The 2009 Art by the Ferry Festival, June 6, 7, 13 and 14

The 2009 ART BY THE FERRY Festival in Staten Island began this weekend, Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7, and will end the following weekend, Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14 from 11 am to 6 pm. It takes place in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island, which is, as the name of the festival suggests, right near the Staten Island Ferry. The festival is free and open to the public.

The Festival features exhibits of original art by Staten Island visual artists - painters, photographers, and more, as well as art workshops for both artists and children, crafts, and spoken word performances. The event takes place in four different locations within walking distance of the Ferry terminal concurrently. The venues are 120 Stuyvesant Street, and 60 Bay Street, as well as at Karl's Klipper (40 Bay Street), and Fishes Eddy (139 Bay Street). Complete schedules of the Festival's activities can be found here:

Music, Performance

Art Exhibits

Crafts

Spoken Word

More information about the festival, contributing artists, and how you can participate is available at ArtByTheFerry.org.

This event sponsored by the Staten Island Creative Community (SICC), a group of artists, musicians, photographers, and writers, whose goal is to "provide community support, develop venues, provide media exposure, expedite collaboration amongst ourselves and within the business, political and general community and to enhance the spirit of our creative community here and in the greater New York area." The Festival is funded and supported by the Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and a number of Staten Island businesses, nonprofit organizations, elected officials, and individual donors.

If you plan on spending either Saturday or Sunday (or both) at the ART BY THE FERRY Festival, there are a number of great restaurants in the area. I'd recommend Enoteca Maria (27 Hyatt Street, next to the St. George Theater), which has top-shelf Italian cuisine, or Cargo Café (120 Bay Street on the corner of Victory Boulevard), which has a very tasty and affordable Sunday brunch. Both are very close to the Festival's venues.

To get to Staten Island by the Ferry from one of the other boroughs, take the 1, N, R, or W train to South Ferry-Whitehall Street. Alternatively, you can take the 4 or 5 train to Bowling Green and walk a few blocks to the terminal. The ferry is free to ride. A map of the St. George Ferry Terminal and the surrounding streets on which the 2009 ART BY THE FERRY Festival can be found here.

Sources

Staten Island Creative Community Membership, ArtByTheFerry.org