Illumination 250 Will Bring the Largest Interactive Public Arts Festival to Bergen County

The Hackensack Performing Arts Center (HACPAC) has announced Illumination 250, a full-day regional cultural arts celebration observing America's Semiquincentennial anniversary, will take place on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in Hackensack, New Jersey. Bring the family, friends, and neighbors to the largest free public, interactive festival in North Jersey open to all ages. In the event of severe inclement weather, the festival will take place the following weekend on Saturday, October 10. 

The festival features six unique experiences across Downtown Hackensack from 10 a.m. through 9:30 p.m. The celebration's program presents live music, a giant puppet procession, an immersive fiber art installation, cultural folk performances, live music, food trucks, vendors, complimentary food samples, a citywide audio adventure told through Revolutionary War history and a culminating light display, transforming Hackensack's Historic Green Bergen, one of New Jersey's oldest public squares, into an unforgettable landscape.

With support from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority's (NJEDA) Activation, Revitalization, and Transformation (A.R.T.)  Phase II program, Illumination 250 builds around the Hackensack Main Street Business Alliance's popular HACKENSACKtoberfest. HACPAC was one of 39 organizations awarded funding from the NJEDA's $15 million investment supporting arts and cultural programming throughout New Jersey.

Illumination 250 Highlights

Illumination 250 brings together a team of nationally and internationally recognized artists whose work transforms public spaces into unforgettable community experiences. Processional Arts Workshop, Improv Everywhere, Leni Schwendinger Light Projects, Nocturnal Medicine, Paul Pinto, and Kate Eggleston worked alongside Hackensack residents, local artists, businesses, and cultural organizations to develop original works inspired by the city's history, diversity, and shared stories. Their participatory, interactive artworks and experiences incorporated community voices to shape a once-in-a-generation festivity. The public is invited to experience these works reflecting the County Seat's spirit, while also commemorating America's 250th anniversary. 

The festival's schedule of events and activities include the following:

Family Fun Day, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., opens the celebration at Anderson Street Park with  interactive arts activities for all ages, games, food, music, community resources and a petting zoo. 

Quilt Trail at Anderson Street Park , 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Anderson Street Park will be transformed into an immersive historical and artistic experience, blending the past and present Hackensack community. Combining quilt motifs as inspiration with local historical photographs and stories, the park will host a whimsical site specific art installation.

Pom Pom Field Fiber Art Workshop, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Anderson Street Park, led by artist Kate Eggleston.

Folk Artists on Main: Cultural Folk Artist Performances on Main Street, 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Journey around the world without leaving downtown Hackensack! Visitors may stroll Main Street, discover live music, dance, and enjoy cultural performances representing restaurants and businesses, reflecting the community's rich diversity.

Sips & Samples: Main Street Culinary Celebration, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., on Main Street gets underway during the Procession. Main Street businesses will offer free tastings and non-alcoholic beverages to parade participants and passersby.

Hackensacktoberfest, 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Atlantic Street Park. The seventh annual Hackensacktoberfest will host live music, DJs, food trucks, and artisan vendors. 

HACPAC Art Gallery Illumination 250 Exhibition, 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., located at 102 State Street, will be open for the public to view art between sets.

“A River's Tale”: Giant Puppet Procession, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m., begins 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. People may join the festivities in the procession of giant puppets, musicians, artists, and neighbors by signing up to march in the parade or perform as a puppet manipulator online, https://tinyurl.com/Illumination250Parade.

MP3 Experiment: Audio Flash-Mob. A Revolutionary Adventure, 7:50 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., Atlantic Street Park, Main Street and in The Historic Green. The public is invited to sign up, bring their headsets or earbuds, and join in as the renowned Improv Everywhere, a comedic group founded by theater director and comedian Charlie Todd, presents the MP3 Experiment with a participatory flash-mob. Meet new friends and celebrate the region's Revolutionary War history. Sign up with your friends to participate in the MP3 Experiment, https://tinyurl.com/MP3ExperimentOct3 .

My Signature: My Declaration, Light Installation and Large-Scale Projection, 9:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., at The Historic Green, 42 Court Street. Artist Leni Schwendinger Light Projects will create a large-scale light and music installation and a digital projection on the historic Green, as the festival's finale. 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.

Hackensack River Songs, Saturday, October 10, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Hackensack River Songs is a site-specific musical performance for singers, dancers, instrumentalists, and electronic music happening on and around the Hackensack River at Foschini Park. Beginning at sunset, a community of performers, boaters and vehicles will converge to illuminate the urban waterfront with ritual and song celebrating and honoring the river. This program is made possible in part by a grant administered by the Bergen County Division of Cultural & Historic Affairs from funds granted by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

The public may register in advance for one, any, or all of the experiences here, https://tinyurl.com/RegisterIllumination250.