Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., in collaboration with The Bronx Tourism Council and BronxNet, will launch the start “The Best of Bronx Week” broadcast.
Due to restrictions caused by COVID-19, the 11-day celebration of the “Best of The Bronx” has been cancelled for the first time in 47 years. The annual initiative honors the history and culture of the borough, paying tribute to entities and individuals from within government, business, and civic communities through a series of events. Bronx Week culminates each year with a black-tie gala, Bronx Walk of Fame Inductions and the Grand Finale Celebration, which features a festival, concert, and parade down Mosholu Parkway.
Though Bronx Week was originally slated to take place from May 7 through May 17, the Borough President’s Office, along with Bronx Tourism Council and BronxNet, will instead acknowledge the contributions individuals and organizations have made throughout the years through an eight-day multi-platform broadcast of footage from past Bronx Week activities.
Coverage begins May 8, 2020 and will air on BronxNet TV (channel 67 on Optimum / channel 33 on Verizon Fios) and streaming on BronxNet.TV.
"While we are disappointed to have made such a difficult decision, we felt it best to cancel Bronx Week 2020 in order to do our part in flattening the curve and protect our borough from the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. "With that said, I want to thank The Bronx Tourism Council and BronxNet for finding a way where we can still come together as a borough and honor those seniors, veterans, businesses, community leaders, and elected officials who have helped make our borough great. We are saddened to have canceled Bronx Week, but this will not keep us down. We will rebound, stronger than ever, as a borough and look forward to having a bigger celebration in 2021."
"It hurts me that we cannot be together, physically, however, we can continue to still celebrate together, virtually," said Olga Luz Tirado, Executive Director of The Bronx Tourism Council. "We continue to commemorate the best that we are to remind ourselves that we are ‘New York Tough’ and ‘Bronx Strong,’ even during the worst of times."
"In addition to broadcasting vital updates to the public, BronxNet is helping audiences reconnect with arts and culture during this time," said Michael Max Knobbe, Executive Director BronxNet TV. "BronxNet is enormously proud of our longstanding partnership with the Bronx Borough President, The Bronx Tourism Council and The Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, and pleased to broadcast vibrant presentations of dynamic Bronx Week highlights over the years via the BronxNet TV channels, social media and BronxNet.TV."
The Bronx Tourism Council was established in 1991, as a division of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC), creating a cohesive and symbiotic relationship between arts and culture and economic development. The role of the Bronx Tourism Council is to promote the borough’s rich history, its institutions, and cultural diversity on a local, national, and international level.
BronxNet provides local television by the people of The Bronx, for the people of the Bronx, keeping borough residents in touch with the issues, neighborhoods and activities that make The Bronx what it is today. Their channels feature in-house produced shows created by community access producers as well as provide a training ground for local residents in television production, providing hands-on internships and career preparation. High school and college students can prepare for media careers behind and in front of the camera through BronxNet’s Training Program for Future Media Professionals.
