This free Lower Manhattan Festival features many prominent figures on the contemporary arts scene, such as composer Philip Glass, performance artist Laurie Anderson, songwriters Patti Smith and Rufus Wainwright, jazz pianist Vijay Iyer, and art-rock band My Brightest Diamond. Other festival events include dance, poetry, and “real-world games” played on the city streets. River to River is also notable for its presentation of the Bang on a Can Marathon, a 12-hour new music concert performed by various elite contemporary classical musicians.