Lower East Side Festival of the Arts 2025

Theater for the New City has currently scheduled over 200 performing arts organizations, independent artists, poets, puppeteers and film makers for its 30th annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts.

Indoor performances will take stage from 6:00 PM to midnight each day, utilizing two of TNC’s four theaters. From 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Saturday, vendors and food sellers, including booths from nearby restaurants, will set up in the closed-off block of East Tenth Street between First and Second Avenues.

Memorial Day Weekend
MAY 23, 24, 25, 2025 – Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Theater for the New City
155 First Avenue (btw E 9th and E 10th Street)
New York, NY 10003

BACKGROUND

The first festival, presented June 14 to 16, 1996, was a three-day, indoor and outdoor multi-arts festival, organized by TNC and a coalition of civic, cultural and business leaders. The aim was to demonstrate the creative explosion of the Lower East Side and the area’s importance to culture and tourism for New York City. Disciplines presented have always included theater, music, dance, poetry, puppetry, cabaret, visual art, film and children’s programming.