by Elizabeth Gariti
It’s a hot, sunny September afternoon. Little kids are zooming around in giant bounce houses and lined up for pony rides. The usual wares are for sale as the sound of Klezmer music drifts from the stage down the block. Seems like just another street fair in New York City? Far from it. It’s the 12th annual Taste-of-the-Y Street Festival, the day when the 92nd Street Y takes its programs to the street.
With booths, stages and events running along Lexington Avenue from 94th-79th Streets, the Y’s Street Festival promotes and educates the community about the vast amount of services and programs offered by the 92nd Street Y, the Upper East Side’s largest community center. Like the Y itself, the Taste-of-the-Y has something for everyone, from toddler to Senior Citizen.
There are music and dance performances, free dance and sculpture classes, art activities for kids, fitness demonstrations, health screenings and consultations, and discounts of up to $300 off annual memberships at the Y's fitness center.
The Y is so big, it can be hard to get a handle on. The Festival helps by bringing all the activities of the Y out to the people, as a way to let everyone experience the opportunities offered by each of the Y’s six program centers: the Tisch Center for the Arts, the Bronfman Center for Jewish Life, the Harkness Dance Center, the Charles Simon Center for Adult Life & Learning, the May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport and the Lillian & Sol Goldman Family Center for Youth & Family.
In addition to the activities mentioned above, Festival attendees could indulge in low-cost spa treatments, sample Kosher cooking at the Chef’s Table, and explore the world on International Way, a mini-U.N. of booths representing Barbados, Fiji, India, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Turkey and Tanzania. (The Y’s street festival is the only street festival in New York that has consulates from around the world participating.)
Since its beginning, the 92nd Street Y has been an international organization. Founded in 1874 by prominent professionals and businessmen, the Y provided cultural assimilation, education and self-improvement to America's immigrants. Today, the 92nd Street Y is one of New York's premiere cultural and community centers, essential to the life of the city.
The Y’s programs are so far-reaching, they have tentacles in many areas of the City, including the Arts, public schools, politics, and hospitals. Educational outreach programs share the Y’s resources with students in NYC’s public schools. Known for presenting mind-opening forums on political, religious, social and economic issues, the Y has hosted the likes of Bill Gates, Mikhail Gorbachev, Gloria Steinem and Jimmy Carter. It is a permanent stop on the Arts and Culture map, nurturing talent in the classroom and on the stage, presenting luminaries like Martha Graham, Yo-Yo Ma, I.M. Pei and Paul Robeson. In addition to running programs for kids and teens, the Y operates a nationally recognized program for adults over 60. It also offers health screenings, support and education, many offered in conjunction with leading New York hospitals.
There are also “typical” Y activities: a summer camp for kids, a dormitory residence and a swimming pool.
The New York Times says that the Taste-of-the-Y is a true street festival, not just a collection of vendors. It's one of the Y’s biggest membership days of the year, particularly for the gym, the May Center. (There are also a lot of gym memberships sold during the annual open house day in January.) And this year, as every year, a number of tickets to events and classes were also sold.
Even though the 92nd Street Y is a Jewish organization, its doors are open to everyone. The mission is to assist people in developing the skills and talents necessary to negotiate all the stages of their lives. Financial assistance is always available to those in need. I thought about this as I watched a free Flamenco class. The impression I got was of a community where everyone is of the same mind and there for a single purpose. This is something that’s easily lost in the rabid commercialism of today’s New York, but it can still be found at the 92nd Street Y.
Many people who attend the Y attend for maybe one or two reasons: the gym, the pool, or to attend a lecture or concert. The Taste-of-the-Y brings all the Y’s programs together and gives the community a chance to experience other aspects. I certainly enjoyed this as I munched on Turkish Meatballs in a Pita and watched Klezmer Juice perform on the mainstage.
92nd Street Y1395 Lexington Avenue (at 92nd street)New York, NY 10128
212-415-5500 |
Click here for pics of Uppereast.com at recent UES Street Fairs.
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