The popular NYC Summer Streets program returns this weekend, closing streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park to motorized traffic on the first three Saturdays of August, starting next Saturday, August 1st.
Lafayette Streets, Park Avenue and Park Avenue South will be for the exclusive use of bicyclists, joggers and walkers. No cars allowed from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, 7 AM to 1 PM on August 1, 8 and 15.
This is the ninth year of the Summer Streets program and it gets bigger and better every year. Last year, more than 300,000 people participated.
You can ride, run or walk in either direction between 72nd Street and Park Avenue and Chambers Street and PAS, car free and carefree. There are organized rest stops in Foley Square at just north of Chambers Street, in Soho at Lafayette and Spring Streets, Midtown at 25th St. and Park Ave., and Uptown, at 51st St. and Park Ave., some with cooking demonstrations, exercise workshops, storytelling for the kids, a 270-foot water slide, and more.
There are FREE bike rentals, too, if you don’t have one of your own:
- Central Park Sightseeing will provide free bike rentals throughout the day.
- Bike & Roll will provide free bike rentals. A total of 65 bikes will be available at the rest stop.
The Municipal Arts Society is providing free neighborhood walking tours at several rest stops.
Transportation Alternatives will provide free bike valet on the east sidewalk at 52nd between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue so you can participate in events and activities worry-free.
Stop by the Taste of Summer Sampling Zone at the Midtown rest stop for free samples from vendors including Cabot, Nuun, Gardein, Daiya, and Clif.
And that’s not all:
New this year, take a TV & movie tour with On Location Tours to follow in the footsteps of your favorite TV and movie characters. On Location Tours is a one-of-a-kind sightseeing company that offers unique TV and movie-themed bus tours in New York City and Boston. Visit onlocationtours.com. Sign up to participate here.
The popular Summer Streets Zipline returns, but at a new location. The 165′-long, 30’-high zipline will be positioned at 53rd Street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue. The Bryant Park Jugglers will also be entertaining Summer Streets participants as they wait in line from 11 am – 12 pm.
Also returning is the popular slide at the Foley Square rest stop, and the Paws and Play rest stop for dogs at Astor Place. Dogs are invited to take a break from the route and roll around on a grassy knoll, hang out in the family-friendly picnic area, make new friends and cool off in small pools. Dogs can play freely within a designated 100 square-foot dog run or try the agility course.
There’s something happening at each of the five rest stops. See the map and list here.
There also are special events by NYC museums, arts and crafts projects for the kids, and more. See the list here.
Many city agencies will be participating at Summer Streets 2015, including the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs offering arts and crafts workshops, and the Department of Environmental Protection supplying mobile drinking fountains along the route, among others. The Mayor’s Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management, NYPD and FDNY also support Summer Streets.
For more information, including a route map and street closure information, visit NYC.gov/SummerStreets.
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