Before The Dawn

One of New York City's biggest literary events featuring more than 150 scheduled performers plus an open, had a new venue this New Year's Day. The 25th Annual Alternative New Year's Day Spoken Word / Performance Extravaganza took place on January 1, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Greenwich Village, a hub of social, political and cultural ferment. This year's theme was “Before the Dawn”. The Alternative, which continues to be free to the public, features poets, prose writers, monologists, musicians, dancers and other performers in an eight-hour showcase that ranges from some of New York's most seasoned talents to emerging stars. The lineup evolves each year to keep the event fresh and democratic. The Alternative began on New Year's Day in 1995, and quickly became one of the most popular events on the city's poetry and literary scene.