Hudson Square Music & Wine Festival Launches!

Posted: 06/28/09

NYC's only non-park free concert series created a buzz with the first week launch of blues legend John Hammond on Tuesday, June 23rd. Every Tuesday evening at 5pm though August, this series will present a unique assortment of great music for free.

In the backyard loading dock between Hudson and Varick Streets, just off of Spring Street, usually sit trucks loading and unloading the various commercial tenants in a full city block of buildings owned by Trinity Real Estate. But for this free concert series, a loading dock becomes a stage and the parking lot, a site for one thousand people, food, drink and local businesses showing their wares. Great Performances which runs Mae Mae Cafe, a local restaurant, is providing wholesome foods. Classic Car Club is showing off a racecar and City Winery is selling its first wines made in New York. The area of town located West of Soho, South of the Village, and North of Tribeca is a neighborhood which has a long history of printing businesses and being home to the Holland Tunnel, but recently has turned into a hip office area for WNYC, MTV, and numerous advertising agencies, record companies and film production houses. The neighborhood extends to the Hudson River and thus is trying to establish itself with a new name, "Hudson Square," and a new BID given all the activity. David Bouley is planning a new restaurant, City Winery has opened a 21,000 square foot establishment, and the Trump Soho will soon open its 400-room hotel this December. These are just a few of the new businesses establishing this neighborhood as a 24/7 full service part of New York.

"We are excited to be part of this vibrant neighborhood, just blocks from many residential areas and what looks like a hot restaurant location. Our patrons have loved the old quality of the space we renovated and of course, we need a loading dock to load in grapes and musical equipment, so there are not that many options in Manhattan" says Michael Dorf, Founder and CEO of City Winery.

Liz Neumark , CEO of Great Performances, which has been a tenant in the neighborhood for over a decade, says "As a caterer, we love bringing food to the people of NYC. And what better place to host our Hudson Square neighbors than in our own backyard! While we knew the BBQ would draw a crowd, the biggest hit of the night was our famous Thunder Pickles from our very own organic Katchkie Farm."

The concert series continues at 5pm each day:
Tuesday, June 30 - City Grass
Tuesday, July 7 - Sway Machinery
Tuesday, July 14 - William Elliot Whitmore
Tuesday, July 21 - Marc RIbot & La Cumbiamba
Tuesday, July 28 - Ballin The Jack
Tuesday, Aug. 4 - Jason Isabell & The 400 Unit
Tuesday, Aug. 11 - Budos Band