Giant makeshift jellyfish, people in fish costumes, and painted boat floats—you can see all this on the streets of Hunts Point on a Sunday in June. This is the Fish Parade. In this unusual and joyful way, residents parade a quarter-mile to the waterfront park, where the main celebration—the Arts Festival—takes place around a central stage. In this article, we’ll tell the story of the community organization that started this interesting tradition and about the unique fish-and-arts festival itself. Read on at bronxski.com.
The Story of THE POINT
Hunts Point is a neighborhood in the South Bronx known for housing the largest food distribution center. It’s always noisy and crowded, with countless trucks, ships, and boats. Given the scale and nature of this massive warehouse, you can imagine the general atmosphere: dirt, torn packaging, spoiled food, and the lingering port smell of fish.
At the same time, however, Hunts Point is a large residential neighborhood, home to over 12,000 residents. It’s therefore important to maintain a comfortable infrastructure and favorable conditions for social life and development.
It was for this purpose that the THE POINT Community Development Corporation was founded in Hunts Point in 1994. At the time, the neighborhood was facing a lack of funding and a deteriorating social climate.
Maria Torres, Paul Lipson, Mildred Ruiz, and Steven Sapp were the people who initiated the founding of the organization, which aimed to support the community, implement important social and environmental programs, and revitalize culture in Hunts Point. The local government gave permission to renovate an old building at 940 Garrison Avenue. The community development corporation was named THE POINT and given non-profit status. In 1996, it was joined by the International Center of Photography. Every year, the number of partners grew. THE POINT created new collaborations with educational, cultural, environmental, and business organizations. In 2006, THE POINT became a base for the volunteer organization City Year NY. In 2007, the Riverside Campus for Arts & Environment was opened.
Throughout its history, the Hunts Point community development corporation has received numerous awards and honors. Among them are:
- The Union Square Award for Youth Development;
- The Coming Up Taller Award;
- The New York City Mayor’s Award for Arts & Culture;
- The Place Matters Award from City Lore and the Municipal Art Society;
- The EPA Environmental Quality Award for work in environmental justice.
Thanks to THE POINT’s work, Hunts Point residents can lead a full community life and have access to modern development programs for both children and adults.
The Core Focus Areas of THE POINT
THE POINT has several core areas of focus, centered on the cultural and economic revitalization of the Hunts Point neighborhood.
- Youth Development.
Several ongoing clubs and classes are open to everyone. They are free and run thanks to the support of sponsors and volunteers. The main goal is to create an alternative for youth instead of aimlessly wandering the streets. At THE POINT’s cultural center, classes are offered in photography, fine art, circus arts, hip-hop, music, and civic engagement.
- Environmental Justice.
There are many environmental organizations in the Bronx, such as The Bronx is Blooming and Bronx River Alliance. They sometimes team up to implement certain projects. But THE POINT also has many of its own programs aimed at protecting the environment and mitigating negative human impact on it.
- Community Development.
Many initiatives are implemented annually to improve the quality of life for Hunts Point residents. Among them are free community Wi-Fi, the creation of free electric transportation, and the development of a community solar project to help over 600 low-income households.
- Arts and Culture.
THE POINT makes art accessible through theatrical, dance, and musical performances, as well as through the region’s long tradition of public art.
The Main Event: The Annual Festival
Almost all Hunts Point residents know about THE POINT’s activities and various events. But one event has become well-known far beyond the neighborhood’s borders. It’s the annual festival, with the interesting name The Hunts Point Fish Parade and Arts Festival. It’s usually held on a Sunday in June (the date is announced in advance on THE POINT’s official website).
The celebration is truly spectacular. Imagine a large crowd marching down a wide street in unusual costumes, mostly with a marine and fish theme. You can find all sorts of characters here—crabs and mermaids, starfish and octopuses, squids and seaweed, pirates and enthusiastic fishermen with long fishing rods. Every year, parade participants come up with something new and start preparing their costumes and signs months before the event.
The festive procession starts at Riverside Park and ends at the Riverside Campus for Arts & Environment. This is where the main stage is set up and all the main events and entertainment take place. Every year, the program changes slightly and is supplemented with new locations. The traditional Arts Festival program includes:
- a kids’ art corner;
- boat rides;
- a one-day basketball tournament;
- face painting;
- printmaking;
- a food court;
- live music;
- performances by various creative groups and artists.
Government officials and prominent people from the Bronx who support THE POINT’s social initiatives often participate in the Fish Parade.
From Protests to a Fun Festival
At first glance, it all seems like another fun public gathering or one of the many lively festivals that take place in the Bronx. But the Fish Parade has a deeper, more global, and social purpose. The first parades were more like protests against environmental pollution, especially of the Bronx River. Hunts Point old-timers remember marching in the streets to call on residents to clean up their community. At the time, the small one-acre park that the protesters marched to was littered with trash. Slowly, activists cleaned it up and succeeded in transforming this area into a waterfront. People dressed up as cans, empty milk cartons, and trash, and covered themselves in mud to draw attention to the environmental problem. After the park was cleaned up, the focus turned to the Bronx River. With each parade, the river got cleaner. While in the beginning, the end of the procession meant a cleanup, clearing the banks, and beautifying the surrounding area, today everyone can enjoy the results of many years of work and simply relax.
The first Fish Parade was held in 2003. Back then, only a few dozen people came out. Now, residents from all over New York and tourists come specifically to Hunts Point for the event.
How Bronx Residents See the Fish Parade
For some, this event is more like a masquerade and carnival. For others, the procession through the streets of Hunts Point has a deeper meaning, as they are primarily pursuing social and environmental interests. For children, it’s just another chance to have fun, play games, and eat treats. Art lovers often come straight to the final location in the park to see what the organizers have planned for the Arts Festival program. And tourists come to get acquainted with the unique culture and atmosphere of this Bronx neighborhood.
Some Hunts Point residents have been participating in the Fish Parade for years and see it as just another traditional holiday.
“This is one of my favorite events in the Bronx,” says Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose congressional district includes Hunts Point. “It’s about the community coming together and advocating for things that never existed before. As a result, families can have a park and access to the water. It’s a beautiful thing.”
It used to be incredibly dirty and grim here. Now people can walk in the park, go kayaking and canoeing, and fish from the shore.
But there’s always room for improvement. Hunts Point is still a long way from having an ideal cultural and ecological environment. That’s why at every Fish Parade and Arts Festival, important social issues are raised. And every year, the neighborhood gets closer, step by step, to its ultimate goal: to become a successful, thriving, and inspiring neighborhood for not only the Bronx, but all of New York City.
