See festival drawing 10,000 to Central Ave.

Thursday, May 15, 2008
By MEGAN DeMARCO
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Local businesses, artists and performers will come together on Saturday for the first Everything Jersey City Festival, an event organizers would like to make an annual tradition.

Michael Yun, president of the Central Avenue Special Improvement District (CASID) and chairman of the Everything Jersey City Festival Committee, says the theme of the festival is Pride and Harmony, picked because of Jersey City's diversity.

"We have a lot of great people here," he said.

The festival, sponsored by CASID and about 40 other local sponsors, will feature three stages of free concerts.

More than 400 local businesses, artists and vendors will be set up throughout the festival.

Yun said Jersey City was missing an annual main street festival, something that other cities have.

Heavy interest in participating in the festival has shown that "people were waiting a long, long time for this kind of festival," he said.

Brittany Hopkins, director of CASID Management Corporation, said about 10,000 people are expected to attend.

"I think there's a lot of interest," she said.

The festival will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday on Central Avenue between Hutton and South streets.

http://www.jcheights.com/street_festival

======================
Weekend Picks: Outdoor Festivals

From New Jersey Monthly

The Everything Jersey City Festival is Saturday on Central Avenue in the Heights section of town. Three street stages will have music as diverse as the people of Jersey City: salsa, jazz fusion, Celtic rock, urban pop, classical Indian. Also kid-friendly rides, lots of food, plus arts and crafts exhibits.