NYC Car Free Day

POSTED BY
Evelyn Kanter

To celebrate Earth Day this weekend, NYC once again is closing some streets to cars, on Saturday, April 27.

The NYC Car Free Day has been expanded for 2019 to include sections of all five boroughs being closed to motorized vehicles, to allow pedestrians and cyclists to roam free and ride free, between 9am to 3pm.

As in previous years, 30 blocks of Broadway between Times Square and Union Square will be car free. And there will be environmental programs and nonprofit organizations on-site along the nearly two-mile route to to educate walkers and cyclists about climate change and sustainability.

There are additional car free zones in Manhattan, also with entertainment and educational events, sponsored by local organizers.

In Manhattan’s Chinatown, walkers can learn how to compost and recycle while enjoying cultural performances and games. Hosted by the Chinatown Partnership, the event runs on Eldridge Street between Canal and East Broadway from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In Uptown Manhattan, Car Free Earth Day opens up 9 blocks on St. Nicholas Avenue between 181st Street and 190th Street. All along the street there will be performances and educational programming all highlighting the importance of sustainability, tackling climate change, and rethinking how we use our streets. It’s between 10am and 4pm.

Other neighborhoods participating in car-free “Weekend Walks” event include areas of Washington Heights, Parkchester in the Bronx, Woodside in Queens, Downtown Brooklyn, Chinatown in Lower Manhattan, and West Brighton on Staten Island.

As part of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership’s car-free event at Albee Square, pedestrians can take part in free bike lessons for kids, sewing classes, and free taste-tests from Fresh&Co. The New York Restoration Project will also be on hand between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to give out free trees and plants to visitors.

Learn more about the Car Free Earth Day events here.

Car Free NYC for Earth Day is in addition to the annual Car Free Summer Streets each August, when a chunk of Manhattan is closed to vehicles for three weekends.