50th year of Washington Square Music Festival – Concert Tuesday night July 8th, 8 p.m.

Michael Packer @ Washington Square
Michael Packer @ Washington Square

The Washington Square Music Festival was founded in 1953 by violinist Alexander Schneider of the famed Budapest String Quartet (and a Greenwich Village resident) and the Washington Square Association, which still sponsors the event. It is the only outdoor classical concert series in New York City sponsored by a local community-oriented organization. That organization has existed since 1906.

Peggy Friedman, executive director of the Washington Square Music Festival, sent in this photo of the Michael Packer Band from the opening concert which took place on June 21st. She writes, “Alas, this is the last year we will perform on this historic stage. It will be torn down in the next step in the renovation.”

The remaining concerts are all Tuesday evenings at 8 p.m. : July 8, 15, 22 and 29, all chamber orchestra ensembles except for July 29th which features the Charles Mingus Orchestra.

All concerts are Free and take place in the SouthEast quadrant of Washington Square Park, near the Garibaldi statue.

Seating is first-come, first-served.

In the event of rain, the concert moves to: Frederick Loewe Theatre (NYU), 35 West 4th Street.

Information: # 212.252.3621.

** note: The time line works out to 55 years but apparently they skipped a few years.  Or five. **

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Photo: Cory Weaver

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