ILLUMINATION 250 to Bring Giant Puppets, Improv Everywhere and Light Art to Hackensack

The Hackensack Performing Arts Center (HACPAC) invites the public to sign up and participate in several exciting experiences, as part of Illumination 250, the largest interactive public art event in Bergen County. The full day regional cultural arts celebration observing America's Semiquincentennial anniversary takes place on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in Hackensack, New Jersey.

The evening's must-do experience, MP3 Experiment, runs from 8:05 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. on Atlantic Street Park, Main Street and in The Historic Green in Hackensack. Sign up now to be part of this exhilarating activity created by the renowned Improv Everywhere, a comedic group founded by theater director and comedian Charlie Todd. Bring your headsets or earbuds and join in an unforgettable participatory flash-mob celebrating the region's Revolutionary War history by downloading an app and listening to live secret instructions for everyone to follow together. Meet new friends and neighbors. Register to participate in the MP3 Experiment, https://tinyurl.com/MP3ExperimentOct3.

After the MP3 Experiment concludes, stay for the grand finale--My Signature: My Declaration Light Installation and Large-Scale Projection--from 9:00 p.m. to midnight at The Historic Green, 42 Court Street in Hackensack. Artist Leni Schwendinger Light Projects will create a large-scale light and music installation and a digital projection on the historic Green. The iconic County Courthouse will also be illuminated. The projection will be unveiled at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 3 and shown from sunset to midnight on Sunday, October 4. The installation on the Green will be on display daily through Sunday, October 25, illuminated nightly from sunset to midnight.

Before the Flash Mob, enjoy a range of food from around the world at Hackensacktoberfest through 8:00 p.m. at Atlantic Street Park. Join thousands of people at the seventh annual Hackensacktoberfest, presenting live music, DJs, food trucks, and artisan vendors. Downtown Hackensack's restaurants will also be open and ready to welcome you for dinner. The festival' atmosphere and food options make it easy to spend your entire evening in downtown Hackensack enjoying the festivities. All metered parking fees will be suspended throughout the city on Saturday, October 3, 2026, including metered spots on streets and in all city-owned parking lots and garages.

Come to the festivities earlier in the day and participate in the Giant Puppet Procession. Register to be a Puppet Manipulator and Puppet Marcher in 'A River's Tale': Giant Puppet Procession. People may join the festivities in the procession of giant puppets, musicians, artists, and neighbors by registering to march in the parade or perform as a puppet manipulator online, https://tinyurl.com/Illumination250Parade. The Giant Puppet procession marches from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m., beginning at Anderson Street Park and Ward Street in Hackensack with giant puppets created by Processional Arts Workshop and the community, music, dances by Center for Modern Dance Education, and community members.

The public may register in advance for one, any, or all of the experiences here, https://tinyurl.com/RegisterIllumination250. In the event of severe inclement weather, the festival will take place the following weekend on Saturday, October 10.

Illumination 250 Celebration: A Collaboration

Illumination 250 is a collaborative celebration developed by Hackensack Performing Arts Center (HACPAC), Northern New Jersey Community Foundation (NNJCF), Main Street Business Alliance (MSBA), Greater Bergen Community Action (GBCA), and the City of Hackensack. The celebration will expand beyond the annual HACKENSACKtoberfest from Atlantic Street Park to multiple downtown locations—Anderson Street Park, Banta Place, Demarest Place, and the Courthouse Green—featuring live performances, cultural programming, and interactive art installations to celebrate the City of Hackensack's diverse communities and drive foot traffic to local businesses.

Illumination 250 is a project of the Hackensack Performing Arts Center, in partnership with the Northern NJ Community Foundation's ArtsBergen, Hackensack Main Street Business Alliance, Greater Bergen Community Action, and the City of Hackensack, supported by funding through the NJEDA's A.R.T. – Phase II Grant Program. Sponsors for the event are Dazzle Sponsor Garden Communities, The Jefferson, and The Sylvan.

Additional information and updates about the celebration may be found on the festivity's official website, www.illumination250.com. For inquiries, contact Danielle De Laurentis, Associate Director of the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, at artsbergen@nnjcf.org. 

About the Organizations

Hackensack Performing Arts Center stands as Hackensack's cultural centerpiece, nurturing artists across disciplines. Its Performing Arts Center provides a platform for emerging and established talents, from Broadway stars to Grammy-winning musicians, and local talent. The organization celebrates creativity and offers a home for the next generation of performers. For more information, visit https://hacpac.org/.

Main Street Business Alliance is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit public/private partnership between the business community on Main Street and the City of Hackensack. The MSBA's mission is to improve the local economy and overall business climate. For more information, visit http://downtownhackensack.org/.

Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, founded in 1998, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Hackensack that works with local governments, school districts, businesses, nonprofits, and citizen groups to improve community life through collaborative partnerships. The Foundation's ArtsBergen initiative advances creative placemaking and is the largest producer of community-relevant public art in Bergen County. For more information, visit www.nnjcf.org.

Greater Bergen Community Action, Inc. is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit Community Action Agency headquartered in Hackensack, New Jersey. Established in 1967, GBCA is Bergen County's federally designated anti-poverty agency serving Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic Counties. Its mission is to reduce poverty by addressing the causes and conditions of persistent economic instability through comprehensive, community-based programs. For more information, visit https://www.greaterbergen.org/.