The Bayonne Arts Festival will be welcoming art enthusiasts this Sunday, October 22nd at G. Thomas DiDomenico 16th Street Park for what should be a fun-filled day. The event will be a full day of live performances, food trucks, art displays and more. Festivities start at 11AM and run until 5PM.
In all, there will be more than 30 vendors and artists at the event. Artists from all over the region, including those from Bayonne, Jersey City, NYC and beyond will be showcasing their work. Among the artists will be woodworkers, jewelry makers, graphic designers, sketch artists and more. After visiting the art tents, patrons can enjoy some eats on the food truck row. Bayonne-based Double Batch Bakery, Jerkin’ Chicken and Hoboken-based Booza Ice Cream are just some of the food trucks scheduled to be there.
The event will feature a live performance stage with a wide variety of acts showcased. Performers from the tri-state will be featured including musical artists Grupo K’ndela, a well-known local salsa band, soul singer Carla Gibson, and Bayonne’s own Dallas Connors. Dance artists will also be hitting the stage. Highlighted performers are hip-hop dancer and choreographer Yvonne H. Chow and, separately, Jersey City-based School of Nimbus pre-professional program. Additional acts include samba dancer Deborah Fogo, Kaisokah Moko Jumbies (stilt walkers), and more. Youth attendees will have an opportunity to participate in Pumpkin Paint Time at Judy’s Pumpkin Patch, and see a magic show from award-winning magician, Silly Billy. Families can rsvp for this event here.
This year’s event will feature for the first time the Legacy Artist Youth Auction, with the works of three young artists, each under the age of 18, to be auctioned off. The Legacy Artist honor seeks to encourage the pursuit of the arts for the next generation of creators.
For those looking to elevate their experience, the festival is offering VIP tickets. Included in the $40 upgrade is complimentary lite bites and drinks in an exclusive section overlooking Newark Bay and the stage. Guests in this area will have a chance to mix and mingle with the artists and performers on festival day. Tickets are limited and available for purchase here.
2023 marks the second year of the art festival being produced and hosted by the Bayonne Youth Center. The fair’s success is a testament to the efforts of Board President Angélique Jackson-Belle. Jackson-Belle along with the Bayonne Youth Center’s Board of Directors and Student Youth Board have put in much effort to ensure this year’s event is not only successful, but even more impactful than the last.
This year’s event would also like to highlight the Director of Events and Host Porshia A. Derival who has worked alongside Jackson-Belle to organize this year’s festivities.
This year’s festival is sponsored by RWJ Barnabas Health, BCB Bank, New Jersey State Council – Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, PSE&G, and My Orthodontist.