YONKERS, NY– April 7, 2025
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today announced the City of Yonkers is celebrating the 11th annual Yonkers Arts Weekend (YAW) festival on Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18. The two-day festival is filled with exciting new programs, including a student-designed fashion show by Westchester Community College, workshops, exhibitions and more.
“Thanks to the commitment of our community, Yonkers continues to secure its reputation as an artistic hub in the region. We are so excited to share that with residents and visitors each year during Yonkers Arts Weekend,” said Mayor Mike Spano. “Yonkers’ rich history, coupled with our thriving arts community, transforms the City, especially the historic waterfront district, into a walkable museum. I want to give special thanks to those who keep the arts alive year round in our community and I’m thrilled that we can continue to bring this event to our community.”
This year, YAW will deliver a comprehensive range of pop-up exhibitions, free art workshops, and musical performances across four dynamic venues including:
· The Hudson River Museum will feature open galleries, guided tours of the mansion, planetarium shows, family workshops, performances and the new “Fashion in Motion” fashion show (Sat., 5/17 at 2pm). Venue and programs will be available Saturday 11am - 5pm.
· Untermyer Park & Gardens will feature tours of the gardens, performances, family workshops. Venue and programs will be available Saturday and Sunday 11am - 5pm.
· Carpet Mills Arts District (CMAD) will feature the 21st Annual YOHO Artists Open Studio, live painting at the CMAD Mural Festival, Small Business Expo at The Lab, performances, exhibitions, and family workshops. Venue and programs will be available Saturday and Sunday 11am - 5pm.
· Downtown Yonkers will feature extensive programming, performances, family workshops, walking tours, and exhibitions at multiple locations. Venue and programs will be available Saturday and Sunday 11am - 5pm.
Juanita Alcena, Fashion Design & Technology Curriculum Chair at Westchester Community College stated, "Fashion in Motion" is a compilation of student work, ranging from first-semester designs to the final collections of graduating students. Each piece showcased at the Hudson Valley Museum this spring highlights their boundless imagination and creativity. The SUNY WCC Fashion Design Department is thrilled and honored to participate in Yonkers Art Week 2025.”
Evan Bishop, Executive Director, Yonkers Arts commented, "Yonkers Arts is excited to continue to play a part in contributing to this wonderful annual celebration of the arts in the city of Yonkers."
Since its inception in 2014, YAW has created a prominent arts district in the City of Yonkers. Several city galleries have opened, along with dozens of local and international renowned muralists and artists contributing to the City’s downtown renaissance. YAW attracts more than 10,000 visitors a year to City galleries, the Carpet Mills Arts District, Hudson River Museum and Untermyer Gardens.