moments that resound with lasting meaning for both audiences old enough to remember, and those young enough to yearn for inspiration.
“This is a true work of passion,” Taurel said, “and I deeply hope that audiences will go away with a deeper appreciation of the tremendous sacrifice our servicemen and servicewomen, and their families, have made for our country.”
The play has garnered extravagant praise from critics: ”Onstage Taurel commits totally to his characters…flawlessly and powerful” (The Huffington Post)… ”Taurel gives each voice a sensitive, moving presence…he is utterly believable” (British Theatre Guide) ”Moved by the devotion of the performer” (Broadway Baby)… ”Edgy and adrenaline fuelled” (The Scotsman).
Taurel’s screen credits include playing tough and edgy characters in television programs including “Nurse Jackie,” “Believe,” “NYC 22,” “Damages,” “The Americans,” “Person of Interest,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Following.” His recent film credits include a supporting role in the 2015 feature film “The Cobbler,” directed by Oscar nominated Tom McCarthy and starring Adam Sandler and Dustin Hoffman.
The play is directed by Padraic Lillis, who was recently named to the Indie Theater Hall of Fame and Indie Theater Person of the Year in New York.
For booking information, contact douglas@douglastaurel.com or (917) 734-4570. Learn more about The American Soldier by visiting www.TheAmericanSoldierSoloShow.com.
To order tickets visit www.MileSquareTheatre.org. The theater is located at 1408 Clinton St, in Hoboken, phone (201) 683-7014.
Hoboken Hosts 23rd Fall Arts & Music Festival featuring Spyro Gyra
The Fall Arts & Music Festival takes place Sept. 25 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Washington Street between Observer Highway and 7th Street.
Spyro Gyra is a contemporary jazz band who observed their 40th year as a band in 2014. Other performers include Swingadelic, The Amazing Incredibles, Hudson City Rats, Zydeco Revelators, Mya Hansen, Jeremy Beck & the Uptown Horns, Chrissy Roberts, Emily & the Ideals, Preschool of Rock, Jason Didner & the Jungle Gym Jam, and more.
Admission to the festival is free and features three stages of live music food and craft vendors.
Over 300 artists, crafters, photographers, food vendors, local business, and more will participate in the festival
A special kid’s section with rides, games, face painting, sand art, entertainment can be found on 3rd Street.
Fine artists will be located between 2nd and 3rd Streets, 5th and 6th Streets, and artists from the Monroe Center for the Arts will be found between First & Newark Streets. Oil paintings, watercolors, acrylics, sculpture, mixed media, and photography will be found in these sections.
Hoboken restaurants will set up street cafes offering an eclectic variety of international foods such as Thai, Indian, Greek, French, Mexican, Cajun and Italian.
The media release provided by the city of Hoboken also thanked its sponsors including
Suez, NJ Lottery, WFUV, The Hudson Reporter and This Is It Stage Productions.
Additional support provided by: Walgreens, Capital One Bank, Inserra Shop Rite of Hoboken, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Anthony Davids, and Losurdo Brothers Deli / Tony’s Italian Bakery.
For more information call 201-420-2207 or go to http://hobokennj.gov/departments/human-services/cultural-affairs/arts-music-festival/
Hoboken Grace Organizes Community Service Day
Hoboken Grace Community Church announced its sixth annual 1Day event on Sept 24th. The media release stated that “Hundreds are expected to take part in making Hoboken better” through the day devoted to community service.
Volunteers will gather at Church Square Park located between 4th and 5th Streets and Willow and Garden Streets at 10 a.m and then spread throughout Hoboken to spend a few hours working on projects. At 1:30 p.m. volunteers will come back together for an after-party at House of Que at 340 Sinatra Dr. to celebrate their accomplishments.
“Over the past five years, 1Day has helped to build relationships with people in our community,” said Anthony Reimer, the churches outreach director. “People come together and are working alongside each other. Many of us in this city don’t know our neighbors and this has been a great way to build those relationships. We have been able to build relationships with local organizations while improving our city.”
This year Hoboken Grace will team up with Generosity Feeds an organization, which feeds local children in need.
The media release stated that more volunteers are needed to help package “ten thousand meals in less than two hours.”
“A typical packaging event for Generosity Feeds will take two hours with 175 people packing,” said Reimer. “Generosity Feeds provides the training and we pack the food. At the event, food is funneled into serving size packages, heat sealed and boxed for distribution. All meals are parent, school principal, and child approved. This is a family event and children as young as 3 years old can help. We hope that you will join us this year as we address poverty issues in our own community.”
In addition to Generosity Feeds, 1Day work will take place at many of the city’s parks and playgrounds where volunteers will clean up and beautify those areas. Volunteers will also collect food and supplies at the Acme grocery store at 614 Clinton St to be donated to the Hoboken shelter.
To participate in 1Day, sign up at www.1DayHoboken.com or meet on September 24th at Church Square Park at 10 a.m.
Hoboken mayor declares Molfetta Day
On Wednesday, Sept. 7, Mayor Dawn Zimmer, in conjunction with the Societa Madonna Dei Martiri, the Juventus Club of Hoboken, and the Federazione Molfettesi d’America, officially established an annual Molfetta Day in Hoboken to be celebrated on the final day of the Annual Festival of Madonna Dei Martiri (Hoboken Italian Festival).
“I am proud to officially declare the last day of the festival as Molfetta Day in Hoboken to recognize the traditions and contributions of the people of Molfetta,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “We appreciate all that they have done to make Hoboken the great city that it is today.”
The City of Hoboken has a long history and shared tradition with the Town of Molfetta, Italy. In the late 1800s and continuing into the 1900s, as many people emigrated from southern Italy to the United States, the Molfettese people found Hoboken to be similar to Molfetta in many ways. Both were maritime communities with shipping as the largest industry.
Since the turn of the last century, the Madonna Dei Martiri Feast has been celebrated in some form in the City of Hoboken, with the first Statue of the Madonna arriving in the United States on Oct. 4, 1928. The Hoboken Italian Festival is derived from a festival in Italy that is over 600 years old.
This year, the Hoboken Italian Festival is currently underway at Sinatra Park until Sunday, Sept. 11. The highlight of the feast is the daylong procession through the streets of Hoboken, including a reenactment of the “Blessing of the Fleet” in the Hudson River.
The Societa Madonna Dei Martiri was incorporated on Oct. 31, 1927 and was affiliated with St. Ann’s Parish until 1938. In 1950, the Society purchased the property at 332 Adams St. which remains the home of Societa Madonna Dei Martiri to this day.
Man arrested after he allegedly slaps woman on buttocks in Hoboken
The Hoboken Police Department arrested a 31-year-old Jersey City resident Jose Avano for alleged criminal sexual contact in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
Officers were dispatched to the area of Third and Washington streets on a report of a female who was allegedly touched inappropriately.
The victim alleged that a man slapped her on the buttocks when she was walking north of Washington Street and he was walking opposite her.
A description was given to all units in the area and several minutes later, PO Vincent Lombardi stopped a male fitting the description. He was identified and placed under arrest just before 1 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 6.
Avano was charged with criminal sexual contact and was given a bail of $1,000.
Mayor Dawn Zimmer thanks Quentin Wiest for his service to Hoboken
Business Administrator Quentin Wiest will be leaving the Hoboken administration to take a position as business administrator closer to his home in northern New Jersey.
His last day will be Oct. 13.
Municipal Manager Stephen Marks, who has worked closely with Wiest, will be appointed by Mayor Zimmer as the new Business Administrator.
“I thank Quentin Wiest for his incredible service to Hoboken,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “Working together as a team along with Stephen Marks, we achieved a AA+ bond rating, stabilized municipal taxes, adopted fiscally sound budgets, and advanced important infrastructure projects including upgrading water mains, creating new resiliency parks, repaving more than a fifth of our roads, and moving ahead with the repaving and revitalization of Washington Street this fall. I wish Quentin the very best and am proud to appoint Stephen Marks as our new Business Administrator.”
Hoboken Comedy Festival Brings Seven Years of Good Laughs
Celebrating its 7th year in 2016, the Hoboken Comedy Festival will begin Monday Sept. 26 and continue through Sunday Oct. 2, with at least one show each night over the seven days.
Over the years the festival has seen the likes of Amy Schumer, Pete Davidson, Hannibal Burress, Carlos Mencia, Judah Friedlander, Ted Alexandro, Artie Lange, Todd Barry, and many more.
This year is no different with headliners Anthony DeVito from AXS Gotham Live, Nick Vatterott from Letterman and Comedy Central, DC Benny from HBO, Showtime, and the Apollo, Gary Vider from America’s Got Talent, Paul Vrizi, Bill Burr’s opener worldwide, Tim Dillon from Red Eye and Montreal Comedy Festival, and Drew Michael from Comedy Central.
Another large component of the festival is its charitable contributions.
“Giving back to the community in which we impact is an integral role of entertainment,” say Festival Creator Dan Frigolette, “being able to enrich our landscape both through art and through donations we are leaving a foot print that will last lifetimes.”
This year the festival will support Jersey City’s Liberty Humane Society. A non-profit animal shelter dedicated to adoption services, low cost vet clinics for animal caretakers, the shelter serves all of Hudson County from their location on the cusp of Liberty Science Center and Liberty State Park.
In 2015, Comma, D Productions which produces the Hoboken Comedy Festival, NJFunnyfest, Make Me Laugh Contests, and the Comedy’s Best Kept Secret Tour, combined to raise over $8,000 for LHS.
The goal of the Hoboken Comedy Festival at its inception was to celebrate Hoboken NJ’s Entertainment independence by bringing huge name acts to the town for one week each year.
As the landscape of comedy has changed so has Hoboken. This year’s shows will focus on local bars, including The Shannon on 1st Street, Willie McBride’s on Grand and the legendary Maxwell’s on 11th and Washington.
Part of this year’s festival also includes six new talent performers at each of the Monday- Thursday shows, vying their talents to win opening slots on the weekend shows.
One winner will be chosen this year to perform a longer set with all previous winner’s on Sunday at the Winner’s Showcase show.
Also a component of this year’s festival is the LHS’s Event Bark in the Park, which takes place at Steven’s Park in Hoboken on October 1st at Noon, where comedian Dan Frigolette, known from the Wendy Williams Show, W Kamua Show, and Boardwalk Empire will be the master of ceremonies for great dog presentations, costume contests and a fashion show.
For more information on the festival and to purchase tickets go to www.HobokenComedyFestival.org,