9. HOWL! Festival is Held in Tompkins Square Park Every Year

The HOWL! Festival is known for celebrating artistic diversity and freedom of expression. Taking place in Tompkins Square Park every June, the event was inspired by late poet and philosopher Allen Ginsberg who famously lived in the East Village – first on the third floor of 206 East 7th Street (pictured above) and later on East 2nd Street. (He was even a participant in Prabhupada’s chanting session.) To honor his legacy – and his controversial poem “Howl,” which eventually gave rise to a censorship case – HOWL! Festival was founded in 2003, inviting thousands of people for performances in art, music, dance and more. As an iconic gathering place for poets, musicians and artists from all walks of life, the East Village provides a perfectly suited backdrop for the event.