Arts for Art Announces Free InGardens Festival for September and October 2026 – Avant Music News

Arts for Art will present its annual free InGardens Festival over six weekends from September 5 through October 12, 2026. The Lower East Side festival brings together creative improvised music, dance, poetry, and participatory performances, with events generally running from 2:00 to 5:30 p.m.

The first three weekends take place at Children’s Magical Garden, 129 Stanton Street. The final three weekends move to First Street Green Art Park, 33 East First Street.

This year’s festival is curated by Selendis Alexander Johnson, Warren Trae Crudup, Michael Wimberly, Joe Morris, and Patricia Nicholson. The program includes 44 performances across 14 days, representing several generations of New York’s creative improvising community.

Saturday, September 5

Children’s Magical Garden
2:00 p.m. — Dickey / Brown: Whit Dickey, drums; Rob Brown, alto saxophone
3:00 p.m. — Marty Ehrlich Exaltation: Marty Ehrlich, saxophones and clarinet; John Hébert, bass; Nasheet Waits, percussion
4:00 p.m. — Open Drum and Dance Circle: Michael Wimberly, Baba Don Eaton, and Juan Pablo Carletti, percussion. Attendees are invited to bring a drum or dance.

Sunday, September 6

Children’s Magical Garden
2:00 p.m. — Crudup / Taborn: Trae Crudup, percussion; Craig Taborn, keyboards
3:00 p.m. — Rosenbloom / Kitamura / de Brunner: Mara Rosenbloom, keyboards and voice; Kyoko Kitamura, voice and electronics; Claire de Brunner, bassoon
4:00 p.m. — Anders Nilsson Trio: Anders Nilsson, guitar; Ken Filiano, bass; Dan Kurfirst, drums

Monday, September 7

Children’s Magical Garden
2:00 p.m. — The Four Flats or Daniel & The Daves: Daniel Carter and Dave Sewelson, reeds; Dave Hofstra, tuba; Steve Moses, percussion and trombone
3:00 p.m. — Tracie Morris and surprise guest: Morris, poetry and vocals
4:00 p.m. — Francesca H / Chuck Roth: Francesca H, soprano saxophone; Chuck Roth, guitar

Saturday, September 12

Children’s Magical Garden
2:00 p.m. — Hooper / Irizarry / Ochoa: Lee Hooper, flute; Mobéy Lola Irizarry, congas and percussion; Dani Jimenez Ochoa, keyboards
3:00 p.m. — Poet to be announced
3:30 p.m. — Nakadegawa-Lee / Lin / West / Murray: Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee, woodwinds; Shinya Lin, electronics; Lulu West, voice and electronics; Kevin Murray, percussion

Sunday, September 13

Children’s Magical Garden
2:00 p.m. — Brown / Carletti: Rob Brown, alto saxophone; Juan Pablo Carletti, drums
3:00 p.m. — Yoshiko Chuma and the School of Hard Knocks
4:00 p.m. — Marcelo / Myles: Alexis Marcelo, keyboards, synthesizer, and melodica; Gervis Myles, bass and synthesizer

Saturday, September 19

Children’s Magical Garden
2:00 p.m. — Smith / Kickofel / Rogers: Caleb Smith, keyboards and flute; Sophia Kickofel and George Rogers, saxophones
3:00 p.m. — Joe Morris Trio: Joe Morris, bass; Mark Valdes, percussion; Charlie Watson, trumpet
4:00 p.m. — Open Drum and Dance Circle: Baba Don Eaton, Juan Pablo Carletti, and others

Sunday, September 20

Children’s Magical Garden
2:00 p.m. — Kang / Summers / Nakadegawa-Lee: Celine Kang, guitar; Liam Summers, percussion; Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee, woodwinds
3:00 p.m. — Eichenberger / Starks / Colon: Kevin Eichenberger, Jon Starks, and Alfredo Colon
4:00 p.m. — Sol Cabrini, poetry and vocals
4:30 p.m. — Nadien / Salamone: James Paul Nadien, percussion; Sabrina Salamone, violin

Saturday, September 26

First Street Green Art Park
2:00 p.m. — Choi / Connor: Titan Choi, trumpet; Kaizen Connor, bass
3:00 p.m. — SSAJ / Daglio: Selendis Alexander Johnson, vibraphone; Nico Daglio, synthesizer
4:00 p.m. — Open Drum and Dance Circle: Michael Wimberly, Baba Don Eaton, Juan Pablo Carletti, and others

Sunday, September 27

First Street Green Art Park
2:00 p.m. — Andrea Wolper and Friends: Andrea Wolper and Ellen Christi, vocals; Ken Filiano, bass; TA Thompson, sound and rhythm
3:00 p.m. — Christi / Nicholson / Thompson: Ellen Christi, vocals; Patricia Nicholson, dance and text; TA Thompson, sound and rhythm
4:00 p.m. — Colon / Easter: Alfredo Colon, tenor saxophone and percussion; Ryan Easter, trumpet

Saturday, October 3

First Street Green Art Park
2:00 p.m. — DoYeon Kim and Friends: DoYeon Kim, gayageum and vocals; gabby fluke-mogul, violin; T.J. Borden, cello
3:00 p.m. — Janice Lowe and Friends, music and poetry
3:30 p.m. — Mittal / Parker / Crudup: Aakash Mittal, reeds; William Parker, bass and ngoni; Trae Crudup, drums
4:30 p.m. — Open Drum and Dance Circle led by William Parker and Juan Pablo Carletti

Sunday, October 4

First Street Green Art Park
2:00 p.m. — Endless Season Trio: Ayumi Ishito, saxophone and electronics; Daniel Carter, reeds and trumpet; Yuko Togami, drums
3:00 p.m. — Berman / Oliver: Eli Berman and Bonita Oliver, vocals and homemade instruments
4:00 p.m. — Yarrow Array: Che Chen, guitar and homemade instruments; Lesley Mok and Todd Capp, drums

Saturday, October 10

First Street Green Art Park
2:00 p.m. — Donald / LaPine: Buz Donald, percussion; Greg LaPine, saxophone
3:00 p.m. — Interstellar Duo: Jamal Moore, reeds, percussion, and electronics; Warren Crudup III, percussion
4:00 p.m. — Open Drum and Dance Circle led by William Parker and Juan Pablo Carletti

Sunday, October 11

First Street Green Art Park
2:00 p.m. — Muhr / Kochis: Luisa Muhr, voice; Samantha Kochis, flute
3:00 p.m. — No Land
4:00 p.m. — William Parker’s PocketWatch: William Parker, composition, conducting, and double reeds; Aakash Mittal, alto saxophone; Devin Brahja Waldman, alto saxophone; Isaiah Barr, tenor saxophone; Dave Sewelson, baritone saxophone; Diego Hedez, trumpet; Colin Babcock and Masahiko Kono, trombones; Colson Jimenez, bass; Juan Pablo Carletti, drums and percussion; Hans Young Binter, keyboards; Ellen Christi, voice; Patricia Nicholson, voice, text, and movement

Monday, October 12

First Street Green Art Park
2:00 p.m. — William Parker, bass; gabby fluke-mogul, violin
3:00 p.m. — Almaguer / Fishbeyn: Melissa Almaguer and Eliana Fishbeyn, electronics
4:00 p.m. — Luke Stewart Big Band, featuring Devin Brahja Waldman, No Land, and other guests
5:00 p.m. — Closing jam session

All performances are free.