'A celebration for the people of New York': West Side Fest

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- There are so many festivals going on in New York City every weekend this summer that it’s tough to keep track of them all.

But there is one that is relatively new to the West Side of Manhattan and goes on for three days of free events that we think you might like to know about.

It’s called West Side Fest.

At Summer Sway at the Shed, one of the kickoff events, there was dancing in so many different styles to celebrate the joy people feel from music and movement.  

There was also a timeline display about the origins of hip-hop and breakdancing, which were traced back to 1619 with the slave trade and ended with Breaking finally becoming an Olympic sport this summer.

“It’s a celebration for the people of New York City,” Deja Belardo, assistant curator at the Shed told PIX11 News. “Our way of giving back as a cultural institution to families so everyone has free access to the programs,” Belardo added.

West Side Fest is all about free events at 20 locations from Bank Street to 30th St.

There was this moving sound bath at Hill Art Foundation on 10th Avenue, where musician Daren Ho teamed up with artist Mika Tajima.

 “It’s a way to bring everyone to have an experience that can’t be described in image or text,” Tajima, the artist, told PIX11 News. “Just to have an experience together,” the artist added.

Free Friday Nights at the Whitney Museum of American Art are always packed, but as part of West Side Fest, the museum adds music in the lobby by teaming up with music venue Public Records and bassoonist composer Joy Guidry.

“It was beautiful, very therapeutic,” Dantae Elliott, a museum visitor, told PIX11 News.

To find out more about the West Side Fest, please go here.