BP Diaz & The Bronx Tourism Council
Announce 2016 Bronx Walk of Fame
Inductees & Concert Headliners
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and The Bronx Tourism Council announced on Monday that actor Vincent Pastore, animator & director Peter Sohn, author Arlene Alda and dance pioneer Eduardo Vilaro will make up the 2016 class for the Bronx Walk of Fame.
"Once again, we have put together a tremendous class of individuals that represent the best of our borough for induction into the Bronx Walk of Fame," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. "These four individuals have seen considerable success in their chosen fields, and throughout it all they have highlighted their strong roots in The Bronx. I congratulate Vincent Pastore, Peter Sohn, Arlene Alda and Eduardo Vilaro on their induction to the Bronx Walk of Fame, and I look forward to celebrating their accomplishments during Bronx Week 2016."
Vincent Pastore has been a star of screen and stage for decades, and is best known for his role in HBO's hit series The Sopranos, for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award for his work in 2001. A City Island resident, Mr. Pastore has appeared in films including Goodfellas, Carlito's Way, Awakenings, State of Grace, The Godfather Part III and many more.
The first Asian-American to ever be inducted to the Bronx Walk of Fame, Peter Sohn is an award-winning animator and director with Pixar Studios, having worked on numerous hit films including Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Up. Most recently, Mr. Sohn directed Pixar's 2015 feature hit The Good Dinosaur.
Arlene Alda, who grew up in Williamsbridge and graduated from Evander Childs High School, is an award-winning photographer and author whose work has appeared in numerous books, newspapers, magazines and galleries. Mrs. Alda is the author of 19 books, most of them children's books featuring her words and illustrations. Her latest book, Just Kids from The Bronx: Telling it the Way it Was, An Oral History, consists of stories about growing up in The Bronx based on interviews with over 60 accomplished and proud Bronxites.
First generation Cuban-American Eduardo Vilaro became artistic director of Ballet Hispanico, the nation's first and oldest Latino dance organization, in 2009. He is only the second person to head the company since it was founded in 1970. In 2015, Mr. Vilaro took on the additional role of Chief Executive Officer of Ballet Hispanico. Mr. Vilaro has been part of the Ballet Hispanico family since 1985. As a dancer with the Ballet Hispanico company, he performed throughout the United States, Latin America, and Europe for an audience of nearly 3 million while assisting founder Tina Ramirez with the development of dance education residencies.
"Witnessing our hometown heroes take their rightful place on The Bronx Walk of Fame is one of my favorite events for Bronx Week. It fills me with pride to honor these sons and daughters of The Bronx!" said Olga Luz Tirado, Executive Director of The Bronx Tourism Council.
Bronx Week 2016 is the highly-anticipated 11-day event, taking place from May 5th - May 15th, where the entire borough, including government, business, and the community-at-large, come together to celebrate "The Best of The Bronx" through festivals, concerts, health fairs, parades, performances and a host of other activities.
Bronx Week culminates with the Walk of Fame Inductions and the Grand Finale Celebration, which will feature a concert starring freestyle dancer and singer Judy Torres; hip hop legends by Naughty by Nature, and salsa singer Tito Nieves.
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Bronx Trolley Offers Beer & Spirits Tour & Tastings
at Borough's Craft Beverage Producers
April 22, 2016: Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. shows off the "Savor The Bronx" Passport during the kick-off press conference at the Chelsea Craft Brewing Company.
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The Bronx Tourism Council, in association with Taste NY -- an initiative created by Governor Andrew Cuomo to help promote New York's food and beverage industries, has launched the "Savor The Bronx Breweries & Distilleries Trolley Tour" last Friday.
Beer and spirits connoisseurs will get the opportunity to ride the famous Bronx Trolley, as a historian discusses the history of brewing in the borough, dating back to the late 19th century and ended during the Prohibition Era.
"The Bronx is quickly becoming known across the world for its top notch breweries and distilleries," said said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. "If you're interested in the art of craft beverages, and would like a closer look at the ongoing revitalization of our borough, this tour is a tremendous opportunity. I look forward to greeting visitors from all over the region as they take part in the 'Savor The Bronx Breweries & Distilleries Trolley Tour'."
Tour participants will also receive a "Savor The Bronx" Passport to be stamped by the places they visit. The fully-stamped passport can be taken to any of the following bars and distilleries:
- Gun Hill Brewery
- Chelsea Craft Brewing Company
- The Bronx Brewery
- Blackstone Bar and Grill
- Bronx Ale House
- Bronx Beer Hall
- Bronx Draft House near Yankee Stadium
- Tirado Distillery
- Port Morris Distillery
Breweries and Distilleries Passport Promotion is open to anyone who chooses to visit the breweries and distilleries on their own as well and can be acquired at any of the craft beverage producers. The tour costs $50 per person, lasts five hours, and includes a passport and light snacks at one of the breweries. The trolley leaves from 851 Grand Concourse (between east 161st Street and 158th) at 11am. No one under 21 years of age is allowed on the trolley for this tour.
"This is the perfect tour for folks who are both history buffs and craft beverage aficionados," says Olga Luz Tirado, executive director of The Bronx Tourism Council.
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