The River To River Festival takes place each summer from June through September, in a variety of public venues that canvas all of Downtown New York - from Chambers Street down to the southern tip of Manhattan and across the island from river to river.

We aim to produce a world-class performing arts festival with a broad sweep of programming and free admission in order to enhance the vitality of cultural life in Lower Manhattan, to support its economic and social health, and to generate new audiences for the arts of our city. By removing barriers to the experience of live arts by free admission and by presentation at popular, mostly outdoor, public venues, we aspire to attract diverse audiences.

Founded in 2002, The River To River Festival is a partnership between the Alliance for Downtown NY, arts>World Financial Center, Battery Park City Authority, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Port Authority of NY & NJ, and South Street Seaport.

The partners founded the Festival following September 11, 2001 with the intention of using the arts as a tool for the revitalization of Lower Manhattan. Our effort has not only assisted in renewal, but has transformed Downtown into a major cultural destination during the four months of summer.

Starting in 2007, the River to River Festival is proud to be taking steps toward becoming an environmentally friendly festival. From recycling to printing to power generation, the Festival is teaming up with business and civic leaders to develop ways to lessen its impact on the environment and to become a carbon-neutral event.

This season's performance schedule is now live on our website!

Summer in the city, music, theater, dance, film, performing arts

Sonic Youth, The Feelies, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Abigail Washburn, Béla Fleck, Wire, Domingo Quiñones, Otis Clay, Ryan Shaw, Jill Sobule, Ulrich Schnauss, Orchestre Baobab, A Place to Bury Strangers, Kode 9, The Avett Brothers, Jovino Santos Neto, Christian Fennesz, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Steel Pulse, Junior Mance, Akron/Family, Ollabelle, Atlas Sound, Jennifer Stumm, Patti Austin, The Persuasions, The Long Winters, Brother Ali, Wu Man, Terence Blanchard, Monica Yunus, Ray Martinez, and many others.