Description: On Saturday, May 9, 2009 (raindate: Sunday, May 10), Earth Celebrations, in partnership with Manhattan Youth Downtown Community Center, launches its new Hudson River Pageant: to restore the Hudson River and address climate change in New York City. 2009, is also the 400th Anniversary of Henry Hudson's and Samuel de Champlain's, exploratory voyage in 1609, which will be featured as part of the pageant's celebration of the Hudson River's history. This ecological parade and performance art event is directed by Felicia Young, the Founder/Director of Earth Celebrations and the creator of the Rites of Spring: Procession to Save Our Gardens for 15 years in the East Village. The new Hudson River Pageant features a magnificent parade of giant 15-foot river species puppets, spectacular costumes representing oysters, seahorses, blue crabs, wetlands, river grasses, and over 70 species of local fish. The river species will dance their way from Tribeca through Greenwich Village along the waterfront lead by African-Caribbean parade bands Hungry March Band, Kalunga Neg Mawon, and a conch shell chorus. Music, dance, performances, songs, and poetry, including an Oyster Garden Planting Ceremony, Live Fish Release, River Cleansing Ceremony, and a Water Dance of Boats, highlighting the river, and its species, habitats, and issues, are presented at the various piers and significant sites along the parade route, from Manhattan Youth on Warren Street to Gansevoort Street, in the downtown portion of the Hudson River Park from 1-6pm. For more information: www.earthcelebrations.com