Over 100 people attended the Riverspace House Party hosted by Jeffrey and Beth Friedberg this Memorial Day weekend. The family event included excellent live music from Jeffrey’s bluegrass group, The Hook Mountain Boys, and hot dogs, drinks, brownies and a cotton candy machine. A great time was had by all and the event raised over $1600 for Riverspace. A special thanks to all the kids there who helped raise money by washing cars in Jeffrey and Beth’s driveway.

As Jeffrey said, “This was a very special gathering. It really demonstrated what Riverspace is all about. The kids participated in the fundraising effort - learning about giving. The community gathered - around a commitment to keeping the living arts in Nyack. There was a real sense of community - of coming together - participating - socializing - owning our future.”

Thank You Jeffrey and Beth for hosting this beautiful event!

If you want to help our community own the future of Riverspace and downtown Nyack, please donate now $5, $10, $20 or whatever you can afford. Imagine Tomorrow. Give Today!

If you’re interested in hosting a Riverspace house party you can contact Stephanie Hausner at sghausner@gmail.com.

Join us for the opening of ARTWALK 2009

Thursday, June 19, 6 - 7PM

This is the year of the quadricentennial (400 years) celebration of the discovery of the Hudson River by Henry Hudson. John Beerman has made a painting of the "Half Moon” sailing into the sunset near Hook Mountain. This is the painting that will be gifted to President Obama by The American Heritage Rivers Alliance and will be the face of the quadricentennial celebration.

400 prints of this image, 18" x 30" will be available that will sell for $1,609 (the year the Hudson was "discovered" was 1609). A portion of the sale price will be donated to Riverspace.

This special dessert reception is open to the public and kicks off ART WALK 2009.

FILM: The Class
Wed., May 27, 8PM

FILM: Everlasting Moments
Wed., June 3, 8PM

Rockland Family Shelter: 30th Anniversary Celebration
Sat., June 6, 8PM

Riverspace & Elmwood Playhouse Present High Tor
Sun., June 7, 4PM

If any play can be said to be indigenous to Rockland County it would be Maxwell Andersen's 1937 Pulitzer Prize-winning "High Tor." The play is a rollicking, poetic, magical story involving an earnest young man and his fiancee, unscrupolous developers, inept bankrobbers, a time-trapped, 17th century Dutch sea captain, his entire crew and his lovely wife and a native american who is the last remaining representative of his tribe. If there's a better play to include in the Quadricentennial celebration of the "discovery" of the Hudson River, we couldn't find it.

Aided and abetted by the Elmwood Playhouse, Riverspace will be presented an elaborately staged reading of this amazing play featuring local lights Rick Apocella, Jacqueline DeMarco, Peter Fruchtman with guest artists from new york city Walker Jones, Michael Pemberton and a special guest from Westchester, Matthew Arkin. And speaking of indigenous, John the Indian will be played by Bobby Gonzalez, citizen of the Bronx and member of the Taino tribe (the original residents of Puerto Rico.) this promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime afternoon. Be there for the magic.

This week Riverspace welcomes the Black Bear Saloon, our neighbor at 82 Main Street, as a Riverspace sponsor!

Their pub style restaurant is open Monday through Sunday 11:00 am – 4:00 am. For information on parties, events or catering call Pamela Gibbs at (845) 675-7020 or visit www.blackbearnyack.com.

Please contact Julian Palmer at jpalmer@riverspace.org or call 845-821-5657 if you know of a business that would be interested in becoming a Riverspace sponsor.

Get Down with Rivertown Film at “Dance to the Movies 2”

Boogie the night away to great dance scenes shown on the big screen & music spun by DJ Jimmy Tenders of Entertainment 22.

Building on the success of its first “Dance to the Movies” benefit, Rivertown Film brings “Dance 2” to the Nyack Center on June 5 (8 pm-midnight.) It’s for those who love film or just love to boogie. Great too if you are one of the millions of people who follow dance shows on television, or are one of the record numbers enrolled in ballroom dancing classes.

SPECIAL OFFER! $15 admission to Riverspace members who purchase tickets in advance (a 25% discount off advance ticket price.) Tickets will be $25 at the door.

For more information on the event and how to register for the dance competition, go to www.rivertownfilm.org.

Join the quadricentennial celebration of the river the native dwellers called Mahicanituk when Henry Hudson sailed the Half Moon down to explore. Poets from both sides of the river -- all ages and communities -- are invited to email poems to readings@riverspace.org or mail to Maxine Silverman, curator of Readings at Riverspace.

During the year long quadricentennial, poems about the Hudson River will be posted on the Riverspace website.