Poems In the Park Dance Held at Summer On the Hudson, Runs Thru 10/10

Summer On the Hudson (SOH), one of New York City's largest free summer festivals, now in its Tenth Anniversary Season, continues through September at Riverside Park South with the just-added Poems In the Park, dance events including the contemporary piece Rehab In My Garden by the acclaimed Judith Sánchez Ruiz, the park-wide West Side County Fair and kayaking and yoga for the whole family. The six-month series, running through October 10, is an annual summer arts and cultural festival in Riverside Park South, West 59th Street to West 72nd Street at the Hudson River, presented by The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.

1) Poems in the Park: Brought to you by Summer on the Hudson and the Riverside Park Fund! Adding spoken word to a long list of free cultural programming sweeping Riverside Park, the Poems on the Park project will bring NYC residents a chance to read their original works, and to listen to those of their neighbors! An open-mic style performance, means anyone of any age can strut their literary stuff! Beginning August 19th at 6 PM, and continuing on August 26th and September 2nd, the Poems in the Park readings will take place at the West Harlem Piers Park, with the entrance located at 125th. In addition to the readings, there will be a contest for any poetry submitted about the park or nature, the winner will be eligible for publication and other prizes Each event runs from 6-8pm, and poems about parks or specifically Riverside will be collected and judged at the end of the three weeks and will be published in the SOH email blast, and placed in the bulletin boards around Riverside Park. The event takes place on the stage at 125th - entrance to the park is all the way west on 125th Street.

2) Dance: September is full of special dance events!

A) The first will be performed on Saturday September 11 at 7:30, 8, and 8:30 PM at the far end of PIER I (three showings). Rain date is Sunday September 12 at 7:30 PM. The work is created by Judith Sánchez Ruíz, one of Dance Magazine's "Top 25 to Watch for 2010." Called Rehab In My Garden, it is a solo improvisational piece on multiple themes, performed by Laura Arend, a member of several European companies and a Gold Medal-winner at the National Dance Competition of Caen.

B) At 6pm on September 17th, and 3pm & 5 on Saturday the 18, RoseAnne Spradlin/Performance Projects presents Blue Liz - The Sequel on the plaza at 66th street. Blue Liz - The Sequel is performed by Natalie Green, Sandy Tillett and Rebecca Wender. The work conjures alchemical portraits of women in different eras - their look, their movement, their behavior - stirring in imagery from Temple art, Hollywood, 1960's modern dance, and the future and is made possible in part by a grant from NYSCA.

C) Sept. 25 and 26 (Sat and Sun) 6:00 - along 64th-66th street in Riverside Park South Laura Diffenderfer/Oh Dear Dance will perform sections from A Wagner Matinee as the sun sets on the Hudson. Oh Dear Dance Theatre tells stories through gesture, image and sound. Under the direction of Laura Diffenderfer, the troupe creates work that explores identity and history through performance. Laura Diffenderfer's work has been at Danspace Project, Judson Church, The Cunningham Studio, The Chocolate Factory, WAX, The Flea, University Settlement, the Red Cloud Opera House in Red Cloud, NE, and the Contemporary Art Center in North Adams, MA.

3) The grand finale all-day Summer On the Hudson event takes place on Sunday September 12, from 1 PM to 6 PM, the park-wide West Side County Fair brings a little country to Manhattan for the whole family, with carnival rides, games, music square dancing, a greenmarket and live animals.

8th Annual West Side County Fair
Saturday, September 12, 1 pm to 6 pm
Park-wide
With host Stephanie Monseau of the Bindlestiff's Family Cirkus and Stilt Walkers, Clowns, Jugglers, and more from Bindlestiff's Family Cirkus and the House of Yes!

Enjoy a little country right here in Manhattan and celebrate the change of seasons with carnival rides and games, music, square dancing, sideshow performers, a petting zoo, greenmarket and more! Visit the "Green Acre" environmental corner, with hands-on activities for kids about environmental awareness, green living, and animal care.

1-1:15 PM ORAN ETKIN's RAG THREE
Sánchez *(with an additional set on the GREEN ACRE till 230pm)
1:20-2:20 PM TIN PAN
2:30-3:30 PM HILLARY HAWKE
3:40-4:40 PM GOLDEN ANGEL WALTZ ORCHESTRA
4:55-6:00 PM MISS TESS AND THE BON TON PARADE

VENDORS:
Nordea Soaperie
Lincoln Square Business Improvement District
Grandaisy Bakery
Playdate NYC
Lower East Side Ecology Center
Hip4Kids
Marikit Designs
Serimony
GrowNYC (formerly Council on the Environment of NYC)
HAPPYBABY
TheNewNew, the Etsy New York street team
Meredith's Bread
Riverkeeper, Inc.
Ella Vickers Recycled Sailcloth
Museum of Motherhood

Also including Fair Games (ring toss, bottle knock down, and more) with prizes, a mini Ferris Wheel, multiple tot bouncers and more!

4) Free Wellness and Recreation events, yoga and kayaking, continue:

Saturdays & Sundays, September 3 - October 10, 10:00am- 5:00pm
72nd St. & the Hudson River
Kayaking on the Hudson

Join the Downtown Boathouse for 20-minute instructional paddles, and explore the Hudson River first hand. Please wear a bathing suit or shorts and a t-shirt, and know how to swim

Wednesdays, September 7 - 22, at 6:30pm
The Plaza at 66th Street
Yoga-Evening Salute to the Sun