City of Water Day Festival Coming to Liberty State Park - July 24, 2010

[shahaggy]

It’s a shame this wasn’t publicized earlier. I know that had I not made previous plans for tomorrow I definitely would’ve gone to this. The Friends of Liberty State Park or the City should’ve gotten the word out earlier.

this is par for course in Jersey City.  Nothing is ever well publicized and then they wonder why nobody shows.

[MCA™]

It’s a shame this wasn’t publicized earlier. I know that had I not made previous plans for tomorrow I definitely would’ve gone to this. The Friends of Liberty State Park or the City should’ve gotten the word out earlier.

[MCA™]

METROPOLITAN WATERFRONT ALLIANCE’S FREE CITY OF WATER DAY FESTIVAL TO DRAW 20,000 PEOPLE TO THE WATER
City of Water Day Festival Coming to Liberty State Park

Jersey City, New Jersey: On Saturday, July 24th, the New York-New Jersey waterfront will surge to life as thousands from the metropolitan region make their way to the waterfront for the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance’s 3rd annual City of Water Day Festival.  Held each year on Governors Island, this year’s festival will for the first time include activities in Liberty State Park—as well as Brooklyn Bridge Park and Atlantic Basin—making it the bi-state, harbor-wide event it was always intended to be.  The City of Water Day Festival is a unique and free event celebrating all that the region’s waterfront could be.

The New York-New Jersey metropolitan region is surrounded and shaped by water—but for too long this tremendous resource has been ignored and neglected.   The 2010 City of Water Day Festival will demonstrate everything about the water that is fun and exciting while educating participants about MWA’s Waterfront Action Agenda, a program of clear and achievable steps toward a healthy, accessible, and dynamic harbor, waterways, and waterfront.

“Many agencies and civic organizations joined together to create the Comprehensive Restoration Plan to restore and protect the great New York-New Jersey Harbor,” said Roland Lewis, President of the and CEO of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance.   “Liberty State Park has been the epicenter of this tremendous effort.  For this reason we’re thrilled it is such an integral part of this year’s City of Water Day Festival.”

Activities in Liberty State Park will include: free, narrated harbor boat tours; kayaking, car-free biking, and other waterfront activities; water-themed arts, crafts, and games for children; narrated walking tours; food vendors; and more.  A free ticketed ferry will be available connecting Liberty State Park and Governors Island.

Governors Island will offer more exciting City of Water Day Festival activities, including:

Additional narrated harbor boat tours on historic, educational, and working vessels;

• A dramatic flotilla of paddlers, rowers, and sailors converging on the festival from launch points throughout the region;
• The Waterfront Action Information Fair, giving participants the chance to get involved;
• A special Children’s Fair with dozens of activities just for families;
• A documentary film festival;
• Live music, delicious food, and more!

“New Jersey and New York share this great harbor and its waterways,” said Sam Pesin, president of the 22-year-old Friends of Liberty State Park, whose goals are to protect and improve the Jersey City waterfront state park.  “It’s both terrific and fitting that Liberty State Park will join with Governors Island to host City of Water Day, a festival that’s all about bringing our waterfront to life.  I hope thousands of people from all over New Jersey will come embrace and use our harbor.

“Liberty Science Center has a longstanding commitment to celebrating and protecting our water resources. A vital part of Liberty Science Center’s mission is to prepare individuals to live, work and care for the New York-New Jersey waterfront and help them understand the importance and unique nature of our regional coastal resources,” said Dr. Emlyn Koster, PhD, President and CEO of Liberty Science Center and board member of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance. “We are pleased to support the City of Water Day Festival and invite everyone to enjoy the day.” 

"We are pleased to welcome the City of Water Day Festival to Liberty State Park," said Debbie Mans, Executive Director & Baykeeper, NY/NJ Baykeeper.  "We invite everyone to come to the water's edge to celebrate this wonderful natural resource right in our own backyard."

2009’s City of Water Day Festival attracted a record 11,000 people to Governors Island, who participated in dozens of exciting waterfront activities, while hundreds of thousands more heard the City of Water Day message through event media sponsors.  Festival officials anticipate 20,000 or more participants this year between the four festival sites.

Festival Details
The City of Water Day Festival takes place from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, July 24, rain or shine, at Governors Island, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and Atlantic Basin; and from 10am to 3pm at Liberty State Park.  For directions and all other details, visit http://www.cityofwaterday.org. 

Festival Partners and Sponsors
The City of Water Day Festival is presented by the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance in collaboration with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Friends of Liberty State Park, Governors Island, the Governors Island Alliance, the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy.  Festival sponsors include: the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary Program, the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, Disney, Con Edison, Metro Energy, Entertainment Cruises, ZICO, and Bimmy’s “Food Made With Love”; as well as media sponsors the Star-Ledger, WABC-TV, and WNYC Radio.   

About the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance (http://www.waterfrontalliance.org)
The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance works to transform the New York and New Jersey harbor and waterways to make them clean and accessible, a vibrant place to play, learn and work, with great parks, great jobs and great transportation for all.

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