Hoboken the home of the state's best restaurants bars and culture.

If you have lived in Hoboken all of your life or visiting for the day, you'll find that Hoboken is rich with diverse cultural events, live music, an active artisan community and award winning restaurants and bars.  That's why people continually flock to Hoboken throughout the year from all over the tri-state area to be part of one of the most vibrant communities in the state.

A Happening Art Scene

Hoboken's renaissance as a city began two decades ago, when a growing group of artists discovered Hoboken as an inexpensive alternative to Manhattan.  Craftsmen could find a cold water flat for less than $100. a month and set up shop.  Those artists have had a profound effect on the character of the city and have created an arts and cultural scene that's second to none in New Jersey.  There's the Spring and Fall Arts and Music Festival, where Washington Street is taken over by artists, musicians and food vendors.  Over 100,000 visitors attend each of the festivals annually, which include national headliners and the best local bands.  In addition to the great live music, food lovers can snack on cuisine that range from Italian, Greek and Caribbean delicacies to guilty pleasures as cotton candy, zeppoles, ice cream, crepes and giant pretzels.

Another popular highlight on the City's calendar if the Artist Studio Tour in October, where for more than two decades, artists, crafters, painters, photographers, artisans and sculptors have opened their doors and welcomed the public into their sacred work space.

The City now has its own theater company, the Mile Square Theater, whose performances range from Shakespeare to its annual 7th Inning Stretch, a series of short plays about baseball, a subject that is close to the hearts of Hobokenites.

Summer Fun in the City

A Hoboken summer wouldn't be complete without the revelry of neighborhood concerts and "Movies Under The Stars".

Movies Under The Starts are shown weekly during the summer and you'll know it's movie night when the streets are full of people of all ages and it seems they're all heading to the park with blankets and picnic baskets in hand.

Likewise, the city hosts "Enchanted Evenings" summer concerts, which draws large crowds to the city’s waterfront parks for everything from big band music , reggae, to folk music.

Old and New Hoboken Celebrates Together

One characteristic that makes Hoboken special is that it proudly celebrates its cultural diversity, especially with its strong Irish, Italian and Puerto Rican communities.  One of the most exciting events is the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, where there are more than enough shamrocks to go around for the thousands of green-clad families, residents and visitors flock to the Mile Square City for the extravaganza.

Then there are the city’s venerable Italian Festivals; two of the more notable are the St. Ann's Feast in July and the Hoboken Italian Festival in September.  These celebrations beautifully balance piety and fun with time honored religious processions, live entertainment, contests, amusement rides and the best homemade Italian delicacies. Another event is the annual Puerto Rican Festival in Sinatra Park, which features ethnic music, international food and arts and crafts every June.

Unmatched Cuisine

Hoboken over the years has become a "foodies" paradise.  The Mile Square CIty is packed with restaurants, bistros, cafes, pizzerias and steakhouses.

Whether you're in the mood for a hand tossed, brick oven pizza that will satisfy even the pickiest pizza lover, a porterhouse at one of the City's award winning steakhouses, some genuine Cajun jambalaya or some flavorful and fresh sushi, Hoboken is guaranteed to satisfy any appetite.

A Happening Town

But Hoboken is about much more that just the food and art.  It’s a town that knows how to have a good time.  In rougher days when countless dock workers, ship crews poured through town Hoboken was know as a bar town. At one time this mile square city had over 200 bars and saloons.  While there aren't quite that many today, Hoboken still has a nightlife scene that creates a regional buzz.

One of New Jersey’s most hallowed live music venues is Maxwell’s.  Everyone from Bruce Springsteen, to Beck to Nirvana has played there.  In fact, Springsteen’s Glory Days video was filmed in the iconic local establishment. But the nightlife doesn' t stop there, not nearly.  Up and down the main thoroughfare are pubs, saloons and martini bars that offer something for everyone.

So whether you want to enjoy some art, take in an outdoor movie with a backdrop of Manhattan, dance to Sinatra tunes at an Italian Festival, have a five star meal, or a cold pint in an authentic Irish pub, Hoboken is the place to be.