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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for The People's LES
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260510T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260510T143000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260402T150827Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T150827Z
UID:284-1778418000-1778423400@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Walking Tour: Reclaiming Black Spaces
DESCRIPTION:Organized by The Tenement Museum\nExplore stories of how Black New Yorkers shaped Lower Manhattan as they made homes\, businesses\, and communities there over the centuries. On this tour\, you’ll discuss how Black New Yorkers experiences were shaped by migration\, how communities created a sense of home\, and how people resisted the racism they faced. From the story of Sebastiaen de Britto\, one of the first Black residents of the area in the 1640s\, to Studio We\, a musician’s collective in the 1970s\, we’ll also look at how stories are preserved or erased over generations. \nAmong others\, stops on this tour include: \n\nThe former downtown New York office of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)\, who fought for Civil Rights in the 1960s\nThe firehouse that was desegregated by Wesley Williams in 1919\, who became the FDNY’s first Black lieutenant\nM’Finda Kalunga Community Garden\, named in memory of the second 18th-century African American burial ground\, located on nearby Chrystie Street\n\nTicket Link: https://www.tenement.org/tour/w3-reclaiming-black-spaces/?tour_date=2026-05-10
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/walking-tour-reclaiming-black-spaces/
LOCATION:103 Orchard Street\, 103 Orchard Street\, New York\, NY\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Walking Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screen-Shot-2026-04-02-at-11.07.41-AM.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260510T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260510T170000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260402T200520Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T200520Z
UID:322-1778425200-1778432400@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Radical History Walking Tour
DESCRIPTION:Organized by the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\nSATURDAYS & SUNDAYS\, 3:00-5:00PM | $25/person | No reservations needed!\nMeet @ The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space – 155 Ave C\, 9th & 10th St\nTours need three people to run – and almost always do.\nMuseum of Reclaimed Urban Space organic historian Bill Weinberg reveals the stories behind squats\, gardens\, riots\, uprisings and more. From the Civil War Draft Riots of the 1860s — to the Young Lords\, Black Panthers\, hippies\, Yippies and Up Against the Wall Motherf*ckers of the 1960s — to the Tompkins Square anarchists of the ’80s — to the tree-hugging urban enviros of the ’90s to the neighborhood Earthies keeping the legacy alive today. Unlike other neighborhood tours\, we broaden beyond individual anecdotes to paint a strong historical\, academic\, and cultural big picture of the Lower East Side. \n\n\nFive things you will learn on the Lower East Side Radical History Tour that you probably didn’t know:\n1. The radical politics of the songwriter who penned the “Wizard of Oz” soundtrack.\n2. What building in the East Village links the Gershwin brothers\, the Black Panthers and Iggy Pop.\n3. What park in the East Village was the secret birthplace of both the Hare Krishna movement and Occupy Wall Street.\n4. How New York City’s recycling program began as an initiative of East Village community activists.\n5. Why the same area of the city has been variously known as Burnt Mill Point\, Drydock\, Little Germany\, Klein Deutschland\, the Lower East Side\, Loisaida\, the East Village and Alphabet City.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/radical-history-walking-tour-4/
LOCATION:Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\, 155 Avenue C\, New York\, NY\, 10009
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Walking Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screen-Shot-2026-04-02-at-3.01.05-PM.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260512T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260512T130000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260420T180754Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260420T180754Z
UID:403-1778583600-1778590800@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Cultural History of the Lower East Side – Curated Walking Tour with James Fuentes
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Abrons Arts Center\nTo celebrate Henry Street Settlement’s partnership with Independent – now newly situated at Pier 36 on the Lower East Side – we are pleased to present a free walking tour\, curated and led by gallerist James Fuentes. Taking place two days ahead of the inaugural Gala Preview\, the tour explores the cultural history of the Lower East Side (LES) and brings into focus the neighborhood that connects Henry Street’s long-standing community mission and support of the arts\, Independent’s new home\, and the artists and dealers who continue to shape its cultural life. \nThe tour will trace several defining moments within the art historical framework of LES\, spanning nearly a century. Beginning at Abrons Arts Center\, which has been Henry Street’s home for artistic expression\, experimentation\, and activism for over a century\, the tour will lead guests through the rich history of our neighborhood – celebrating the fact that one of New York City’s most vital immigration portals has long served as fertile ground for some of the most important art movements of the past hundred years. \nTour highlights will include:\n~Kick off at Henry Street Settlement’s Abrons Arts Center\, the only contemporary art center in NYC part of a social services agency\n~Meet Lee Quiñones as he discusses his iconic mural Howard the Duck and the Lions Den – a touchstone that connects Lee’s work to Keith Haring and the broader hip-hop and graffiti movement of the 1980s\n~Visits to the flourishing Lower East Side gallery community\n~Ending at the site of Claes Oldenburg’s The Store on E. 2nd Street\, the landmark Happening of the late 1960s\, closing the loop with one of the most significant avant-garde events of the last century.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/cultural-history-of-the-lower-east-side-curated-walking-tour-with-james-fuentes/
LOCATION:Abrons Arts Center\, 466 Grand Street\, New York\, NY\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Walking Tour
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260513T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260513T203000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260430T001615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260430T001615Z
UID:475-1778697000-1778704200@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:What Makes a NYC Landmark?
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Lower East Side Preservation Initiative\nMay 13 – LESPI’s Community Meeting: “What Makes a NYC Landmark?” \nHow does the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) decide what to landmark\, what not to landmark\, and how to prioritize their work? How much should a building’s historic architecture versus cultural history weigh in the decision? Should a landmark look like a landmark to be a landmark? \nJoin Margaret Herman\, Director of Research at the LPC\, Preservation Consultant Simeon Bankoff\, and LESPI for a lively yet friendly\, illustrated discussion of this important topic. \nDo you have a favorite historic building you’d like to see landmarked? Email a photo to us at info@LESPI-nyc.org and we’ll try to include it in the discussion. \nWhen: Wednesday\, May 13\, 6:30-8:30PM \nWhere: Henry Street Settlement\, 269 Henry Street \nFree\, reservation required\, limited seating\, sign up HERE. \nMargaret Herman\, Ph.D. is an architectural historian who serves as the LPC’s Director of Research\, leading geographic and thematic surveys\, overseeing special projects\, and managing the designation process for numerous landmarks and historic districts. Prior to joining LPC\, Margaret held various university teaching positions\, where her academic research focused on early 20th century American architectural and urban planning history. \nSimeon Bankoff is a longtime preservation activist in New York City. He has helped lead campaigns to designate and preserve historic buildings in all 5 boroughs for over 30 years. Mr. Bankoff served as the Executive Director of the Historic Districts Council for over 20 years and currently works with organizations throughout the city on community preservation campaigns.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/what-makes-a-nyc-landmark/
LOCATION:Henry Street Settlement\, 269 Henry Street\, New York\, NY\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Talk
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/unnamed-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260514T133000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260514T143000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260420T175940Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260420T175940Z
UID:394-1778765400-1778769000@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:"Our Stories\, Our Space" Reception
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Manny Cantor Center\nEducational Alliance invites you to experience the vibrant creativity and cultural contributions of older New Yorkers during the 5th Annual CelebratEArts Festival\, a month-long arts festival held in May in honor of Older Americans Month. \nThis milestone year continues the celebration of creativity\, expression\, and connection through the arts. Our theme\, The Power of Belonging\, invites reflection on lived experience\, creative process\, and the stories that connect us. \nThe festival brings together five Educational Alliance sites\, including the 14th Street Y\, Co-Op Village NORC\, Sirovich Center for Balanced Living\, Weinberg Center for Balanced Living\, and Project ORE. Throughout the month\, you can enjoy a diverse array of gallery exhibitions\, performances\, ceramic and craft sales\, and intergenerational programs. \nCelebratEArts provides a dynamic platform for older adults to share their art\, express themselves\, and connect with community. \n\nOUR STORIES\, OUR SPACE\nManny Cantor Center\, Jewish Communal Fund Gallery (Lobby)\n& Rubenstein Gallery (M Level)\nMonday – Friday | 6:30 AM – 9:00 PM\nSaturday – Sunday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM \nAn exhibition highlighting artwork created by members of the Weinberg Center and Co-op Village NORC. The collection features a wide range of artistic expression\, including origami\, watercolor\, acrylic\, drawing\, Chinese beading\, handbuilding\, knitting\, collage\, ink blot\, poetry\, art therapy\, AI music\, and more. Created by artists aging in place\, these works reflect lived experience\, ongoing creativity\, and the spaces we shape—and are shaped by—through art and community. \nMCC GALLERY RECEPTION\nThursday\, May 14 | 1:30 – 2:30 PM\nManny Cantor Center\, Rubenstein Gallery (M Level) \nJoin us for the Our Stories\, Our Space Gallery Reception\, where you can engage with the artists\, explore their work\, and enjoy light refreshments. Celebrate the creativity\, lived experience\, and artistic expression reflected in each piece.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/our-stories-our-space-reception/
LOCATION:Manny Cantor Center\, 197 Broadway\, New York\, NY\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Exhibit,Lower East Side History Month
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=application/pdf:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/EA_CelebrateArts_Poster_2026_V3-Gabriela-Penaherrera-Albigese.pdf
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260514T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260514T200000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260413T182423Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T182423Z
UID:359-1778781600-1778788800@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Film Screening: Take Over + Whose Neighborhood is it Anyway? w/ Peter Kinoy
DESCRIPTION:Organized by the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\nMoRUS will be screening films about squatting in the Lower East Side. After each showing\, there will be a discussion and Q&A with special guests! More info to come!\nDOORS at 6pm every THURSDAY April 23rd till May 28th 2026\nLocation: 155 Loisaida Ave NY NY 10009 \nFILM SCHEDULE:\n4.23…El Corazon de Loisaida + Viva Loisaida w/ Special Guests\n4.30…Your House is Mine + Survival Without Rent w/ Elana Heiserman\, Katie Meyers\, and Caroline McCaughey\n5.7…Squat or Rot + How to Squash a Squat w/ Franck Lazare and Special Guest\n5.14…Take Over + Whose Neighborhood is it Anyway? w/ Peter Kinoy\n5.21…Squatters: A NYC Documentary w/ Catalina Santamaria\n5.28…Tompkins Square Riot Footage w/ Clayton Patterson
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/film-screening-take-over-whose-neighborhood-is-it-anyway-w-peter-kinoy/
LOCATION:Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\, 155 Avenue C\, New York\, NY\, 10009
CATEGORIES:Film Screening,Lower East Side History Month
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/LESPOSTER-fixedmarie-Marie-Cantor.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260514T193000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260514T203000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260429T204114Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260429T204114Z
UID:467-1778787000-1778790600@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Tigers on a Tightrope: Around the World in 50 years!
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Bond Street Theatre\nJoin us for an immersive hour celebrating 50 years of Bond Street Theatre’s global impact through a vibrant mix of stories\, images\, and video. As part of Lower East Side History Month\, this event highlights the company’s deep roots in New York City alongside its remarkable theatre projects in Afghanistan\, Myanmar\, India – 60 countries around the world –  showcasing how art bridges cultures.  It is a heartfelt tribute to a half-century of humanitarian theatre and the enduring spirit of creative adventure. \nFree! RSVP: info@bondst.org
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/tigers-on-a-tightrope-around-the-world-in-50-years/
LOCATION:Downtown Art\, 70 E 4th Street\, New York\, NY\, 10003\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/BST-Tigers-May-14.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260515T113000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260515T133000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260331T210052Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T210104Z
UID:247-1778844600-1778851800@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Walking Tour: Jewish Lower East Side
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Museum at Eldridge Street \nStroll through the neighborhood’s 100-year-old history! \nA century ago\, the Lower East Side saw unparalleled growth as waves of immigrants settled\, prayed\, played\, worked\, shopped\, and attended school in this neighborhood as they built their new lives in a new land. Today\, there are signs of the past hidden within the modern streets. See how many of these historic places have been transformed\, repurposed\, or restored. \nHighlights: \n\nVisit the Museum at Eldridge Street and see a fully restored magnificent 1887 synagogue\nStop at Straus Square and learn about its history and its significance during the heyday of Jewish immigration\nVisit The Forward building and learn the role of this important Jewish newspaper and its Yiddish advice column A Bintel Brief\nStop by Seward Park\, the first municipally built free playground in the United States and designed especially for the neighborhood’s children\, the first generation to grow up in such crowded conditions\n\nJoin a Museum at Eldridge Street expert guide on Friday\, May 15th at 11:30am as we walk in the footsteps of these immigrants and tell their stories. \nTicket Price (Includes Museum Admission):\nAdults $25\nSeniors / Students $20\nChildren 5 and Under FREE\nCool Culture Pass / SNAP Benefits $5 \nREGISTER HERE \nThis Museum at Eldridge Street Walking Tour is only available to small groups (25 people max). This tour is available to both individual ticket holders and families. \n\nImage Credit: “A Group of Peddlers (The Ghetto)\,” color postcard\, William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection Postcards.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/walking-tour-jewish-lower-east-side-2/
LOCATION:12 Eldridge Street\, New York\, NY 10002\, 12 Eldridge Street\, New York\, NY\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Outdoor Event,Walking Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screen-Shot-2026-03-31-at-4.52.30-PM.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260515T120000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260515T180000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260428T163554Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260428T163554Z
UID:460-1778846400-1778868000@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Community Quilt
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Relative Arts with Catalyst\nJoin us at Relative Arts (367 E 10th St NY NY 10009) for Lower East Side History Month and take part in a collective quilt-making project. On May 15th anytime from 12–6pm\, participants are invited to drop by and design a quilt square that will become part of a larger quilt installation led by Emily Johnson/Catalyst\, with Korina Emmerich from Relative Arts hosting the event as Materials Caretaker and Exhibitions Steward. \n\nUsing guided prompts\, contributors will reflect on questions like:\n“What do you want for your well-being?\nWhat do you want for the well-being of your chosen friends and family?\nWhat do you want for your neighborhood\, town\, city\, reserve\, Nation\, world?\n“What are our non-negotiable care actions?”\n“How do we disrupt the misuse of these terms: great\, free\, he\, she\, illegal\, migrant\, border?”\n“How do we defend land in the city?”\n \nThis is an open invitation to gather\, create\, and contribute to a living archive of collective thought. No experience or materials needed\, just bring your voice. \n 
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/community-quilt/
LOCATION:Relative Arts\, 367 E 10th Street\, New York\, NY\, 10009
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Workshop
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260515T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260515T143000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260402T154337Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T154337Z
UID:287-1778850000-1778855400@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Walking Tour: Foods of the LES
DESCRIPTION:Organized by The Tenement Museum\nGet a taste of tenement history! Explore over 150 years of Lower East Side history through the stories of immigrant and migrant communities and the unique food cultures that defined life in the neighborhood. Together with a Museum Educator\, examine ways in which tenement residents both preserved and adapted the food traditions of their homelands\, and how generations of street vendors\, restaurateurs\, home cooks\, and grocers sustained communities while shaping wider ideas of American cuisine and identity. \nVisit 8 unique stops and try small tastings from local Lower East Side vendors! Tastings include: \n\nCafe Katja (pretzels & beer)\nPickle Guys (new pickle\, garlic stuffed olive\, pickled pineapple)\nEssex Olive and Spice (olive oils & balsamic vinaigrettes)\nLower East Side Ice Cream Factory (ice cream)\n\nAlongside tastings\, tour a modern public market with a surprisingly deep history in the neighborhood and learn about everything from Kleindeutschland\, NYC’s first non-English speaking community\, to how public schools in the Lower East Side became the front line in the battle to “Americanize” immigrant cuisine. \n*Currently\, discounts are only available to Museum members. \nTicket Link: https://www.tenement.org/tour/f1-foods-of-the-les/?tour_date=2026-05-15
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/walking-tour-foods-of-the-les/
LOCATION:103 Orchard Street\, 103 Orchard Street\, New York\, NY\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Walking Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screen-Shot-2026-04-02-at-10.30.16-AM.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260516T113000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260516T133000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260331T210415Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T210415Z
UID:249-1778931000-1778938200@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Walking Tour: The Jewish Gangsters of Lower Manhattan
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Museum at Eldridge Street\nPickpockets\, extortionists\, armed robbers\, bootleggers\, gamblers\, and hitmen cropped up not only in the Five Points neighborhood but also in the growing Jewish Lower East Side. Join us as we take to the streets and learn the story of organized crime in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in New York City\, from robbed and torched pushcarts to illegal whiskey and drugs! \nHighlights: \n\nLearn about the famous gangsters on the Lower East Side including Meyer Lansky\, Bugsy Siegel\, and Arnold Rothstein\nMeet the lesser known personalities like “Dopey” Benny Fein\, “Big” Jack Zelig\, “Lepke” Buchalter\, and the notorious Samuel “Red” Levine\nWalk the streets with an expert guide and visit where these Jewish Gangsters lived and conducted their business\n\nJoin a Museum at Eldridge Street expert guide on Saturday\, May 16th at 11:30am. \nWe will meet in front of the Ottendorfer Library at 135 2nd Avenue between St. Marks Place and 9th Street. Tickets must be purchased in advance of arrival. \nTours will run about two hours in length\, although this may vary. \nTicket Price (Includes Museum Admission):\nAdults $25\nSeniors\, Students $20\nChildren 5 and Under FREE\nCool Culture Pass / SNAP Benefits $5 \nREGISTER HERE \nThis Museum at Eldridge Street Walking Tour is only available to small groups (30 people max). This tour is available to both individual ticket holders and families. Please show your Walking Tour order confirmation at the Museum after your tour for free admission. \n\nAbout the Museum at Eldridge Street:\nThe Museum at Eldridge Street is housed in the Eldridge Street Synagogue\, a magnificent National Historic Landmark that has been meticulously restored. Opened in 1887\, the synagogue is the first great house of worship built in America by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Today\, it is the only remaining marker of the great wave of Jewish migration to the Lower East Side that is open to a broad public who wishes to visit Jewish New York. Exhibits\, tours\, public programs\, and education initiatives tell the story of Jewish immigrant life\, explore architecture and historic preservation\, inspire reflection on cultural continuity\, and foster collaboration and exchange between people of all faiths\, heritages\, and interests. \n\nImage Credit: Bugsy Siegel center with lawyers Jerry Giesler (left) and Byron Hanna (right)\, Everett Collection Inc.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/walking-tour-the-jewish-gangsters-of-lower-manhattan/
LOCATION:Ottendorfer Library\, 135 2nd Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10003
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Outdoor Event,Walking Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screen-Shot-2026-03-31-at-5.03.49-PM.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260516T120000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260516T150000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260413T180600Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T180600Z
UID:348-1778932800-1778943600@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space: Preserving Lower East Side Squatting & Environmental Activism History
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Tompkins Square Library (NYPL) with the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS)\nPlease join us for an inside look at the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS)\, including a slide talk at the Tompkins Square Library\, followed by a visit to MoRUS\, where a guided tour will be provided. \n12:00 PM to 1:00 PM: The program begins with an introduction to MoRUS\, led by Bill Di Paola (MoRUS Director & Founder) and Marie Cantor (Archive Director). Learn about the museum’s past\, present\, and future. The talk will include photographs and much more and will conclude with a Q&A session. MoRUS event calendars will also be available. \n2:00 PM to 3:00 PM: Particpants are invited to attend a tour of MoRUS\, located just two blocks from the Tompkins Square Library at 155 Loisaida Avenue (aka Avenue C).
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/the-museum-of-reclaimed-urban-space-preserving-lower-east-side-squatting-environmental-activism-history/
LOCATION:Tompkins Square Library\, 331 E 10th Street\, New York\, NY\, 10003
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Talk
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=application/pdf:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Museum-of-Reclaimed-Urban-Space-5-16-26-Jeffrey-Katz.pdf
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260516T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260516T160000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260402T184917Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T192709Z
UID:306-1778932800-1778947200@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:LES Yearbook & Harvey Epstein Present: The Peoples Park Celebration
DESCRIPTION:Organized by LES Yearbook & Office of Council Member Harvey Epstein\nLES Yearbook & Harvey Epstein Present: The People’s Park Celebration — a community gathering featuring a resource fair\, creative art activities\, and music. Join us for an afternoon of connection\, creativity\, and neighborhood joy! \nThis event takes place at Lillian Wald Houses. More info about the new park: https://www.archpaper.com/2026/03/davies-toews-nycha-lillian-wald/
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/les-yearbook-harvey-epstein-present-the-peoples-park-celebration/
LOCATION:Lillian Wald Houses\, 3rd & 4th Streets at Avenue D
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Outdoor Event
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260516T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260516T153000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260402T155830Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T155848Z
UID:289-1778940000-1778945400@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Walking Tour: Building on the LES
DESCRIPTION:Organized by The Tenement Museum\nJoin a Museum educator as they guide you on an outdoor walking tour of the Lower East Side to reveal the unique stories that buildings can tell. Over the neighborhood’s history\, many different communities have lived\, worked and played here––and just as many communities have had ideas about what the neighborhood’s buildings should look like. On this tour\, explore the changes in buildings before\, during and after the era of tenements\, and how the Lower East Side’s architecture mirrors debates across the city and country. \nAmong others\, stops on this tour include: \n\nThe 1950s utopian\, Modernist Seward Park Housing Cooperative\, an experiment in co-owned housing\nAn 1830s row house\, one of the oldest structures in the neighborhood\nAngel Orensanz Center\, a 19th Century synagogue repurposed as an art and performance space\n\nTicket Link: https://www.tenement.org/tour/w2-building-on-the-les/?tour_date=2026-05-16
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/walking-tour-building-on-the-les/
LOCATION:103 Orchard Street\, 103 Orchard Street\, New York\, NY\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Walking Tour
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260516T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260516T170000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260402T201156Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T201156Z
UID:324-1778943600-1778950800@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Radical History Walking Tour
DESCRIPTION:Organized by the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\nSATURDAYS & SUNDAYS\, 3:00-5:00PM | $25/person | No reservations needed!\nMeet @ The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space – 155 Ave C\, 9th & 10th St\nTours need three people to run – and almost always do.\nMuseum of Reclaimed Urban Space organic historian Bill Weinberg reveals the stories behind squats\, gardens\, riots\, uprisings and more. From the Civil War Draft Riots of the 1860s — to the Young Lords\, Black Panthers\, hippies\, Yippies and Up Against the Wall Motherf*ckers of the 1960s — to the Tompkins Square anarchists of the ’80s — to the tree-hugging urban enviros of the ’90s to the neighborhood Earthies keeping the legacy alive today. Unlike other neighborhood tours\, we broaden beyond individual anecdotes to paint a strong historical\, academic\, and cultural big picture of the Lower East Side. \n\n\nFive things you will learn on the Lower East Side Radical History Tour that you probably didn’t know:\n1. The radical politics of the songwriter who penned the “Wizard of Oz” soundtrack.\n2. What building in the East Village links the Gershwin brothers\, the Black Panthers and Iggy Pop.\n3. What park in the East Village was the secret birthplace of both the Hare Krishna movement and Occupy Wall Street.\n4. How New York City’s recycling program began as an initiative of East Village community activists.\n5. Why the same area of the city has been variously known as Burnt Mill Point\, Drydock\, Little Germany\, Klein Deutschland\, the Lower East Side\, Loisaida\, the East Village and Alphabet City.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/radical-history-walking-tour-5/
LOCATION:Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\, 155 Avenue C\, New York\, NY\, 10009
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Walking Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screen-Shot-2026-04-02-at-3.01.05-PM.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260517T120000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260517T180000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260331T202502Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T192803Z
UID:215-1779019200-1779040800@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Greek Jewish Festival
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue and Museum\nJoin the Greek Jewish Festival as we celebrate the unique Romaniote and Sephardic heritage of the Jews of Greece! Experience a feast for the senses including authentic kosher Greek foods and homemade Greek pastries\, traditional dance performances with live Greek and Sephardic music\, an outdoor marketplace full of vendors\, arts and educational activities for kids\, and much more!  \n 
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/greek-jewish-festival/
LOCATION:280 Broome Street\, New York\, NY 10002\, 280 Broome Street\, New York\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Greek-Jewish-Festival-dancers-Andrew-Marcus.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260517T133000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260517T163000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260422T153205Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260422T153205Z
UID:426-1779024600-1779035400@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Artist Talk + Workshop | Loisaida through Cyanotypes with Maylyn ‘Zero’ Iglesia
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Swiss Institute + Maylyn ‘Zero’ Iglesia\nJoin Maylyn ‘Zero’ Iglesias for a free artist talk and cyanotype workshop at Swiss Institute on Sunday\, May 17 from 1:30–4:30PM! \nWe will begin by exploring Zero’s place-based photography practice\, use of alternative photographic processes\, and connection to Loisaida and its Nuyorican culture. This will be followed by a hands-on workshop where we will learn about the process of preparing cyanotype paper\, and then develop cyanotypes of our own using transparent photo negatives of Zero’s work of the neighborhood and local found materials. \nAll materials are provided\, though participants are welcome to bring objects\, drawings\, and the like that they might wish to use in their making. \nThe workshop portion will take place outside\, on the Swiss Institute rooftop. Should there be rain\, this program will be rescheduled. Rain date is May 30th. \nRSVP required and spots are limited!
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/artist-talk-workshop-loisaida-through-cyanotypes-with-maylyn-zero-iglesia/
LOCATION:Swiss Institute\, 38 St Marks Pl\, New York\, NY\, 10003
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Talk,Workshop
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/MI_Zero_PR_Flag_Cyanotype-Ashley-Frenkel.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260517T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260517T170000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260402T201326Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T201326Z
UID:326-1779030000-1779037200@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Radical History Walking Tour
DESCRIPTION:Organized by the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\nSATURDAYS & SUNDAYS\, 3:00-5:00PM | $25/person | No reservations needed!\nMeet @ The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space – 155 Ave C\, 9th & 10th St\nTours need three people to run – and almost always do.\nMuseum of Reclaimed Urban Space organic historian Bill Weinberg reveals the stories behind squats\, gardens\, riots\, uprisings and more. From the Civil War Draft Riots of the 1860s — to the Young Lords\, Black Panthers\, hippies\, Yippies and Up Against the Wall Motherf*ckers of the 1960s — to the Tompkins Square anarchists of the ’80s — to the tree-hugging urban enviros of the ’90s to the neighborhood Earthies keeping the legacy alive today. Unlike other neighborhood tours\, we broaden beyond individual anecdotes to paint a strong historical\, academic\, and cultural big picture of the Lower East Side. \n\n\nFive things you will learn on the Lower East Side Radical History Tour that you probably didn’t know:\n1. The radical politics of the songwriter who penned the “Wizard of Oz” soundtrack.\n2. What building in the East Village links the Gershwin brothers\, the Black Panthers and Iggy Pop.\n3. What park in the East Village was the secret birthplace of both the Hare Krishna movement and Occupy Wall Street.\n4. How New York City’s recycling program began as an initiative of East Village community activists.\n5. Why the same area of the city has been variously known as Burnt Mill Point\, Drydock\, Little Germany\, Klein Deutschland\, the Lower East Side\, Loisaida\, the East Village and Alphabet City.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/radical-history-walking-tour-6/
LOCATION:Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\, 155 Avenue C\, New York\, NY\, 10009
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Walking Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screen-Shot-2026-04-02-at-3.01.05-PM.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260520T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260520T200000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260423T150452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260423T150452Z
UID:431-1779296400-1779307200@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Opening Reception: L.E.S. Festival of the Arts Exhibit 2026: Courage In The Arts\, A Vote Against Tyranny
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Art Loisaida Foundation with Theater for the New City\nTHEATER FOR THE NEW CITY\nCrystal Field\, Executive Director\nPresents: L.E.S.\nLower East Side Festival of the Arts Exhibit\nTNC Gallery May 20 – June 21\, 2026\nOpening Reception May 20\, 5 – 8pm at TNC Gallery\nCarolyn Ratcliffe\, Curator
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/opening-reception-l-e-s-festival-of-the-arts-exhibit-2026-courage-in-the-arts-a-vote-against-tyranny/
LOCATION:Theater for the New City\, 155 1st Ave\, New York\, NY\, 10003
CATEGORIES:Exhibit,Lower East Side History Month
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CourageInTheArtsAVoiceAgainstTyrrany.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260520T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260520T203000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260430T001243Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260430T001243Z
UID:471-1779301800-1779309000@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Celebrate the landmarking of the Church of St. Mary and the parish’s 200th Anniversary!
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Lower East Side Preservation Initiative\nOn April 7\, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate the Church of St. Mary on Grand Street an Individual Landmark. In addition\, the parish of St. Mary\, founded in May 1826\, will mark its 200th anniversary\, including 193 uninterrupted years at the historic church on Grand Street. \nIt’s time to celebrate — join us for a festive evening! \nThe event is free and open to the public. \nWhen: Wednesday\, May 20\, 6:30-8:00PM \nWhere: Church of St. Mary\, Grand Hall\, 440 Grand Street\, entry is at east side of the church toward the rear\, below church sanctuary.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/celebrate-the-landmarking-of-the-church-of-st-mary-and-the-parishs-200th-anniversary/
LOCATION:Church of St Mary\, 440 Grand Street\, New York\, NY
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/unnamed.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260521T173000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260521T193000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260324T175743Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260424T131135Z
UID:121-1779384600-1779391800@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Open Arts LES: Mencius Society for the Arts
DESCRIPTION:Organized by FABnyc\nMencius Society for the Arts presents its very own Cantonese Opera Circle — a sampling of the Chinese music and songs of the Cantonese opera repertoire\, showcasing a time-honored tradition of communal music making that remains popular in Guangzhou\, Hong Kong and Chinatowns all over the world. This program will feature both romantic and vibrant (warrior) musical styles in a distinctive interplay of melody (kookpaai) and rhythmic structure (bonging). \nMencius Society for the Arts is a nonprofit arts service organization rooted in Manhattan’s Chinatown and Lower East Side\, dedicated to sustaining traditional Chinese arts among immigrant communities. \nTheir programming pays homage to musical traditions familiar to many communities within the Chinese diaspora in Manhattan’s Chinatown.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/open-arts-les-mencius-society-for-the-arts/
LOCATION:NY
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Outdoor Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/OA-2026-2-Ari-Duong-Nguyen.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260521T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260521T200000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260413T182847Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T182847Z
UID:361-1779386400-1779393600@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Film Screening: Squatters: A NYC Documentary w/ Catalina Santamaria
DESCRIPTION:Organized by the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\nMoRUS will be screening films about squatting in the Lower East Side. After each showing\, there will be a discussion and Q&A with special guests! More info to come!\nDOORS at 6pm every THURSDAY April 23rd till May 28th 2026\nLocation: 155 Loisaida Ave NY NY 10009 \nFILM SCHEDULE:\n4.23…El Corazon de Loisaida + Viva Loisaida w/ Special Guests\n4.30…Your House is Mine + Survival Without Rent w/ Elana Heiserman\, Katie Meyers\, and Caroline McCaughey\n5.7…Squat or Rot + How to Squash a Squat w/ Franck Lazare and Special Guest\n5.14…Take Over + Whose Neighborhood is it Anyway? w/ Peter Kinoy\n5.21…Squatters: A NYC Documentary w/ Catalina Santamaria\n5.28…Tompkins Square Riot Footage w/ Clayton Patterson
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/film-screening-squatters-a-nyc-documentary-w-catalina-santamaria/
LOCATION:Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\, 155 Avenue C\, New York\, NY\, 10009
CATEGORIES:Film Screening,Lower East Side History Month
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/LESPOSTER-fixedmarie-Marie-Cantor.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260523T153000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260523T170000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260420T184338Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260428T162418Z
UID:406-1779550200-1779555600@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Traditional Music and Opera at Mencius Society for the Arts
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Mencius Society for the Arts\nwith Grand Street Settlement \nDISCOVER LIFELONG PRACTICE \nIN MUSICAL ARTS ON THE LES! \n– LISTEN IN \n– SING ALONG \n– LEARN \n– CONNECT \nGet a Tour\, Relax\, and Enjoy the music: The EastRiver LES Community Orchestra convene to rehearse for the upcoming concert. Players will pause and answer questions and let you try the instruments! \nNamed after the philosopher Mengzi\, Mencius Society for the Arts is devoted to the practice and advancement of local and folk music\, theater\, and cultural arts in empowering local creative communities in building a more equitable and harmonious American society. Based on the Lower East Side in New York City\, the Mencius mission is defined by a commitment to fostering lifelong learning and intergenerational engagement around the arts as a communal experience rooted in cultural memory and shared creative action. Founded in 2003 Mencius is a 501(c)3 non-profit arts organization and a key partner of Grand St. Settlement since 2019. All programs and events are free of charge or at low-cost to the community
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/traditional-music-and-opera-at-mencius-society-for-the-arts/
LOCATION:Grand Street Settlement\, 80 Pitt Street\, New York\, NY\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=application/pdf:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/LES-History-Month-OPENHOUSE-Flyer-3-1.pdf
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260524T000000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260524T235959
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260331T200915Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260420T173626Z
UID:211-1779580800-1779667199@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:The 39th Annual Loisaida Festival
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Losiaida\, Inc.\nSunday May 24th\, 12pm-5pm \nFor nearly four decades\, the Loisaida Festival has stood as one of the Lower East Side’s most cherished public traditions\, bringing together residents\, artists\, families\, merchants\, community organizations\, and visitors in a joyful celebration of the neighborhood’s enduring cultural life. In a community shaped by Puerto Rican\, Nuyorican and immigrant histories\, and one that continues to confront the pressures of displacement and cultural erasure\, the Festival remains a powerful affirmation of presence\, memory\, and collective pride. \nThis year’s theme\, “Our AmeRícan Thing\,” reflects our commitment to celebrating Loisaida not only as a geographic place\, but as a language\, a rhythm\, and a way of belonging carried through music\, poetry\, theater\, food\, and shared community experience. Inspired by the spirit of Jesús “Tato” Laviera\, the theme seeks to honor the neighborhood not through nostalgia alone\, but through renewed energy\, hope\, imagination\, and the living future we continue to shape together. \nThe 39th Annual Loisaida Festival\, historically celebrated on the Sunday before Memorial Day\, will take place on Sunday\, May 24\, 2026\, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM\, spanning Avenue C / Loisaida Avenue from East 12th Street to East 5th Street. As the Lower East Side’s largest Puerto Rican heritage and Latinx neighborhood block party\, the Festival will once again feature a rich multidisciplinary program across several activations throughout the Festival footprint. \nThis year’s Main Stage\, co-hosted by Giraldo Alvare and Caridad de la Luz\, will feature local and guest artists including Daso y el Grupo Cemí feat. Daydrian and Bebé Bambú\, Grupo Kandela\, Legacy Women\, Las Mariposas Galácticas\, and John Benítez & Revolution Latin Jazz. Featured activations will also include street-level programming by BombaYo\, the Nuyorican Poets Café\, and Batalá NY; performances at Francisco Pancho Ramos Community Garden by YoToco and Grupo Fascinantes; and a dynamic TheaterLab at La Plaza Cultural de Armando Perez Community Garden featuring artists such as Fernandito Ferrer\, Dorill Initiative\, Atisferio\, Loisaida Conjunto de Plena\, and visiting urban artist Guada from Puerto Rico\, among others. We are also especially excited that this year’s Festival will include the 40th Anniversary celebration of PRIDA (Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of the Arts) along Avenue C between East 5th and 6th Streets\, as well as Somos Arte’s La Borinqueña Superhéroe Workshop and a Vejigante mask-making pop-up at Piragüa Art Space on 10th Street. \nAs part of this year’s celebration\, Loisaida\, Inc. will also honor a distinguished group of community leaders\, cultural workers\, and neighborhood champions through the Viva Loisaida! Awards. This year’s honorees are Council Member Chris Marte\, recognized for his public service and steadfast advocacy for Lower Manhattan; Naomi Peña\, for her leadership in education justice\, family advocacy\, and community empowerment; David Sanders\, for his longstanding grassroots commitment to community building and neighborhood care; Chanel Elliott\, for her trusted and tireless service to Lower East Side residents through constituent advocacy; and Destiny Mata\, for her important photographic and archival work documenting the lived memory\, culture\, and resilience of the Lower East Side. Together\, these awardees embody the spirit of Loisaida through service\, creativity\, advocacy\, and deep commitment to community. \nThe day’s offerings will include live music\, poetry\, theater\, street performance\, artisan vendors\, and community-based programming reflective of the Puerto Rican\, Nuyorican\, Caribbean\, and immigrant traditions that define Loisaida. Rooted in history and alive with contemporary energy\, the Festival continues to serve as a vital public platform where culture\, memory\, and community are not only celebrated\, but actively carried forward.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/the-loisaida-festival/
LOCATION:Ave C Cooridor
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Outdoor Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=application/pdf:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Final-approved-loisaida-fest-2026-crop-no-sponsors-Alejandro-Epifanio.pdf
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260524T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260524T123000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260331T210737Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T210737Z
UID:254-1779618600-1779625800@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Walking Tour: Jewish Lower East Side
DESCRIPTION:Organized by the Museum at Eldridge Street\nStroll through the neighborhood’s 100-year-old history! \nA century ago\, the Lower East Side saw unparalleled growth as waves of immigrants settled\, prayed\, played\, worked\, shopped\, and attended school in this neighborhood as they built their new lives in a new land. Today\, there are signs of the past hidden within the modern streets. See how many of these historic places have been transformed\, repurposed\, or restored. \nHighlights: \n\nVisit the Museum at Eldridge Street and see a fully restored magnificent 1887 synagogue\nStop at Straus Square and learn about its history and its significance during the heyday of Jewish immigration\nVisit The Forward building and learn the role of this important Jewish newspaper and its Yiddish advice column A Bintel Brief\nStop by Seward Park\, the first municipally-built free playground in the United States and designed especially for the neighborhood’s children\, the first generation to grow up in such crowded conditions\n\nJoin a Museum at Eldridge Street expert guide on Sunday\, May 24th at 10:30am as we walk in the footsteps of these immigrants and tell their stories. \nTicket Price (Includes Museum Admission):\nAdults $25\nSeniors / Students $20\nChildren 5 and Under FREE\nCool Culture Pass / SNAP Benefits $5 \nREGISTER HERE \nThis Museum at Eldridge Street Walking Tour is only available to small groups (25 people max). This tour is available to both individual ticket holders and families. \n\nAbout the Museum at Eldridge Street:\nThe Museum at Eldridge Street is housed in the Eldridge Street Synagogue\, a magnificent National Historic Landmark that has been meticulously restored. Opened in 1887\, the synagogue is the first great house of worship built in America by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Today\, it is the only remaining marker of the great wave of Jewish migration to the Lower East Side that is open to a broad public who wishes to visit Jewish New York. Exhibits\, tours\, public programs\, and education initiatives tell the story of Jewish immigrant life\, explore architecture and historic preservation\, inspire reflection on cultural continuity\, and foster collaboration and exchange between people of all faiths\, heritages\, and interests. \n\nImage Credit: “A Group of Peddlers (The Ghetto)\,” color postcard\, William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection Postcards.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/walking-tour-jewish-lower-east-side-3/
LOCATION:12 Eldridge Street\, New York\, NY 10002\, 12 Eldridge Street\, New York\, NY\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Outdoor Event,Walking Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screen-Shot-2026-03-31-at-4.52.30-PM.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260524T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260524T130000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260402T183207Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T192405Z
UID:296-1779620400-1779627600@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Walking Tour: Queer Artist/Activists of the Lower East Side\, 1960-2000
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Close Friends Collective with Henry Street Settlement\nJoin us as we spend the 2026 season remixing our walking tours of the Lower East Side and the East Village! On our first tour offering this season\, we will look at many influential queer artist/activists of the late 20th century on the Lower East Side – including Martin Wong\, Miguel Piñero\, Jack Smith\, Mario Montez\, Sylvia Rivera\, Marsha P. Johnson\, and the Gran Fury collective. \nThese artist/activists were deeply connected to the Lower East Side\, and their work stands on the sometimes uneasy\, sometimes joyful intersection of artistic creativity and political action. On our tour\, we’ll discuss questions that these luminaries’ lives and works provoke: Is art made by queer artists always political? Would we even want it to be? Who is the audience for queer art? \nThe tour will begin at Henry Street Settlement’s Abrons Arts Center\, 466 Grand Street\, a community arts space with a 110-year history of art and activism. \nTours are led by the Close Friends Collective\, a group of educators\, historians\, and artists with a passion for teaching queer history. Since 2021\, Close Friends Collective has led queer history walking tours of the Lower East Side and the East Village in partnership with Henry Street Settlement. Closer Friends Collective members are: Natalie Hill\, Salonee Bhaman\, Daniel Walber\, erin reid\, Jimmy Fay\, and Katie Vogel. \nTours are available only to the first 20 registrants. Tickets are $20 each. Five free tickets are available for each tour on a first-come\, first-served basis. If the date and time you’re looking for are not showing up as a ticket option\, this means all tickets have been claimed. If you cannot add multiple tickets\, that means we have fewer tickets available than you would like to purchase. \nPay it forward! If you’d like to pay more than the $20 ticket amount\, your donation will be used to subsidize free tickets and support Henry Street’s history programming. \nFor updates and announcements about Queer History Walking Tours\, be sure to follow Henry Street Settlement on social media or sign up for our monthly e-newsletter. \nIf you are interested in booking a private tour\, please contact Info@HenryStreet.org.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/walking-tour-queer-artist-activists-of-the-lower-east-side-1960-2000/
LOCATION:Abrons Arts Center\, 466 Grand Street\, New York\, NY\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Walking Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screen-Shot-2026-04-02-at-2.31.24-PM.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260524T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260524T153000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260420T185835Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260428T162539Z
UID:412-1779620400-1779636600@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Traditional Music and Opera at Mencius Society for the Arts - Sing Along\, Learn\, Connect
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Mencius Society for the Arts\nwith Grand Street Settlement \nDISCOVER LIFELONG PRACTICE \nIN MUSICAL ARTS ON THE LES! \n– LISTEN IN \n– SING ALONG \n– LEARN \n– CONNECT \nGet a Tour and get into the action: Students practice Chinese opera stagecraft under the tutelage of professional artists; see if you can read the traditional gongchi notation and follow the drum beats as they sing; meanwhile\, check out the guys practicing southern boxing next door. \nNamed after the philosopher Mengzi\, Mencius Society for the Arts is devoted to the practice and advancement of local and folk music\, theater\, and cultural arts in empowering local creative communities in building a more equitable and harmonious American society. Based on the Lower East Side in New York City\, the Mencius mission is defined by a commitment to fostering lifelong learning and intergenerational engagement around the arts as a communal experience rooted in cultural memory and shared creative action. Founded in 2003 Mencius is a 501(c)3 non-profit arts organization and a key partner of Grand St. Settlement since 2019. All programs and events are free of charge or at low-cost to the community \nLES History Month-OPENHOUSE Flyer
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/traditional-music-and-opera-at-mencius-society-for-the-arts-sing-along-learn-connect/
LOCATION:Grand Street Settlement\, 80 Pitt Street\, New York\, NY\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=application/pdf:https://www.peoplesles.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/LES-History-Month-OPENHOUSE-Flyer-3-1-1.pdf
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260528T160000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260528T170000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260413T181204Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T181204Z
UID:353-1779984000-1779987600@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Exhibit Opening: The Gates of Tompkins
DESCRIPTION:Organized by the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\nThe Gates of Tompkins exhibit\, which is at the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space in NYC\, will open on Thursday\, May 28th at 4:00pm. It will be open to the public weekly on Friday\, Saturday\, and Sunday from 12-5pm until June 21st. \nAfter a financial crisis that affected New York City in the 70s and 80s \, Lower East Side residents took back their neighborhood\, fixed up buildings\, and reclaimed the gardens\, creating a sustainable\, community way of life. Tompkins Square Park became an amazing example of the community’s vibrance\, cultivating music\, art\, and theater. However\, once the city returned to a stronger financial position\, authorities sought to take back community housing\, gardens\, and this new sustainable way of life and undermine these community-based projects. The neighborhood residents put up a fight to stop the gentrification\, and Tompkins Square Park became a battleground. A protest encampment was established in the park\, and what is known as the Tompkins Square Park Riots went on for several years. Eventually\, after using a lot of violence\, the city closed the park in 1991 and destroyed the bandshell. When they reopened the park\, it was re-designed in a way that discouraged the free exchange of art\, music\, and public assembly. It has been that way ever since–fences everywhere you look. With this Redesign initiative\, we hope to be able to put pressure on the Parks Department to re-design it in a way that maximizes community engagement and brings back the creative spirit of the neighborhood.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/exhibit-opening-the-gates-of-tompkins/
LOCATION:Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\, 155 Avenue C\, New York\, NY\, 10009
CATEGORIES:Exhibit,Lower East Side History Month
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260528T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260528T200000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260413T183142Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T183142Z
UID:363-1779991200-1779998400@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Film Screening: Tompkins Square Riot Footage w/ Clayton Patterson
DESCRIPTION:Organized by the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\nMoRUS will be screening films about squatting in the Lower East Side. After each showing\, there will be a discussion and Q&A with special guests! More info to come!\nDOORS at 6pm every THURSDAY April 23rd till May 28th 2026\nLocation: 155 Loisaida Ave NY NY 10009 \nFILM SCHEDULE:\n4.23…El Corazon de Loisaida + Viva Loisaida w/ Special Guests\n4.30…Your House is Mine + Survival Without Rent w/ Elana Heiserman\, Katie Meyers\, and Caroline McCaughey\n5.7…Squat or Rot + How to Squash a Squat w/ Franck Lazare and Special Guest\n5.14…Take Over + Whose Neighborhood is it Anyway? w/ Peter Kinoy\n5.21…Squatters: A NYC Documentary w/ Catalina Santamaria\n5.28…Tompkins Square Riot Footage w/ Clayton Patterson
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/film-screening-tompkins-square-riot-footage/
LOCATION:Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space\, 155 Avenue C\, New York\, NY\, 10009
CATEGORIES:Film Screening,Lower East Side History Month
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260529T133000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260529T153000
DTSTAMP:20260430T004800
CREATED:20260331T211303Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T211303Z
UID:259-1780061400-1780068600@www.peoplesles.org
SUMMARY:Walking Tour: The Jewish Gangsters of Lower Manhattan
DESCRIPTION:Organized by Museum at Eldridge Street\nPickpockets\, extortionists\, armed robbers\, bootleggers\, gamblers\, and hitmen cropped up not only in the Five Points neighborhood but also in the growing Jewish Lower East Side. Join us as we take to the streets and learn the story of organized crime in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in New York City\, from robbed and torched pushcarts to illegal whiskey and drugs! \nHighlights: \n\nLearn about the famous gangsters on the Lower East Side including Meyer Lansky\, Bugsy Siegel\, and Arnold Rothstein\nMeet the lesser known personalities like “Dopey” Benny Fein\, “Big” Jack Zelig\, “Lepke” Buchalter\, and the notorious Samuel “Red” Levine\nWalk the streets with an expert guide and visit where these Jewish Gangsters lived and conducted their business\n\nJoin a Museum at Eldridge Street expert guide on Friday\, May 29th at 1:30pm. \nWe will meet in front of the Ottendorfer Library at 135 2nd Avenue between St. Marks Place and 9th Street. Tickets must be purchased in advance of arrival. \nTours will run about two hours in length\, although this may vary. \nTicket Price (Includes Museum Admission):\nAdults $25\nSeniors\, Students $20\nChildren 5 and Under FREE\nCool Culture Pass / SNAP Benefits $5 \nREGISTER HERE \nThis Museum at Eldridge Street Walking Tour is only available to small groups (30 people max). This tour is available to both individual ticket holders and families. Please show your Walking Tour order confirmation at the Museum after your tour for free admission. \n\nAbout the Museum at Eldridge Street:\nThe Museum at Eldridge Street is housed in the Eldridge Street Synagogue\, a magnificent National Historic Landmark that has been meticulously restored. Opened in 1887\, the synagogue is the first great house of worship built in America by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Today\, it is the only remaining marker of the great wave of Jewish migration to the Lower East Side that is open to a broad public who wishes to visit Jewish New York. Exhibits\, tours\, public programs\, and education initiatives tell the story of Jewish immigrant life\, explore architecture and historic preservation\, inspire reflection on cultural continuity\, and foster collaboration and exchange between people of all faiths\, heritages\, and interests. \n\nImage Credit: Bugsy Siegel center with lawyers Jerry Giesler (left) and Byron Hanna (right)\, Everett Collection Inc.
URL:https://www.peoplesles.org/event/walking-tour-the-jewish-gangsters-of-lower-manhattan-2/
LOCATION:Ottendorfer Library\, 135 2nd Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10003
CATEGORIES:Lower East Side History Month,Outdoor Event,Walking Tour
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