International street band festival ready to hit NYC in week-long celebration

Bandleaders, drum liners, musicians, artists and dancers from all around the world will stir up the streets across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Jersey City in a week-long celebration that starts on Monday.

Now in its ninth year, HONK NYC! 2015 will run from Oct. 12 through Oct. 18.

This annual convergence of international street bands has a full lineup of contemporary and cultural events that will get people moving to the beat of the drum.

Originating from a dinner party eight years ago for Brooklyn’s Hungry March Band and Rome’s Pink Puffers Brass Band, it then grew to now a seven-day long celebration.

A grass-roots festival and organization, this year’s HONK NYC! celebration brings over 300 musicians and artists together to fill the sounds of 12 venues with up to two shows daily.

It is expected that 3,500 audience members will be in attendance next week, including 2,000 school children in Brooklyn, Staten Island and Manhattan, according to organizers.

Highlighted performances include world-renowned trumpeter Frank London and his Klezmer Brass All-Stars, and The Himalayas featuring percussionist and bandleader Kenny Wollesen, which will perform at the High Line on Tuesday.

The festival kicks off Monday at 6 p.m. in One Penn Plaza with a free event by Haitian folk music group, DJA-RaRa.

Other features include free and low-cost events, such as a potluck on Tuesday with a performance, a dance party in Brooklyn, a night themed “Paris & New Orleans Take Over Harlem,” and a drum workshop that will also have performances by Brooklyn United Drumline.

Visit honknyc.com for the full schedule.