Loisaida Inc.

Free Security Guard Training at Loisaida Center
2026-04-25 10:00 - 18:00 UTC | The Loisaida Inc. Center, 710 East 9th Street, New York, NY, 10009, United States
In collaboration with Trinity Church Wall Street, Loisaida Center will be hosting a series of Security Guard training sessions for interested community members. This training is free of charge to the participant.
Once training is complete, participants will be connected to Manuel Alicea, On-Site Security Consultant.

Training Dates:

Saturday April 11th – 8-hour class 10:00am-6:00pm
Friday April 24th and Saturday April 25th – 16hour class 10:00am-6:00pm

Training Location:

LOISAIDA CENTER
710 E9th Street New York, NY 10009

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our administrative office:
(646)-726-4715
info@loisaida.org

Open Mic Wednesdays at Loisaida Center hosted by: Brian Acosta Arya
2026-04-29 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-06 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-13 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-20 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-27 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-06-03 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-06-10 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-06-17 18:00 - 20:00 UTC and 1 more date | The Loisaida Inc. Center, 710 East 9th Street, New York, NY, 10009, United States
Join Loisaida Inc. and the Nuyorican Poets Cafe for our WEDNESDAYS OPEN MIC hosted by Brian Acosta Arya – at the Loisaida Center, 710 East 9th Street, NY, NY 10009. Ticket(s) available at the door or in advance by following this link: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35133 – the signup sheet to perform in the open mic is at the tickets/welcome table (near the stage) after you enter.
More details:
** Held on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of each month. **
** (Note: except during the summer months in July & August 2025) ***
** Doors open at 6 P.M. **
** Open Mic is from 6:30 to 8:00 P.M. **

All art forms are welcome:
Spoken Word/Poetry, Short Stories/Scripts, Stand-Up Comedy, Short Monologues/Excerpts, 3-4 Minute Original Songs or Performances (Note: ORIGINAL songs only).
Four minutes max. for each performer. If you’d like to add an original audio track to your performance, the digital signup sheet at the stage will provide an online form to upload your audio files. ** Note: all performances will be recorded and live-streamed on Loisaida’s and our Nuyorican Poets Cafe’s YouTube channel. Participation in this event is with this understanding and giving consent to be filmed. If you missed attending and/or would like to re-watch your own performance, find the recorded videos on our YouTube channel. **
** NOTICE: By attending and/or participating in events by the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, you acknowledge that your voice and/or likeness may be recorded and/or photographed. **
Ticket info here: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35133
* $10 (plus online fee) in advance here on this ticket page (for either audience/viewing or performances, same price)
* $10 (at the door at the Loisaida Center, via credit card or Zelle or ApplePay only, no cash)

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SENIOR DAY at Loisaida Center
2026-05-01 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-03 10:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | The Loisaida Inc. Center, 710 East 9th Street, New York, NY, 10009, United States
SENIOR DAY at the LOISAIDA CENTER
Activities include art workshops, educational panels, live music, snacks, coffee, and more!
Senior Day always takes place on the first Friday of the month (except for the month of June), from 10AM to 1PM.
Location: Loisaida, Inc. Center
710 E 9th Street, New York, NY 10009
Questions? Contact Loisaida, Inc. at
(646) 726-4715
or
info@loisaida.org

W.O.W. Open Mic @ The Loisaida Center
2026-05-06 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-06-03 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-07-01 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | The Loisaida Inc. Center, 710 East 9th Street, New York, NY, 10009, United States
Join Loisaida, Inc. and the Nuyorican Poets Cafe for the off-site edition of our monthly WOMXN ORATOR WEDNESDAY (“W.O.W.”) Open Mic, hosted by Sumbodies Mama – at the Loisaida Center, 710 East 9th Street, NY, NY 10009. Ticket(s) available at the door or in advance by following this link: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35133 – the signup sheet to perform in the open mic is at the tickets/welcome table (near the stage) after you enter.

More details:
** Held on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of each month. **
** (Note: except during the summer months in July & August 2025) ***
** Doors open at 6 P.M. **
** Open Mic is from 6:30 to 8:30 P.M. **

All art forms are welcome:
Spoken Word/Poetry, Short Stories/Scripts, Stand-Up Comedy, Short Monologues/Excerpts, 3-4 Minute Original Songs or Performances (Note: ORIGINAL songs only).
Four minutes max. for each performer. If you’d like to add an original audio track to your performance, the digital signup sheet at the stage will provide an online form to upload your audio files. ** Note: all performances will be recorded and live-streamed on Loisaida’s and our Nuyorican Poets Cafe’s YouTube channel. Participation in this event is with this understanding and giving consent to be filmed. If you missed attending and/or would like to re-watch your own performance, find the recorded videos on our YouTube channel. **
** NOTICE: By attending and/or participating in events by the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, you acknowledge that your voice and/or likeness may be recorded and/or photographed. **
Ticket info here.
* $10 (plus online fee) in advance here on this ticket page (for either audience/viewing or performances, same price)
* $10 (at the door at the Loisaida Center, via credit card or Zelle or ApplePay only, no cash)

Our events are made possible in part through the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, the New York City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the Mid-Atlantic Folk and Traditional Arts.

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The Familia Reading: A Celebration of Orange
2026-05-08 18:30 - 20:00 UTC | The Loisaida Inc. Center, 710 East 9th Street, New York, NY, 10009, United States
Loisaida Center welcomes you to a family style reading celebrating Noel Quiñones’ debut poetry collection.
This reading is a Family Affair!
Featuring poets who supported Noel throughout their poetry journey. Orange wouldn’t exist without them. Readers: Willie Perdomo, José Olivarez, Cynthia Manick, Yesenia Montilla, and Sean DesVignes.
Event Details:
Friday, May 8th
6:30PM – 8:00PM
Free and open to the public
Loisaida Center
710 East 9th Street
New York, NY 10009

Please RSVP utilizing the attached link!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-familia-reading-a-celebration-of-orange-tickets-1986831684051?aff=oddtdtcreator

The 39th Annual Loisaida Festival
2026-05-24 | Avenue C / Loisaida Ave, New York, NY, 10009, United States
For nearly four decades, the Loisaida Festival has stood as one of the Lower East Side’s most cherished public traditions, bringing together residents, artists, families, merchants, community organizations, and visitors in a joyful celebration of the neighborhood’s enduring cultural life. In a community shaped by Nuyorican and immigrant histories, and one that continues to confront the pressures of displacement and cultural erasure, the Loisaida Festival remains a powerful affirmation of presence, memory, and collective pride.
This year’s theme, “Our AmeRícan Thing,” reflects our commitment to celebrating Loisaida not only as a geographic place, but as a language, a rhythm, and a way of belonging carried through music, poetry, theater, food, and shared community experience. Inspired by the spirit of Jesús “Tato” Laviera, the theme seeks to honor the neighborhood not through nostalgia alone, but through renewed energy, hope, imagination, and the living future we continue to shape together.
The 39th Annual Loisaida Festival, historically celebrated on the Sunday before Memorial Day, will take place on Sunday, May 24, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM, spanning Avenue C / Loisaida Avenue from East 12th Street to East 5th Street. As the Lower East Side’s largest Puerto Rican-heritage and Latinx neighborhood block party, the Festival will once again feature a rich, multidisciplinary program across several activations throughout its footprint.
This year’s Main Stage, co-hosted by Giraldo Alvare and Caridad “La Bruja” de la Luz, will feature artists, including local alternative rock ensemble Daso y el Grupo Cemí feat. urbano artists; Daydrian and Bebé Bambú, salsa and merengue with Grupo K’ndela, afro-caribbean heritage music by Legacy Women, cumbia-rock from Philadelphia-based powerhouse Las Mariposas Galácticas, and Latin-jazz and flamenco by Grammy-award winning bassist, John Benítez & Revolution Latin Jazz. Featured street-level activations will also include Ecolibrium and BioBus Mobile Laboratory for children to explore community science and technology as well as cultural programs by BombaYo, the Nuyorican Poets Café, and an opening parade led by afro-brazilian samba reggae group Batalá NY; performances at Francisco Pancho Ramos Community Garden of Puerto Rican jíbaro music from YoToco and Grupo Fascinantes; and a dynamic TheaterLab at La Plaza Cultural de Armando Perez Community Garden featuring artists such as Fernandito Ferrer, and visiting us from Puerto Rico, urbano artists Guada and producer/deejay El S, alongside community partners like Dorill Initiative, El Bohío, Inc., and Third Street Music School. We are also especially excited that this year’s Festival will include the 40th Anniversary celebration of Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of the Arts (PRIDA) along Avenue C between East 5th and 6th Streets, as well as Somos Arte’s La Borinqueña Superhéroe Workshop and a Vejigante mask-making pop-up at Piragüa Art Space on 10th Street. Other street-level partners include: LES Yearbook, Fourth Arts Block, El Bohío, Lower Eastside Girls Club, Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop, Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, and many more. The 39th annual commemorative poster art is by Mateo Nazario. Born in Guatemala and growing up both there and in Puerto Rico, Nazario is currently a resident artist at the Loisaida Center.
As part of this year’s celebration, Loisaida, Inc. will also honor a distinguished group of community leaders, cultural workers, and neighborhood champions through the Viva Loisaida! Awards, presented at the Essex Market. This year’s honorees are Council Member Chris Marte, recognized for his public service and steadfast advocacy for Lower Manhattan; Naomi Peña, for her leadership in education justice, family advocacy, and community empowerment; David Sanders, for his longstanding grassroots commitment to community building and neighborhood care; Chanel Elliott, for her trusted and tireless service to Lower East Side residents through constituent advocacy; and Destiny Mata, for her important photographic and archival work documenting the lived memory, culture, and resilience of the Lower East Side. Together, these awardees embody the spirit of Loisaida through service, creativity, advocacy, and deep commitment to community building.
The day’s offerings will include live music, poetry, theater, street performance, artisan vendors, and community-based programming reflective of the Puerto Rican, Nuyorican, Caribbean, and immigrant traditions that define Loisaida. Rooted in history and alive with contemporary energy, the Loisaida Festival continues to serve as a vital public platform where culture, memory, and community are not only celebrated but actively carried forward.
This year’s celebration is made possible thanks to the support of the Acacia Network, Popular Bank, Grand Street Settlement, Lower Manhattan Presbyterian Hospital, and Trinity Church Wall Street. Additional support is provided by Green Mountain Energy Company, Wellcare Medicare, and MetroPlus Health. Additional support for the Loisaida Festival and Loisaida Inc. cultural programs is provided by he New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, in partnership with the New York City Council, former Councilmember Carlina Rivera, and the current Council Member Harvey Epstein of Manhattan District 2, Community Board 3, and the New York State Council on the Arts.
As the Lower East Side’s largest Puerto Rican-heritage and Latinx neighborhood block party, the Festival will once again feature a rich, multidisciplinary program across several activations throughout its footprint.
Loisaida, Inc. continues to celebrate our Puerto Rican roots, Lower East Side immigrant contributions, Latiné and Caribbean heritage, through food, music, theater, art, and culture. The 39th annual commemorative poster art is by Mateo Nazario. Born in Guatemala and raised between their native Country and Puerto Rico. Nazario is currently a resident artist at the Loisaida Artist in Residence (L.A.I.R.) program.
Join us in this one-of-a-kind community celebration in the Lower East Side’s Loisaida neighborhood.
-Alejandro Epifanio Torres, Executive & Artistic Director, Loisaida, Inc.
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Sponsorship Opportunities • Vendor Registration Form
Volunteer Registration Form • Parade Registration Form

La Bomba Crece En Loisaida!
2026-06-02 18:00 - 21:00, 2026-07-07 18:00 - 21:00, 2026-08-04 18:00 - 21:00 UTC | The Loisaida Inc. Center, 710 East 9th Street, New York, NY, 10009, United States
Join us for live drumming, dance, and community connection in the heart of Loisaida, as we celebrate our Puerto Rican culture!
We welcome you to our monthly bombazo occurring every first Tuesday of every month.
Although not needed, Feel free to bring your maracas, claves and other small instruments.
During our intermission, we will serve sancocho, cooked by our organizers of La Sala de Pepe and Diasporic Pa’lante Collective.
Every First Tuesday of the Month
6:00pm-9:00pm
Loisaida Center- 710 E 9th Street NY NY 10009

FREE OSHA30 Training and Certification at Loisaida Center
2026-06-03 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-04 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-10 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-11 10:00 - 17:00 UTC | The Loisaida Inc. Center, 710 East 9th Street, New York, NY, 10009, United States
Join us for a FREE OSHA 30-Hour Training & Certification sessions taking place on:
(Wednesdays & Thursdays) 10:00am-5:00pm
June 3rd, 4th, 10th, and 11th .
This comprehensive training is a great opportunity for community members looking to strengthen their workplace safety knowledge and advance their careers. Participants must attend all four sessions to receive certification.
To be eligible, you must bring a valid New York State ID and be proficient in English, as the training will be conducted entirely in English.
Boost your resume! Learn workplace safety! Become OSHA 30 certified!
This program is proudly offered in partnership with Trinity Church Wall Street.

Plena Afterschool Workshop
2026-06-10 15:30 - 18:30, 2026-06-11 15:30 - 18:30, 2026-06-12 15:30 - 18:30 UTC | The Loisaida Inc. Center, 710 East 9th Street, New York, NY, 10009, United States
Join us for a 3-day after-school Puerto Rican Plena music workshop at Loisaida Center on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, June 10–12, from 3:30–6:30 PM.
Open to all ages, youth will build a strong foundation in Puerto Rican folkloric Plena music through learning all three panderos, güiro, song composition, dance, and cultural history.
Participants will engage in hands-on musical instruction while deepening their understanding of the roots and traditions of Plena.
Come celebrate culture, rhythm, and community through this vibrant intergenerational workshop!

Loisaida Pride Day Werk-Shops!
2026-06-18 18:00 - 22:00 UTC | The Loisaida Inc. Center, 710 East 9th Street, New York, NY, 10009, United States
Loisaida is very excited to welcome you to our Loisaida Pride Werk-Shops!
On this day, we welcome community to participate in werkshops which focus on the spirit and culture of the LGBTQAI+ community.
Special thanks to our resident artist, Mateo Nazario for leading and curating these programs!

Thursday June 18th 2026
Loisaida Center- 710 E 9th Street New York, NY 10009

6:00pm – 8:00pm
Self Portrait Class for Everyone!
Guided by: Maite Nazario
8:00pm – 10:00pm
Vogue 101 for Beginners
Guided by: NYC House Mother- Mother of the House of Babylon, Disco Babylon!
