POUGHKEEPSIE – The MJN Convention Center has been drawing thousands of people to Poughkeepsie in the past few weeks and they plan to continue the pace, according to President Zeidan Nesheiwat. Event Manager Rebecca Kozuck said this weekend is the start of another busy month for the MJN beginning Friday, March 31st through April 2nd with the International Hudson Valley Tattoo Convention.
“We have several exciting events taking place this month,” said Kozuck while monitoring the turnout on the first day of the tattoo convention. “There are artists here from all over the world and people have been lining up to get tattoos already,” she told Mid-Hudson News on Friday afternoon.
The large turnouts expected in April are following the Reptile Expo and Killer Queen concert that both drew enormous crowds to the downtown area.
“We have Northeast Wrestling returning this month, a private dance competition, and we are closing out the month with the Royal Hanneford Circus taking place April 28th, 29th, and 30th,” Ms. Kozuck beamed. She was enthusiastically explaining that the circus includes a singing pig act, Grumpy and Oink, that appeared on America’s Got Talent, a comedy on a horse routine, and members of the Hanneford-Poema family that are carrying on the legacy of the high-flying aerial acts. Some of the performers are part of the family’s eighth generation of performers, most of whom started in the circus at the age of two.
“We are working hard to be a big part of this community,” said Neishewat, adding “We enjoy bringing people together here and being good neighbors.”
The Nesheiwat family has made significant investments in both the MJN Convention Center and the McCann Ice Arena located in the same building. The arena is still hosting public skating as well as competitive hockey games, including Marist College.
A full list of upcoming events at the MJN can be found here and information on the McCann Ice Arena can be found here.
