PMN Winter Convergence, January 24-26, 2025 - NYC
PMN WINTER CONVERGENCE, January 24-26, 2025 (East Harlem, NYC)
This event emphasizes:
The event begins with arrival and participatory singing on Friday, January 24, 2025. Then on Saturday and Sunday (January 25 & 26), we’ll have participatory workshops and song swaps, and a Saturday night “Round Robin” – all highlighting the role of music in progressive social change. Expect numerous opportunities to share music, sing together, and to join efforts to bring music into the heart of struggles for justice and freedom today.
- Music to inspire dreams for a better world.
- Traditions that strengthen social justice struggles.
- A welcoming community of singers, activists, songwriters, spoken word artists, and allies committed to using the arts as catalysts for peace and justice.
FULL SCHEDULE (View a draft Google Doc)
If you would like to submit a workshop proposal, please fill out the Workshop Proposal Form!
Meals served by Pacifeast Caterers (Joanne Sheehan and Rick Gaumer). Omnivorous, vegetarian and vegan meals are included in the registration price, and are served from Friday Dinner to Sunday Lunch. Read the Menu.
Indicate on your registration form if you'd like to sell CDs or other merch during the gathering. A sales table will be organized and people selling items will be asked to take a shift staffing the table.
Masks are not mandatory, but we encourage participants to wear them at their own comfort level. We will provide masks to those wanting them. We ask that people stay at home if they feel sick or if they had flu-like symptoms within five days of the event. We encourage attendees to take a rapid antigen home test within two days of the weekend, even if they are feeling well, and we encourage people to bring extra tests. Full refunds are available due to sickness. Should you test positive for Covid while at the gathering, please notify designated members of the PMN Health and Safety team (contact person, Erland Zygmuntowicz <erlandzyg3@gmail.com>), so that attendees at the weekend can test and take appropriate precautions. (Note as of September 26, 2024, you can order free covid tests here: https://covidtests.gov/)
Request a Home Stay: The registration form for the PMN Winter Gathering includes an option to request to be matched with a volunteer host in the vicinity of New York City. For years, PMN has fostered a welcoming community-oriented feel for the whole weekend by matching members of the Network from out of town with supporters in the hosting city. PMN will try to find housing options within a 30 minute commute of East Harlem, but some options will involve longer commutes. PMN checks references for the individuals offering to welcome out-of-towners into their homes, but does not take responsibility for any possible adverse experience. We provide this service for out-of-town registrants to make gathering participation more affordable.
Please register by January 10, 2025 to guarantee a home stay match. Although we can’t guarantee that the match will meet every specific need, our housing coordinator, Erland Zygmuntowicz, will do her best to assign appropriate housing for the needs you indicate on the registration form and inform you if he can’t find an appropriate match. Questions? Contact housing@peoplesmusic.org.
Offer a Home Stay: Please read our hospitality appeal for the nights of January 24 & 25, 2025 in the vicinity of the Winter Gathering, and if you can offer to host an out of town PMN registrant, please fill out the online form.
Find a cheap place to stay nearby:
- Hostel International 891 Amsterdam Avenue (103 St): Prices are cheap. For all ages. http://hinewyork.org/reservations/
- Vanderbilt YMCA 224 E 47 Street OR Harlem YMCA 180 West 135th Street: More expensive than Hostel International, but cheaper than a hotel. https://ymcanyc.org/guest-rooms
WHAT TO BRING: We ask out of town guests to bring what they need to be comfortable, and not necessarily assume that linens, bedding, and toiletries will be provided by hosts.
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Please bring your own:
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Also, please bring:
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Contact these people who are coordinating carpools to Groton, MA from the following metropolitan areas (coming soon):
The Winter Convergence will be held all weekend Friday, Saturday & Sunday (January 24-26, 2025) at:
Central Park East II School
433 East 100th Street, New York, NY 10029 ***
Click for a map to the main entrance of the school.
*** The official address of the school is 433 East 100th Street, but the main entrance to the school is via a pedestrian walkway at the intersection of First Avenue and East 101st Street. Find this entrance using a mapping app, by searching "1st Ave. & E 101st St, New York, NY". Once you arrive, walk eastward along the pedestrian path that would be a continuation of 101st Street.
*** As much as possible, we encourage gathering attendees who have cars to park nearby where you're staying and take public transit to the events.
You need a metro card to ride the MTA buses and subways. Purchase at any subway station. You get a single free transfer between buses and/or subway.
Via Subway:
- Take Q train to East 96th Street Stop and walk from Second Avenue (12 min walk).
- Take 6 Train to 96th Street Stop (15 min walk) or 103rd Street Stop (13 min walk) and walk from Lexington Avenue.
- Take 1,2, 3, or C trains to 96th and take 96th Street Crosstown Bus (M96)*.
Via Bus:
- Manhattan Bus Map: http://web.mta.info/nyct/maps/manbus.pdf (You can check routes from wherever you are coming from. As a reference, the distance from Lexington Avenue to First Avenue is 1/2 a mile. In addition to M15 and M96, the following buses will get you close: M101, M102, M103, M98, M106)
- M15 Bus stops near the school entrance. Northbound (uptown) at 1st Avenue and 102nd and Southbound (downtown) at 2nd Avenue and 101st.
Schedule: http://web.mta.info/nyct/bus/schedule/manh/m015cur.pdf
Realtime: https://bustime.mta.info/m/index?q=M15&l=&t=
- M15 Select Bus stops Northbound (uptown) at 1st Avenue and 97th and Southbound (downtown) at 2nd Avenue and 96th. Please note you must use your Metrocard to purchase ride ticket at vending machines at Select Bus stops before boarding Select buses.
Schedule: http://web.mta.info/nyct/bus/schedule/manh/m015scur.pdf
- Crosstown Bus M96 crosses 96th Street. Take to last stop (97th and First Ave).
- Crosstown Bus M106 Take to 106th Street & First Avenue.
Via Car:
Street parking can be found. Start by looking for options on 100th Street. In addition to street parking, there is a 64 space parking lot (called M99), which is bordered by the FDR parkway, 99th street and 100th street. Another nearby school operates that lot, but does not enforce its permit requirements on Saturday and Sunday. People from the neighborhood also use the lot. M99 has no sign saying that parking there on the weekends is allowed, but the towing company confirms they don't tow cars on Saturday and Sunday.
This is the most convenient paid lot:
NYC Parking 1955 First Parking Corp.
480 E 101st St, New York, NY 10029 (Between 1st Ave. & 2nd Ave.)
Weekend special: Any 12 hours and out by Midnight $10
https://ipark.com/garage/1955-first-parking-corp-/
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