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The Tribeca Film Festival Is Not Throwing Its Street Fair
The headline sort of says it all. It’s a somewhat mysterious change, since a street-event permit for the Tribeca Family Festival was on the agenda for last night’s Community Board 1 Tribeca Committee. Residents along Greenwich are likely to be thrilled at the news, while local businesses—many of which benefited from the event—will be disappointed.
There will be other events in place of the Tribeca Family Festival. Here’s most of the the announcement:
When the Festival was founded after 9/11, we sought to support local businesses and bring the community back downtown to celebrate creativity and the arts. We have worked very hard to keep our home base in Tribeca, and to continue to bring audiences to the neighborhood for the 12 days of the Festival at our Tribeca Festival Hub at Spring Studios, and the Regal Cinemas in Battery Park, which serves as one of our primary theaters, as well as TPAC BMCC. The neighborhood is thriving and we are proud to be a part of it.
As the neighborhood has grown and changed, so has the Tribeca Film Festival. As part of our evolution, we are shifting our family programming to increase opportunities for the community to participate in activities rooted in film. This year, in lieu of hosting a Street Fair, Tribeca will offer more free films for families, including a new Tribeca/ESPN Family Film event with free screenings and sports activities at TPAC BMCC on the first weekend of the Festival, and on the second weekend we will host a free screening of Aladdin and celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the film. We’ll also continue with free festival screenings through AT&T Free Film Friday on Friday, April 28.
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Wow , I will miss the street festival , I have been a resident do TriBeCa for 36 years and I always enjoyed the festival ! Especially after 9/11 it was uplifting .
I was so looking foward to it this year. Was just inviting a friend and daughter to go.
It’s something I look forward to all year.
Very disappointing.
Our long triangulated nightmare is over!
as a resident actually in Tribeca over 26 years this Tribeca Film Festival was about the Street Fair also. After 9/11 we all needed an uplift. Our neighborhood was in turmoil. we are still suffering from 9/11 with illnesses. How soon we all forget. Terrible to get rid of the festival.
I look forward to that street fair every year. Bubby’s always has this amazing brisket sandwich at the fair that I treat myself to.
“The neighborhood is thriving….”
Really? The local shops don’t need help?
Yup, totally forgot about 9/11, thanks for reminding us and putting a one day street fair into the improper context.
The business are NOT thriving as most blocks have empty store fronts. I’ve been around for 22 years and seen so many business disappear. Greenwich is not the Mecca of Tribeca
A few free movies does not begin to replace the fun, color, vibrancy of what the Tribeca Family Day has been for us downtown. My Tribeca CERT team always had a table offering free CPR demonstrations including a baby maniquin which was a huge hit with parents and siblings. I hope they reconsider this decision. Sitting on the Tribeca Committee, I found their sending a letter a rather cowardly way of announcing the end of a 36 year tradition. Really poor taste all around.
“36 year tradition?” Huh? “Cowardly?” Wha? If we can survive 9/11, we can survive the end of the TriFamFest.
No one will come to the neighborhood to see a free screening of Aladdin. And watch – it’ll screen in the evening at a time long past whenever kids who would enjoy Aladdin should be in bed.
High-rise construction and gentrification has been devastating to the neighborhood.
What should be included in definition as ‘terror attacks’… ?
As a 44 year resident who is a die hard NIMBY, I have witnessed neighbors, long-time and new, at this street fair finding moments to meet and connect (even if it’s to complain; THAT provokes a healthy community).
I had many problems with the dynamics of the TFF street fair but, always had some positive memory to share with neighbors, as time passed.
Local education and independent arts programs, as few as there are still clinging on to their funding and clients, will not have a community venue to present and celebrate their programs.
ESPN, don’t they advocate brain damage? As does our new federal government.
Good luck world, TFF was one loud, long day of hope.
SAD
Sad that a street fair is the only place some people can find hope or a chance to be melodramatic. TriFamFest RIP. GLAD!
It is definitely a changing landscape with community events that are no longer valued. The family day was a great place where the local kids performed on the stage from schools and dance companies along side of some Broadway singers which made it so a unique opportunity for everyone. Many of the local schools, non profits and services were there…definitely a loss for the community no matter how curmudgeon you might have been about the noise for a day…
Seems strange to be lamenting the end of a corporate-sponsored event that was created by non-Tribecans in the name of community. The fair was hardly a grassroots neighborhood block party. I also don’t think the TFF owes this neighborhood anything. Creating an opportunity for us to meet each other and celebrate our schools and local organizations is our job. Look at the Taste of Tribeca.
I will however miss that Bubby’s pulled pork sandwich.
(Here 23 years, if that is what we’re playing today.)
Here 38 years…never went to TFF street fair so it’s a non-issue for me.
The street fair was an excellent event that pulled the whole community together.
My daughter loved it and will be very disappointed
Sad. Also businesses could really use the boost as all
Bad move!!!!
I looked forward to the street fair every year as an excuse to pack up a picnic for the dogs and me, and walk to Battery Park or Chelsea to escape eight hours of clashing bandstands and other determinants of ear-splitting commotion.
The TFF Family Day street fair was instituted to help the local community- including businesses. i know that my bakery always DOUBLED it’s sales for the day of the Fair. the TFF paid for everything.
i will certainly miss this event.
This is a very sad decision. This was a downtown trade mark event for families. Screenings won’t replace the magic of this fair.
I hope the reconsider this decision…
Sad! Best kids event in the city, and one of a handful of times I would bother going to Tribeca.
Offering movies after 6pm for kids as a replacement is basically removing kids under 10 from the area. Certainly short sighted Tribeca!!
Sad! that people think the TriFamFest is the best thing since sliced sashimi. What do you do with the other 364 days of your calendar life? Or is this just Tribeca Film Festival hacker bots from Russia? There are always movies available at Regal or iTunes/Netflix. Get over yourselfishness.
Of the 21 comments, Mr. Smithers published 4 of them. Yet he criticizes others for having nothing better to do and for being selfish. Really? I suggest you crawl back into your self centered hole and take a hard look at yourself. Hypocrisy at its best.
This was a fun festival and great for families. We always looked forward to visiting amd spending the day there. It’s a shame some people are too caught up in their own reality to allow others the space to enjoy events like this. It may not be for everyone, but it was a unique annual event that will be missed by many.
I agree kind of sad if they don’t do the street fair. I don’t live by Tribeca but I do travel each year to Tribeca with my kids to attend this event. Afterward we go to the nearby store for lunch and dinner. A lot of my friends do the same and it was also because of this event, I enroll to some of the kids programs introduce during this event.