NY400 Week in New York City – New York City Events

It’s been 400 years this September since Henry Hudson and the Dutch East India Company first sailed what we call the Hudson River on the western shore of modern day Manhattan. You can bet New Yorkers are celebrating the occasion big time!

(Been a busy year for the Hudson)

September 8-13, 2009 is NY400 Week in New York City. Make your reservations now for one of our biggest city’s biggest celebrations. Traditional festivals, amazing artwork and music, one-of-a-kind shows, nautical and military displays, parades, educational workshops, historical exhibits, competitions, recreations, appearances by royalty. This is one fun-filled week.

It all starts with a bang … literally. A 21-gun salute hails the arrival of a vibrant, to say nothing of massive, flotilla of Dutch ships sailing the Hudson into New York Harbor. The incredible procession will include naval frigates, NATO minesweepers, twenty flat-bottoms, Dutch super yachts, a Dutch-manned racing yacht and replica ships of the Halve Maen and Onrust. The Halve Maen is the historic ship that Henry Hudson captained that first fateful journey up the west banks.

There’s really nothing like watching an authentic wooden frigate sail the Hudson. Try your hardest not to miss this one.

That’s just the beginning. Next comes the opening of the New Amsterdam Plein and Pavilion at Battery Park. Designed by Dutch architect Ben van Berkel, this new extension of the Battery is an anniversary gift from the Netherlands to New York City. Located at a major thoroughfare in south Manhattan, the pavilion is expected to see more than 75,000 visitors a day. I like this because it’s more than some festival or some exhibition, this is history. This is a brand new part of the history of New York City, something that will be around for hundreds of years to come.

Finally on Thursday the 10^th, the party really gets going with the New Island Festival on Governors Island. A mish-mash of traditional Dutch art festivals, notably the Oerol, the New Island Festival promises to bring the best of Holland to New York City. Nothing else quite like it in America, expect breathtaking visual arts combined with provocative, island-spanning performances and exhilarating music. Event runs from September 10-13, then again from 17-20.

There’s still so much more to experience – New Holland Village, Harbor Day, yacht races, the New Amsterdam walking trail, art and history exhibits all over the city – but some of this research you’re going to have to do yourself. I simply don’t have the room for it all.

NY400 Week runs September 8-13, 2009. Many events are free, some may require admission. Events take place throughout Manhattan. Start your adventure here.

Actually, start your adventure at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Hotel, one of our favorite hotels in Manhattan. The location is prime, 1605 Broadway in Times Square, so you’ll enjoy a quick trip to all the best attraction during NY400 Week. On top of that, this is just a great hotel, ideal for domestic and international travelers.

We recommend their Concierge New York Packages.

Have fun!

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