Past Event: The Vibe of the Village Festival

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22 - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2019

Celebrate the creative legacy of The Village Voice (1955-2018), the downtown alternative weekly that "gave New York its cool."

In honor of the one-year anniversary of the pioneering paper's closing, this weekend-long festival features conversations with distinguished former Voice writers and photographers and a coffeehouse-style concert with legendary musician David Amram and friends. 

At once a feisty neighborhood newspaper that challenged local politics and the essential chronicler of downtown arts and culture, the Voice helped define the free-wheeling spirit of the Village in the late 1950s, '60s, and '70s (and beyond) while nurturing several generations of influential American journalists, critics, and photographers. Join us to explore what both the late-lamented Voice, and more broadly "the Village," meant and continues to mean to New York's identity as a creative hotbed.
 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22
6:00 - 9:00 pm  
MCNY After Hours
Free with Museum admission! Experience the vibe of the Village uptown with live music, film, tours, cocktails, and more. 

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23
10:00 am - 10:30 pm
Saturday Events
Free with Museum admission! Events and activities all day long capture the free-wheeling spirit of the Village in the late 1950s, '60s, and '70s (and beyond). Three breakout sessions highlighted below feature conversations with distinguished former Voice writers and photographers and a coffeehouse-style concert with legendary musician David Amram and friends. (Breakout sessions additional cost.)

Click on a session below to learn more.
Session I - 1:00 pm
Capturing the Vibe: Photojournalists & The Voice
Noted photojournalists Amy Arbus, James Hamilton, Sylvia Plachy, and Harvey Wang recall what it was like to document the city for the Voice. Photo critic Vince Aletti moderates. 

Session II - 3:00 pm
New York's "Magic Mirror": Writers & The Voice
Former Voice writers Susan Brownmiller, Richard Goldstein, Greg Tate, and Guy Trebay discuss their experiences at the famed weekly covering politics, culture, and the downtown scene. Moderated by journalist Ada Calhoun.

Session III - 8:00 pm
Voices of the Village with David Amram & Friends
Legendary musician David Amram and his quintet lead an evening of songs, stories, and readings celebrating the creative spirit of the Village. Featuring special guests Tom Chapin, Lea DeLaria, Paquito D'Rivera, and Martha Redbone.

Please note: General Admission tickets do not include session admission. Session tickets must be purchased separately. All session tickets include Museum admission for Saturday.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24
11:00 am - 3:00 pm  
Family Activities and Happenings
Free with Museum admission! Join us for a day of interactive performances, poetry writing, and art making. Josh Levine and Vanisha Gould will play multicultural children’s favorites that will get you on your feet and singing along. The day will also feature numerous art-making activities based on happenings from the 60s and 70s. These activities are designed to get you thinking and moving freely in spaces that reflect the heyday of the Village, from the art studio to the coffee shop to the park!

Click on an event below for more information and to purchase tickets.

The Vibe of the Village Festival is inspired by the Museum’s exhibition The Voice of the Village: Fred W. McDarrah Photographs (on view through December 1, 2019).