Grand Opening of Daylighted Saw Mill River to Highlight 20th Annual Yonkers Riverfest

Sept. 4, 2012 - PRLog -- CONTACT:    Dean Bender
Thompson & Bender
(914) 762-1900
dean@thompson-bender.com

YONKERS, NY (August 2012) – This year’s Yonkers Riverfest will celebrate its 20th Anniversary on Saturday, September 8 with a very special ceremony to mark the official Grand Opening of the “daylighted”  Saw Mill River at Larkin Plaza.

The annual FREE event, which typically attracts over 25,000 visitors from Westchester and the surrounding area, is a fun-filled day of great entertainment, music and delicious food for the entire family. Riverfest is being staged by the Yonkers Downtown /Waterfront Business Improvement District (BID) in cooperation with Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and the City of Yonkers. Riverfest is being held on the streets of the downtown and waterfront starting at 12 noon, rain or shine.

City, County, State and Federal officials are expected to attend the grand opening ceremony that begins at 12 noon. Following remarks by elected officials, there will be music by the Riverside Kids, Inc. and conclude with a blessing of the riverbed by Moonhawk, an intertribal Native American singing and dancing troupe, which will signify the official opening of the river and the start of Riverfest 2012. A special announcement will be made at the Grand Opening ceremony dedicating the new park as Van der Donck Park in honor of  Adriaen Van der Donck,(1618 – 1655), a Dutch landowner whose estate later became the City of Yonkers.

Riverfest’s festivities will kick off at 11:30 am with a Parade of Flags, a colorful showcase of approximately 20 different flags that represent cultural organizations throughout the city. The Parade of Flags will begin at the corner of Riverdale and Main Streets and conclude at Van der Donck Park.

Throughout the day, Rock ‘n Roll, Jazz, Blues, and Latin musicians will entertain Riverfest attendees on five outdoor stages. Visitors will also enjoy arts and crafts, international food, face painting, miniature golf, classic car displays, kayaking, as well as street performers.

“This year’s event is shaping up as the best Riverfest ever. We are expecting record crowds and look forward to the historic grand opening of the daylighted Saw Mill River,” said Steve Sansone, Executive Director of the Yonkers Downtown/Waterfront BID.

Sponsors of the 20th Annual Yonkers Riverfest are:

Featured Sponsors: Domino Sugar (American Sugar Refining Inc.) and the Yonkers IDA

Gold Sponsor: Hudson Valley Bank

Silver Sponsor: Chase and L&M Development Realty Partners

Bronze Sponsors:
Collins Enterprises (Hudson Park)
Con Edison
Cross County Shopping Center
Key Bank
O’Connor Davies
PS&S Engineering
Westchester Community College - Yonkers Extension Center
Whole Foods

Supporters:
Dolphin Restaurant
Jacobs Engineering
Liberty Lines
McDonald’s (Alps Management, Inc.)
Omni NY, LLC
Sixty Six Main (Metro Partners)
Smith, Buss and Jacobs Law Firm
St. John’s Riverside Hospital
St. Joseph’s Medical Center


For more information on Yonkers Riverfest, please visit www.yonkersriverfest.com

The Yonkers Downtown/Waterfront Business Improvement District was created to promote and implement the economic vitality of the District and the City of Yonkers. The Yonkers Downtown BID is also designed to maintain the downtown streets, contribute to public safety, landscape the district, market special events and create promotional opportunities to highlight the area. Additionally, the Yonkers Downtown BID will preserve and encourage the cultural, historic, tourist and civil interest of the District and the City of Yonkers. For more information, visit www.YonkersDowntown.com.