Best of the fests! Music, art, and food at annual street festival in Hoboken

At the 15th annual Hoboken Arts & Music Festival on Sunday, Sept. 28, locals can indulge all of their senses with the great music, hand-crafted art, and fabulous international cuisine.

The street fair, which runs along Washington Street from Observer Highway to Seventh Street, starts at 11 a.m. and runs until 6 p.m.

It features two stages of music, plus the kiddie area on Third Street. (See schedule below for set times.)
Leader of a new pack
This year’s festival features many well-known local bands – Mere, Bill Owens Five, Icewagon FLU, and Sexpod – and headliner Mary Weiss, the former lead singer of the Shangri-Las. Weiss is probably best known for the hits “Leader of the Pack” and “Remember.”

After leaving the Shangri-Las in 1969, Weiss took a decades-long hiatus until recently, when the right mix of producers and musicians inspired her to perform and record again.

In 2007, Weiss released a new album titled “Dangerous Game.” She has a new band composed of seasoned musicians, including: drummer Dennis Diken (the Smithereens), bassist Sal Maida (Roxy Music), guitarist Richard X. Heyman (Doughboys), and keyboard player Dave Amels (Reigning Sound), will perform at the main stage at 3:15 p.m.

During a recent interview, Weiss said she is glad to be back in the public eye.

“It’s very different and a lot of fun,” said Weiss. “I’m not a kid anymore.”

Weiss said that she and her musical director assembled the current lineup for her band.

“They are great guys,” said Weiss. “No one has a big ego, and that’s hard to find when people have talent.”

At the festival, she will be performing well-known hits such as “Leader of the Pack” and other songs from her new album “Dangerous Game.”

” It’s fun to do it with the guys. Sal makes me break up laughing,” said Weiss. “It’s no easier [performing the harmony]. We try to do it true to form. They thought that we were going to bang it out. It’s really complicated.”

While she is looking forward to upcoming concerts, Weiss said that her personal preference is still recording.

“It’s the only place you can release everything and no one is watching you which makes me feel very comfortable,” said Weiss.

Yet she maintains that fans are the best part of performing.

“They do things now that they didn’t before, such as the meet and greet, and people are always telling you memories and such,” she said.

Although this is her first time performing in Hoboken, Weiss has visited the mile-square city before. When asked how she felt about performing in the former home of Ol’ Blue Eyes, she offered her opinion about Hoboken’s favorite crooner.

“I like Sinatra, but I’m really more of a Tony Bennett fan,” said Weiss, who added that Bennett has been a painter for over 40 years in addition to singing.

Besides the Hoboken concert, she will perform in November at the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in Ohio, where she was recently inducted. She is also currently working toward a new album.

“I’m excited about it. I think it will be a lot of fun,” said Weiss about the festival. “I’ve been to Hoboken and it’s a lot of fun. I have a feeling that I will need a lot of pocket change [to buy things].”

Art, crafts, and food
With over 300 artists participating, there will be much to see, including: hand-crafted jewelry from local artisans, whimsical photographs, fine art paintings, hand blown glass items, hand painted furniture, clothing, hats, candles, pottery, metal sculptures, and even household items made from recycled materials.

After shopping, one can enjoy cuisine from around the globe including Thai, Mexican, Indian, Greek, French, Cajun, Italian, Americana, and more.

Those craving boardwalk food won’t be disappointed, with offerings including meat on a stick, Kettle Korn, and spiced root beer.

In addition to the stands, many area restaurants have outdoor cafés where one can sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds.

The annual street fair is sponsored by Mayor David Roberts, the City of Hoboken, The Port Authority of NY & NJ, PATH, The Hudson Reporter Newspaper group, The New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism, TD Banknorth, radio stations Q104, Z100, and KTU, and other vendors.

Parking is limited, so please use mass transit if you can. For more information, call (201) 420-2207 or visit: hobokennj.org.

For questions or comments on this story, e-mail current@hudsonreporter.com.