NY PopsUp Festival: Revitalizing New York’s Live Entertainment Scene
High-profile celebrities including Idina Menzel, Patti Smith, Billy Porter, and Sarah Jessica Parker are among the performers participating in a new arts recovery initiative in New York. The NY PopsUp festival will offer hundreds of free pop-up concerts, recitals, comedy acts, and theatrical performances across various venues in the state.
Purpose of the Festival
This festival is designed to pilot a safe return to live performances following the extended period of COVID restrictions. Consequently, it aims to revive the spirit and emotional well-being of New Yorkers through the energizing experience of live performance, while simultaneously boosting the struggling live entertainment sector in the state. State public health officials are committed to ensuring that the festival adheres strictly to Department of Health COVID-19 protocols.
Festival Details and Programming
The programming of the festival is directed by interdisciplinary artist Zack Winokur, along with artistic advisors who reflect the diversity of New York’s vibrant performing arts communities. Since current realities make large, destination-style events unfeasible, performances will occur throughout every neighborhood and district in all five boroughs of New York City, extending to Long Island and Upstate New York.
Moreover, the festival plans to utilize everyday locations as stages, such as transit stations, parks, subway platforms, museums, skate parks, street corners, fire escapes, parking lots, and storefronts. This innovative approach aims to transform routine commutes and local spots typically overlooked for performances. Rather than hosting numerous audience members at fewer events, the festival focuses on multiple events catering to smaller crowds. Notable confirmed artists include Hugh Jackman, Amy Schumer, Alec Baldwin, Chris Rock, Matthew Broderick, John Early, Kate Berlant, Mandy Patinkin, Jonathan Groff, Phoebe Robinson, and many others.
The NY PopsUp festival is scheduled to launch on February 20 and will run until Labor Day, with significant highlights including the 20th anniversary of the Tribeca Film Festival and the Festival at Little Island at Pier 55. For additional information, visit the festival’s website here.
