Awards Season—Greenwich Village Style
Summer is just around the corner, and with it comes one of our favorite annual traditions: Village Awards season! This year, on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, Village Preservation invites you to the 45th Annual Meeting and 35th Village Awards. This free, public celebration honors the extraordinary people, places, and organizations that make our neighborhoods some of the most vibrant in New York City. And while our early summer evening may lack the red carpet, gowns, and tuxes of other award shows, it more than makes up for it with heart, authenticity, and community spirit.
As we count down the days, today we are spotlighting a few of our incredible past awardees:
The Public Theater: 2017 Awardee
For over 60 years, The Public Theater has been a cultural cornerstone at 425 Lafayette Street. Founded by visionary producer and director Joseph Papp, it was created to make theater accessible to all. “A place to go every day,” Papp envisioned—and delivered.
And for the past six decades, the Public Theater has not only been a neighborhood staple but also one of the first nonprofit theater organizations founded in the United States.
But the story of The Public is also one of historic preservation. In late 1964, the former Astor Library building had been vacated by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, which had occupied it for nearly fifty years, The building was at risk of demolition. Unwilling to see such a historic building face destruction, Joseph Papp took inspiration from the grassroots efforts that saved Carnegie Hall and he mobilized to protect the building and repurpose it as a theater.
Thanks to architect Giorgio Cavaglieri, the structure was transformed into the New York Shakespeare Festival Public Theater in 1966, and the space was reconfigured, adding three stages and auditoriums, an avant-garde 104-seat cinema, one chamber concert hall, two art galleries, and technical and administrative facilities to the building.
Today, the Public continues to carry Papp’s mission forward, producing groundbreaking theater and bringing culture, the arts, and entertainment back to the public audience.
The Bitter End: 2019 Awardee
Since 1961, The Bitter End has stood as New York’s oldest rock and roll club—and lucky for us, it’s right here in the heart of our neighborhood at 147 Bleecker Street. To call it “iconic” hardly does justice to its legacy and influence. Founder Fred Weintraub opened the club to give unknown artists a platform and music lovers an affordable, intimate venue. And the unassuming, humble venue, with room for just 230 people, has launched countless musical careers. Over the decades, its legendary stage has welcomed everyone from Neil Young and Bob Dylan to Jackson Browne and Joni Mitchell, and in recent times, Lady Gaga—alongside thousands of other unforgettable acts.
The South Village venue is an anomaly and defies easy categorization. When Weintraub first opened the venue, he lacked a liquor license, so the venue became a hybrid between a coffeehouse and a nightclub where people of all ages and backgrounds congregated to hear great music.
Today, the club’s philosophy remains the same as it did some sixty years ago: affordable music for diverse audiences. And while the Village’s bohemian roots may have changed and grown in different directions over the years, cornerstones like The Bitter End stand as a reminder to the Village’s musical soul.
Mark your calendars and join us on Wednesday, June 11, as we celebrate the past, present, and future of the Village’s vibrant community. The 45th Annual Meeting and 35th Annual Village Awards is more than just an event—it’s a tribute to the people and places that define the Village. We hope to see you there!