New Installation In Hoboken Park Plays Showtunes When Cranked

HOBOKEN, NJ — A song about loving your country as fascism encroaches. A tune from a Disney flick. An art installation in a Hoboken park allows children and adults to crank musical instruments and hear classic showtunes from Broadway and beyond.

The new installation comes from the The Hoboken Business Alliance, working with a company called LeMonde Studio, which creates interactive art installations.

The HBA's Public Arts initiative partners with property owners and the city to provide art installations and experiences. In the past, it's placed colorful light sculptures in Church Square Park and on the waterfront.

The new installation in ResilienCity Park, formerly Northwest Park, allows visitors to listen to songs from "Rent" and more. Four faux instruments have been placed in the spray park area.

On Monday morning, two children were cranking up the Rodgers and Hammerstein song "Edelweiss" from the 1965 movie musical "The Sound of Music." The instruments also play tunes from "Beauty and the Beast," "Rent," and "Fiddler on the Roof."

The Hoboken Business Alliance says of its installation projects, "[The] primary focus is fostering innovation, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of public spaces, and promoting community engagement. Through these partnerships, the program brings art that enriches the local culture, attracts visitors, and beautifies the city.

"This initiative also aims to support local artists, create vibrant urban spaces, and strengthen the sense of community within Hoboken."

In 2024, the HBA posted a series of 28-foot tall "Electric Dandelions" on the waterfront and near the 720 Monroe St. art studios. They were crafted by a Los Angeles-based arts collective. Read more about that here.

Earlier this year, HBA partnered with LeMonde for Urban Crystal Gardens on the west side of the city.

The musical instruments were installed on Aug. 1 and will remain at the park until Sept. 12, a spokesperson told Patch. Then it's so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye.