The Downtown Alliance spices up Lower Manhattan’s cultural life by presenting free concerts, showcasing neighborhood chefs, and supporting a wide variety of performances and exhibits.

The arts and special events play a major role in revitalizing our neighborhood.  They enliven the community and provide people with another reason to spend more time Downtown. A lively calendar of events is a wonderful amenity for workers, residents and visitors – and has proven to effectively generate business for Downtown restaurants and retailers.

There's always something exciting happening Downtown. To search our calendar of events, click here.

Downtown NYC River to River Festival

The River to River Festival produces and promotes nearly five hundred free music, dance and cultural events each summer. It is a collaborative effort among Downtown’s major event producers including the Downtown Alliance, Battery Park City Authority, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, South Street Seaport and the World Financial Center Arts and Events Program.

In the wake of September 11th, the festival was launched in an effort to heal the community and welcome the world back to Lower Manhattan with music, dance and the arts. It is the festival’s goal is to use the arts as an economic development tool towards the revitalization of Lower Manhattan. It has successfully attracted new and diverse audiences – 1. 2 million people per year – and truly demonstrated how the arts can be used as a major component in the revitalization of Lower Manhattan. Our audience research reveals that people came Downtown not only to experience world-class arts programming but also to enjoy Lower Manhattan’s rich history, retail shops and fine restaurants.

Past highlights include Ryan Adams, Patti Smith, Lyle Lovett, Fountains of Wayne, Ted Leo/Pharmacists, American Ballet Theater, Tan Dun, Audra McDonald, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Macy’s Fireworks Spectacular, Children’s Day at the Seaport, and much more. For more information on the River to River Festival, click here.

Music at Castle Clinton Concert Series

Castle Clinton, a national monument, was one of the first performance venues in New York City.  In 1850, P.T. Barnum presented "Swedish Nightingale" Jenny Lind in her American debut. In 1997, the Downtown Alliance paid homage the monument's musical heritage with the launch of the Music at Castle Clinton concert series. And for eight consecutive summers, we have presented sold out concerts featuring a wide variety of music genres from jazz and rock to Latin and pop. In 2005, we presented Clem Snide, Calexico, M. Ward, Robert Earl Keen and McCoy Tyner.

Dine Around Downtown

Dine Around Downtown is Lower Manhattan’s most popular annual culinary event. This gastronomic celebration presents roughly 50 well-known Downtown restaurants with cuisines ranging from French to Chinese to Continental. Diners sample signature menu items from top restaurant and beverage providers while enjoying live entertainment. It also gives those who work, live and visit Downtown an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the fabulous restaurants below Chambers Street.