Greenwich Village, or “Green-witch village,” depending on whether you’re a New York native or tourist, has always been an artsy part of the city.

At the beginning of World War I, Greenwich Village was widely known as a bohemian community. The Village was often referred to as a place to go for low rents and a tolerance for radicalism and nonconformity. As a result, many artists and writers flocked to the Village. During this time, the Village was famous for having all sorts of book publishers, small magazines and galleries displaying the works of local avant-garde artists.

During the 1950s, the Village became New York’s center for the Beatniks—a media stereotype that offered an anti-materialistic lifestyle as an alternative to the mass consumerism of the time. The beat movement of anti-materialism and soul-searching influenced various entrepreneurs to open anti-conformist establishments in the neighborhood. It was through the Beatnik philosophy that galleries took over along 8th Street, coffee houses sprang up on MacDougal Street and storefront theaters ruled Bleecker Street.

Today, the Village is no longer quite as dynamic and anti-establishment as it was in the 1950s and 60s, but it has not lost its quirky feel. “The Village has always been defined by the people and even though the residents change its still a young trendy area,” Professional Children’s School junior Edward Duepner said.

Music, theater and comedy have always been an integral part of the Village scene, a trend that is continued today by the neighborhood’s clubs. “So much can be done within all the small theaters here in the village, there is poetry, music, plays, everything,” sophomore Emily Martin said. “There are some many things you wouldn’t expect to find, but you know it can be found in the Village.”’

The Bitter End is one of the many well-known nightclubs in Greenwich Village. Once a small coffee house, The Bitter End was transformed into a club in 1962. Countless famous musicians, like Bob Dylan, have played and recorded at this legendary venue that is still one of the Village’s hotspots today.

One of the oldest, and most distinctive, of these places is Caffe Reggio. This cafe has the same vibe it had in its first years in business, 81 years ago—eccentric with an extra shot of tastefulness. The interior has artwork from different periods, from all the place’s years in business. “One of my favorite parts of coming here is the atmosphere. I love the way it looks, but the coffee keeps me coming back,” said Rachel Smith, a frequent customer of Caffe Reggio.

In addition, one of the most famous eateries in the Village is Ray’s Pizza, which is not affiliated with the chain of the same name, as many might think. Old Greenwich Village folklore says that Ray’s Pizza on 11th Street and Sixth Avenue was the inspiration for the similarly styled pizzerias on every block of the same name throughout the city, though this Ray’s is the only original establishment from the 1950s. “It’s still worth a stop for the really cheesy pizza but it’s not the Mecca it was years ago,” said Victor Díaz, an employee of Ray’s Pizza.

The Village is frequently stereotyped as a neighborhood for homosexuals. This perception stems from the area’s history: a gay community formed around Christopher Street during the 1960s. In a time when homosexuality was taboo, the neighborhood was filled with pride and comfort in openly accepting people of various sexualities. That tradition continues today with the annual Gay Pride Parade—a southward march from Fifth Avenue to the Village to celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) culture. The parade is fun to watch, as it involves dramatic floats and huge crowds of people who paint themselves in bright colors.

Parades seem to be an enjoyable event for the neighborhood, as the Village also holds an enormous Halloween march every year. In the 36 years of its existence, the parade has grown to the point where it is now televised live for nearly two hours. Greenwich Village mask-maker and puppeteer Ralph Lee started it in 1973. The modest procession it was in those days has today become an enormous event that has won Festivals International’s award for “The Best Event in the World” for October 31. The locals wholeheartedly agree with the press and enjoy their parade as much as the city does. “Even though I’m not walking the parade I sort of feel like a part of it because I’m right next to it,” Greenwich Village resident Emma Carbone said.

A trip to Greenwich Village means leaving the bustling, skyscraper environment of Manhattan for popular parades, cobblestone streets and decades-old “Mom N’Pop” run establishments. “It really is a village,” Smith said. “It’s a friendly place where everyone, from your next-door neighbor to the guy at the coffeehouse knows you and says hi every chance they get.”