Hudson River Park Debuts Pop-up 'Mirage' Performance Series Today

For the first time ever, Hudson River Park is hosting a series of surprise pop-up music and dance performances for park goers to enjoy as they explore Manhattan's West Side. Visitors will need to keep their eyes and ears open as only the location and date of the performances will be announced. The series kicks off this evening, June 29th, with a music performance at the Stonefield Landscape Sculpture Garden at West 24th Street near Pier 64.

"Hudson River Park has such a wide diversity of piers and landscape types, and we conceived this new pop-up series as a way to invite our visitors to explore the park and discover new music and dance in spaces that may not yet be familiar to them," said Noreen Doyle, President and CEO of the Hudson River Park Trust. "With each surprise performance taking place in a different location across the Park's four-mile footprint, the series will offer a wide array of experiences, from rock and roll to contemporary dance, with some of the most talented artists our city has to offer appearing and then disappearing, just like a mirage."

Taking place at various piers and locations throughout the Park, the pop-up series invites the public to enjoy live shows from some of the city's most vibrant singers and performers. The artists featured in this year's lineup represent a wide range of music and dance genres that reflect New York City's thriving cultural scene. From singer-songwriters and dance showcases to drumlines and marching bands, the performance lineup features a diverse roster of talent with something for everyone to appreciate. This year's pop-up performance lineup can be found below.

Better Fires - June 29th | Pier 64 Rock Garden at W 24 St.

Better Fires is a rock and roll band that fuses pop songs with big guitars and even bigger melodies. The band was started by long-time friends Zach Comtois and Mark Fortier, who are putting out their debut album in 2022.

Brooklyn United Marching Band - July 13th | Pier 81 at W 40 St.

The Brooklyn United Marching Band, popularly referred to as BU, is a Brooklyn United Music and Arts Program favorite. The southern collegiate-style band, with its flair for unique and electrifying presentations, has grown to become one of the country's most prestigious marching bands.

Ariel Rivka Dance - July 27th | Clinton Cove at W 55 St.

Ariel Rivka Dance (ARD) is an all-female contemporary company founded by Artistic Director, Ariel Grossman. Its mission is to champion female creatives through original choreography, commissioned music, and family and educational programming.

Aviva Jaye - August 10th | Pier 26 at N Moore St.

Aviva Jaye is a performing artist & composer primarily wielding voice, piano, harp, guitar & ukulele. She often combines acoustic & electronic elements to unlock a portal for listeners to venture, exploring the dimensions of empathy, self-awareness, social justice & futurism.

Fogo Azul - August 24th | Pier 84 at W 44 St.

Fogo Azul NYC is a New York City-based all-women, trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming Brazilian Samba Reggae drum line. The group was born at the intersection of founder Stacy Kovacs' passion for Samba Reggae, her deep respect for its cultural roots as a music of protest and resistance, her belief and activism in support of gender equality and her sense of civic duty in the current environment to publicly awaken and inspire people to resist oppression and exercise their power to uplift society -loudly.

In addition to the pop-up performance series, from May through November Hudson River Park offers a jam-packed lineup of fun and family-friendly programming, from Wetlab Look-ins and tours of the Pier 26 Tide Deck to bike lessons for kids and Big City Fishing. The Park also hosts a number of events that celebrate movement, music and dance, including free fitness and dance classes on the waterfront, Jazz at Pier 84, and the acclaimed Blues BBQ Festival which returns on August 13th. A wide array of free boating and kayaking programs are also offered throughout the Park at four different boathouse locations.