Car-Free Earth Day returns with free events across NYC
New York City’s annual Car-Free Earth Day returns later this month, turning streets across the five boroughs into car-free corridors for recreation and free programming. The event, set for April 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature several “signature locations” in each borough with activities focused on climate change and sustainability. Citi Bike will offer free one-day passes for its classic bicycles during the event.
“Car-Free Earth Day is a reminder that we only have one planet—and that our streets play a critical role in our fight against climate change,” Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn said.
“Transportation is the second biggest source of carbon emissions in NYC, and finding ways to make clean transportation options quicker, easier, and more affordable is key. We encourage all New Yorkers to come out to enjoy temporary public art, programming, music, and other activities at dozens of car-free streets around NYC.”
Marking the start of the city’s Open Streets season, Car-Free Earth Day launched in 2016 by transforming select Manhattan streets into car-free public plazas. In 2024, the DOT awarded $30 million in contracts to expand Open Streets, plazas, and other public spaces.
The DOT has also commissioned artists to create temporary, environmentally focused works through its public art program for Car-Free Earth Day. The popular NYC Art Stop Letters will appear at the event with an original design by NYC-based illustrator Molly Magnell, highlighting springtime in a car-free urban landscape.
Additionally, the agency will present two new sculptural installations. Interdisciplinary artist Duy Hoàng will present “An Indicating Cycle,” a sculptural book that highlights various indicator species that reflect current environmental conditions due to their sensitivity to climate change.
The “pages” of the work reference figures and diagrams from scientific textbooks and museological specimen drawers. By turning the pages, visitors can learn about the species’ life cycles and their role in environmental stewardship.
A large-scale interactive installation by artist Frahydel Falczuk, “The Plastic Sea,” will evoke the sensation of being submerged in a sea of plastic as a commentary on waste and consumption. Visitors will weave colorful strips of non-recyclable plastic film into green mesh, transforming discarded materials into rippling, immersive surfaces reminiscent of ocean waves.
Signature Car-Free Earth Day events will take place at the following locations:
Manhattan:
- Broadway between 17th and 46th Streets
- St. Nicholas Avenue between 181st and 185th Streets
- Dyckman Street between Broadway and La Marina/Inwood Hill Park
Queens:
- Woodside Avenue between 75th and 78th Streets
Brooklyn:
- Fifth Avenue between 41st and 45th Streets
The Bronx:
- East 188th Street from Grand Concourse to Valentine Avenue
Staten Island:
- Port Richmond Avenue between Castleton Avenue and Bennett Street
A map of all Car-Free Earth Day 2026 locations is found here.
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