May 10 wasn't a lucky day for catching fish, but it was a very lucky day for weather. The sun shone brightly all morning and into the early afternoon as the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy presented "Go Fish" in Wagner Park - a festival of fishing, art and music with a dollop of education tossed in. Shortly after most people packed up and went home, it began to rain. That was fine.

It was too early in the season for the big fish to show up, who might take the bait dangled at them from numerous fishing poles, one of the master anglers explained. Come back in the fall for that. But it wasn't too early to learn how to bait a fishing rod or to see pictures of the more than 200 fish that live in the Hudson River. There were shells from New York harbor to inspect, birds to watch and materials with which to get very messy gluing and painting boats. And there was music from folksinger Tom Chapin and his friends, which inspired some impromptu dancing.

In addition to the numerous classes that it organizes from early spring to late fall, the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy presents festivals and community festivities. "Go Fish" was the first of the season.

This summer, there will be four family dances with ethnic music, a boffo celebration on June 8 called "Almost Summer" with music, storytelling and art, three more "Go Fish" events in September and October and a River & Blues Festival. In addition, there will be public art tours, river swims, storytelling "for all ages," the popular Sunset Singing Circle on Fridays during May and June and the Sunset Jam on the Hudson (a drumming circle) in July and August.

Though some BPC Parks Conservancy programs entail a fee, all of these activities are free. For more information, click here or stop by the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy office at 75 Battery Place and pick up a brochure.

Bits & Bytes  

J&R auction
All of the inventory of J&R, the music and electronics store, will be auctioned on May 13 and May 14, cash or certified check only, at 1 Park Row. Approximately $1 million in merchandise will be auctioned off, including current electronics in original boxes and store stock. The auction will include computers, laptops, notebooks and tablets, computer accessories, laser printers, digital cameras, SLRs, lenses, camera cases, memory cards, tripods, LCD TVs, home theater systems, audio equipment, headphones, small appliances, and more. Inspection begins at 9:30 a.m. on the day of the sale. The auction begins at 11:30 a.m. For more information, click here.

Taste of Tribeca
2014 marks the 20th anniversary of Taste of Tribeca, an outdoor culinary festival featuring signature dishes from renowned Tribeca chefs, a family-friendly Kids' Zone, a comprehensive wine tour and live entertainment provided by City Winery. Most of Downtown's critically acclaimed restaurants participate. The proceeds go to support the arts and enrichment programs at public schools PS 150 and PS 234.

Advance tickets start at $45 for six "tastes" from any participating restaurant (with a $3.47 booking fee). On the day of the event, tickets are $50.

The Festival takes place on May 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 pm on Duane Street (between Greenwich and Hudson Streets) in Tribeca. 

Among the participants are Tribeca Grill, Walker's, Bouley, Bubby's Tribeca, The Bubble Lounge, Duane Park Patisserie, Gigino Trattoria and The Odeon.

For those who want to sample wine, Taste attendees can stroll through Tribeca's many well-stocked wine shops. Stores on the wine trail will be pouring some of their most popular wines. 

For a list of participating restaurants, click here. To purchase tickets, click here.

"Riches lie beneath Battery Park City," Crain's New York Business, 5/11/14. In an op-ed piece in Crain's, Charles Urstadt, the first chairman of the Battery Park City Authority (1968-1979), argues that it's time for the BPCA to disappear. "Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to create affordable housing. Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants him to do it without raising taxes," Urstadt says. "There is a way to realize both objectives while saving taxpayers more than $15 million per year, lowering government debt and trimming the public payroll. While City Hall and Albany joust, a Golconda mine sits in front of them: Battery Park City, which is run by an authority that should no longer exist." Urstadt references the fact that the City could buy Battery Park City for $1, which is true, so long as the city buys the Authority's liabilities as well as its assets. "Now that the development of Battery Park City is complete, the authority - a state public-benefit corporation that consumes millions of dollars annually in operating overhead - is no longer needed," says Urstadt. (As some Battery Park City residents will point out, development of BPC may be complete, but construction in Battery Park City is far from complete. The BPCA is currently shoring up the 46-year-old piers under Battery Park City, for instance, and continuing to repair the extensive damage from Superstorm Sandy. Urstadt, it should also be mentioned, once argued forcefully that South Cove should be filled in and a skyscraper erected there in order to maximize revenue.) For the complete Crain's article, click here.

Citizen Preparedness Training Program
A "Citizen Preparedness Training Program" sponsored by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, other elected officials and Community Board 1 takes place on Monday, May 19 at 6 p.m. in the Southbridge Towers Community Room, 90 Beekman St. Through this program, approximately 100,000 New Yorkers will be provided with the tools and resources to prepare for emergencies and disasters, respond accordingly, and recover as quickly as possible to pre-disaster conditions. Trainings participants (one per family) will receive a free Citizen Preparedness Corps Response Starter Kit. Participants must register in advance at www.prepare.ny.gov or by calling (212) 681-4605.

Delury Park Spring Planting
The Friends of Delury Park at Fulton and Gold Streets are planning an Arts and Crafts Fair on Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  All proceeds will go to the upkeep of the park. In addition, in conjunction with the Parks Department, there will be a Spring Planting Day on May 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The rain date for both is Sunday, May 18. Volunteers are welcome! For more information, click here.

One tube at the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday, May 16 through 5 a.m. Monday, May 19 as part of the project to replace the tunnel's original 1950s-era electrical switches and feeder cables.

The remaining tube will have one lane heading into Manhattan and one lane into Brooklyn. Motorists are advised to expect delays and use an alternate route if possible.

The work includes replacing the tunnel's 1950's electrical system, which provides the necessary   electrical power to run the tunnel's ventilation, lighting, drainage and communication systems.

May 15 is going to be a busy day - too busy. For some reason, a lot of events have been scheduled for that day, mostly at the same time. Take your pick.

On May 15, President Obama will help to dedicate the National September 11 Memorial Museum. Although it opens to the general public on May 21, Lower Manhattan residents and business owners, the families of victims, 9/11 rescue and recovery workers, 9/11 survivors, first responders and World Trade Center building partners can visit the museum from May 15 to May 20.

If you are part of one of these groups, you can reserve a free ticket to preview the Museum during the Dedication Period when the museum will be open 24 hours a day. Reservations are required and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Children under the age of 6 do not need tickets for the Dedication Period but the historical exhibition may not be appropriate for visitors younger than 10. Adults accompanying younger visitors should exercise discretion before entering.

Click here for information on the Dedication Period.

When the museum opens to the public, tickets will be $24. For information and to buy tickets, click here.

An art student at Manhattan Youth. (Photo: Manhattan Youth)