At ease, hipsters, it now looks like the “pool parties” will be back this summer.
The state Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has backtracked from its announcement six weeks ago that East River State Park would not be able to accommodate Jelly NYC’s concert series for a second year, paving the way for a summer of outdoor music and dance.
“There’s still some paperwork, but as far as state parks is concerned, there will be concerts,” said Rachel Gordon, the regional director for state parks.
It’s unclear what the sticking point was, but the prospect of a concert-less summer prompted community groups and Sen. Chuck Schumer — an apparent “pool party” fan — to rally for another year in East River State Park, the default location after the parties were booted in 2008 from McCarren Park Pool so that space could be restored as an actual swimming hole.
Jelly NYC founder Alexander Kane, who has spent the last five years bringing in big names like Grizzly Bear, TV on the Radio and the Beastie Boys, wasn’t sure why his series got a new lease on life, but he was happy anyway.
“It’s good to know everything’s right on track,” Kane said. “We’re going tos go pretty big this year for our fifth anniversary.
“It’ll be our coolest year yet,” he said.
