Central Park

Central Park breaks ground on new $35.7M stormwater system

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 27, 2026

Central Park breaks ground on new $35.7M stormwater system

By Aaron Ginsburg

Work began this week on a $35.7 million project to reduce flooding across Harlem by improving stormwater management in northern Central Park. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and the Central Park Conservancy on Monday broke ground on the North End Recirculation Project, which will ease pressure on the combined sewer system serving the park and surrounding neighborhoods while conserving the city’s drinking water supply. Slated for completion in fall 2028, the project is expected to divert 132 million gallons of water from local sewers and save 175 million gallons of drinking water annually.
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Policy

City Council votes to ban horse-drawn carriages in Central Park

Photo credit: Bee on Unsplash

October 23, 2026

City Council votes to ban horse-drawn carriages in Central Park

By Michelle Cohen

The New York City Council on Thursday voted to end the use of horse-drawn carriages in Central Park by June 2028. The bill in question, drafted with the cooperation of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office, passed by a veto-proof margin of 40 to 7, as expected.
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Policy

New York announces free World Cup Final watch party in Central Park for 50,000 fans

Global Citizen Festival in 2014. Photo by Anthony Quintano on Wikimedia Commons

June 8, 2026

New York announces free World Cup Final watch party in Central Park for 50,000 fans

By Devin Gannon

One of the largest FIFA World Cup 2026 Final watch parties in the world will take place in Central Park. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday announced that a watch party for 50,000 people will be held on the famous Great Lawn on July 19. The event, which will include giant LED screens, food vendors, and live performances, will be free to attend, but tickets are required.
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Events & Things To Do

Smorgasburg to open in Central Park

Smorgasburg in Williamsburg. Photo credit: Grace Jeon

April 23, 2026

Smorgasburg to open in Central Park

By Devin Gannon

Smorgasburg's 16th season may be its biggest yet. The long-running open-air market, which originated in Williamsburg, announced it is expanding to Central Park next month. Starting May 14, over 25 vendors will set up at the Columbus Circle entrance of the park. The new Smorgasburg location comes as the company prepares to open a new 32,000-square-foot Pan-American restaurant on Governors Island.
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Ice rink opens at Central Park’s new Davis Center

November 24, 2025

Ice rink opens at Central Park’s new Davis Center

By Aaron Ginsburg

Ice skating is back on the north end of Central Park. The new Gottesman Rink at the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer debuted this weekend, replacing the outdated Lasker Rink as part of the larger new facility that opened earlier this year. The rink offers affordable public skating sessions, community-led programs, and ice time for local schools and organizations.
let's skate

Events & Things To Do

Adams backs horse-drawn carriage ban, calls for electric alternatives

Credit: Elvert Barnes on Flickr

September 18, 2025

Adams backs horse-drawn carriage ban, calls for electric alternatives

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Eric Adams this week came out in support of a law banning horse-drawn carriages in Central Park and said the tourist attraction could be replaced with "electric alternatives." The issue of carriages resurfaced this summer after a horse collapsed and died in Hell's Kitchen, prompting outcry from animal advocates and the Central Park Conservancy to endorse prohibiting carriages for the first time. In a statement, Adams pushed for the City Council to pass Ryder's Law, which phases out horse-drawn carriages by 2026 and said his administration would explore a new program for electric carriages, "so New Yorkers and visitors can continue to enjoy the majesty of Central Park."
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Trump Organization loses bid for Central Park’s Wollman Rink

Credit: Yomex Owo on Unsplash

September 11, 2025

Trump Organization loses bid for Central Park’s Wollman Rink

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Trump Organization's bid to reclaim control of Central Park's iconic Wollman Rink has failed. As first reported by The City, the Department of Parks and Recreation submitted a limited liability corporation that Related created to submit a proposal for the rink to the Department of Investigation for a background check. The president's company operated the rink for many years before former Mayor Bill de Blasio canceled the contract in 2021 following the January 6 riot at the Capitol. According to The City, the proposed agreement will still need to go through a review committee.
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Central Park Conservancy endorses horse-drawn carriage ban

Photo by Fernando Gonzalez on Pexels

August 13, 2025

Central Park Conservancy endorses horse-drawn carriage ban

By Aaron Ginsburg

For the first time, the Central Park Conservancy has taken a side in the city’s horse-drawn carriage debate, backing a City Council bill that would ban the rides from the park. On Tuesday, the nonprofit publicly called for the end of horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, calling them unsafe, damaging to the park's roads, and incompatible with the growing crowds. The bill, known as “Ryder’s Law,” would phase out carriage horses by 2026 and help drivers transition to other jobs, according to Gothamist. The Conservancy's endorsement comes a week after a horse collapsed and died in Hell’s Kitchen, reigniting debate over the future of horse-drawn carriages.
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Delacorte Theater reopens in Central Park after $85M renovation

Credit: © Jeff Goldberg/Esto

July 16, 2025

Delacorte Theater reopens in Central Park after $85M renovation

By Aaron Ginsburg

Central Park’s iconic Delacorte Theater officially reopened this week after an $85 million renovation. The Public Theater on Tuesday cut the ribbon on the revamped venue, which has undergone a comprehensive revitalization by Ennead Architects, the most significant work on the facility in its 63-year history. The project addresses critical safety and theater code requirements, improves infrastructure and backstage efficiency, and introduces a striking new exterior. The Delacorte will officially reopen to the public on August 7 for its first star-studded public performance of William Shakespeare’s "Twelfth Night" as part of the beloved Free Shakespeare in the Park series.
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Architecture And Design

Central Park’s new public pool is now open

All photos © Richard Barnes

July 10, 2025

Central Park’s new public pool is now open

By Devin Gannon

Swimming is back in Central Park. The Gottesman Pool opened last month as part of the new $160 million Davis Center at the Harlem Meer. Located on the northern end of the park, the elongated oval pool measures 285 feet by 120 feet, making it bigger than an Olympic-size pool and one of the largest public pools in New York City.
dive in

Central Park hit hottest temperature since 2012

Credit: Jermaine Ee on Unsplash

June 25, 2025

Central Park hit hottest temperature since 2012

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City recorded its hottest day in more than a decade on Tuesday, with temperatures in Central Park hitting 99 degrees for the first time since 2012. According to the New York Times, the thermometer at Belvedere Castle—the park's official weather station—reached the mark just before 1:30 p.m., marking the hottest temperature reading since July 18, 2012. The last time Central Park came close was June 30, 2021, when it hit 98 degrees.
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City Living

Central Park launches new Ranger Corps to encourage better public behavior

Credit: Central Park Conservancy

May 22, 2025

Central Park launches new Ranger Corps to encourage better public behavior

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new team of park rangers has been patrolling Central Park for the past six weeks, helping visitors and ensuring the beloved green space remains safe, clean, and welcoming. Managed by the Central Park Conservancy, the Ranger Corps has been on duty since early spring, addressing visitor concerns and quality-of-life issues, including noise complaints, illegal vending, assisting unhoused individuals, reuniting lost children with their families, and more.
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Policy

Central Park opens stunning year-round rec center that seamlessly connects to the landscape

Courtesy of Central Park Conservancy

April 25, 2025

Central Park opens stunning year-round rec center that seamlessly connects to the landscape

By Devin Gannon

A new recreation center has finally opened on the northern end of Central Park. The $160 million Davis Center at the Harlem Meer is a year-round facility integrated into the park's historic landscape with the ability to transform each season, from a pool in the summer, an ice rink in the winter, and a green lawn in the spring and fall.
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Central Park to open huge new rec center with pool and ice rink in April

Renderings courtesy of Susan T Rodriguez | Architecture • Design

March 12, 2025

Central Park to open huge new rec center with pool and ice rink in April

By Aaron Ginsburg

A transformative project set to reconnect the neighborhoods at Central Park’s northern edge to the Harlem Meer is slated to open next month. The new $160 million Davis Center will open on April 26, the Central Park Conservancy announced on Wednesday. The Davis Center replaces the aging Lasker Rink and Pool with a state-of-the-art facility featuring a pool in the summer, a winter ice skating rink, a paved boardwalk, public open space, and more. One of the most ambitious undertakings in the Conservancy's history, the project also transforms the surrounding landscape, improving park access for residents of the primarily low-income communities bordering the park to the north.
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Architecture And Design

Redesign of Central Park drives will add space for pedestrians and cyclists

Photo by Dietmar Rabich on Wikimedia

March 10, 2025

Redesign of Central Park drives will add space for pedestrians and cyclists

By Aaron Ginsburg

The redesign of Central Park's six-mile loop road is moving forward, with repaving set to begin next week. On Thursday, city officials announced milling and repaving work will begin on Monday, March 17, to improve the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and e-vehicle users along the route by clearly separating their spaces. The project will begin by revamping the middle and southern sections of the Central Park loop, from 96th Street on the West Drive to 90th Street on the East Drive, with repaving of the northern section scheduled for next year.
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A guide to planning a park wedding in New York City

Credit: Sascha Reinking

March 3, 2025

A guide to planning a park wedding in New York City

Dana and Asiedu met for the second time on the L train. The first time they met was about 20 years prior as teenagers. They dated for four years and then lost touch for 16 years, until a fateful day in 2019 when they crossed paths again in the most New York City fashion. "One night while I was getting off the train heading home from work, I recognized the back of her in the crowd walking out of the station," Asiedu recalled. "She lived out of state but was visiting her dad who happened to live in my neighborhood. We talked and walked her dad’s block. It took about a year for us to see each other again. We were married about a year and a half later." The couple, who now lives in Brooklyn and has an 18-month-old son, wed in true New York style at Prospect Park in Brooklyn in the fall of 2021.
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Relive monumental public art installation ‘The Gates’ in Central Park, 20 years later

Photo: Wolfgang Volz© 2005 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation

February 13, 2025

Relive monumental public art installation ‘The Gates’ in Central Park, 20 years later

By Aaron Ginsburg

"The Gates," the public art installation that took over Central Park with saffron-colored fabric panels for 16 days in 2005, is returning to New York City—virtually. To celebrate the installation's 20th anniversary, New Yorkers can relive the monumental artwork from Christo and Jeanne-Claude through an augmented reality experience on the Bloomberg Connects app. Plus, an exhibition now open at The Shed in Hudson Yards titled "Christo and Jeanne-Claude: The Gates and Unrealized Projects for New York City," explores the legacy of the artists and their work, as well as the journey behind bringing "The Gates" to life.
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Wollman Rink to celebrate 75th anniversary with year-long festivities

Credit: Pawan Thapa on Unsplash

January 22, 2025

Wollman Rink to celebrate 75th anniversary with year-long festivities

By Aaron Ginsburg

Central Park's iconic Wollman Rink is kicking off a year-long celebration in honor of its 75th birthday. Festivities begin on Saturday, January 25 with a "nostalgia-laced" party, featuring discount skating admission, an immersive photographic journey through the rink's history, and classic treats inspired by the past seven decades of winter fun.
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Events & Things To Do

How to spend a perfect holiday afternoon in Central Park

A snow day in Central Park last year. Photo courtesy of the Central Park Conservancy.

December 19, 2024

How to spend a perfect holiday afternoon in Central Park

Is there anywhere more magical than Central Park during the holidays? With Christmas and Hanukkah beginning on December 25, take some time and appreciate the peaceful feeling of a day in the park before the rush of parties and gift-giving commences. Read on for our idea of a perfect holiday afternoon in Central Park.
our itinerary, this way

Events & Things To Do

New Year’s Eve fireworks in Central Park and Prospect Park canceled this year because of drought

Fireworks at Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Park. Photo courtesy of Andrew Gardner

December 4, 2024

New Year’s Eve fireworks in Central Park and Prospect Park canceled this year because of drought

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's parks will be unusually quiet this New Year's Eve. Due to the ongoing drought, firework shows will not take place in Central Park or Prospect Park this year, as first reported by the New York Times. Running non-profit New York Road Runners said City Hall and the Parks Department instructed them to forgo this year's fireworks display during the annual New Year's Eve race in Central Park. In Prospect Park, the traditional fireworks show has been swapped for a drone light show, featuring images of iconic NYC landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty.
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Policy

The best places in Central Park to see fall foliage

Photo of the Mall courtesy of Central Park Conservancy

October 11, 2024

The best places in Central Park to see fall foliage

Some of the most breathtaking fall foliage can be found outside of NYC, but when it comes to autumnal bliss within the boroughs, not many places can compare to Central Park. The park experiences a different fall foliage season than other parts of the city because of the tall buildings that surround it and cast shadows on its trees. According to the Central Park Conservancy, the trees have a "distorted sense of the seasons," creating a later foliage season for Central Park. To make the most of this beautiful season, the Conservancy released its annual fall guide, complete with ideas for exploring the park, and their handy fall foliage map, which lets you know the best spots to see the park's 18,000 trees in all their yellow, orange, and red glory. Ahead, find eight spots that take the lead for leaf-peeping.
Get the guide to the best foliage spots

Events & Things To Do

Central Park art installation is a monument to Puerto Rican communities

Edra Soto, “Graft,” 2024. Photo: Nicholas Knight, courtesy of Public Art Fund, NY Presented by Public Art Fund at Doris C. Freedman Plaza, New York City, Sep 5, 2024 – Aug 24, 2025.

September 3, 2024

Central Park art installation is a monument to Puerto Rican communities

By Aaron Ginsburg

Artist Edra Soto's first large-scale work in New York City pays tribute to the architectural legacy of Puerto Rico. Presented by the Public Art Fund, "Edra Soto: Graft" draws inspiration from rejas, the wrought iron gates often found outside homes in Puerto Rico, and serves as a monument to lower and middle-class Puerto Rican communities. The exhibition will be on view at Doris C. Freedman Plaza in Central Park at 60th Street and 5th Avenue from September 5 through August 24, 2025.
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Architecture And Design

Shakespeare in the Park returns to new Delacorte Theater next summer with star-studded cast

Renderings courtesy of the Public Theater

July 26, 2024

Shakespeare in the Park returns to new Delacorte Theater next summer with star-studded cast

By Aaron Ginsburg

Shakespeare in the Park's much-anticipated return to the revitalized Delacorte Theater will feature a star-studded cast. The Public Theater on Thursday announced the lineup for next year's free Shakespeare in the Park program, which will reopen with a production of the classic comedy "Twelfth Night" featuring stars including Peter Dinklage, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Lupita Nyong'o, and Sandra Oh. Shakespeare in the Park is set to return to its home in Central Park in August 2025.
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Central Park installs new pizza box recycling bins

All photos courtesy of the Central Park Conservancy

May 13, 2024

Central Park installs new pizza box recycling bins

By Aaron Ginsburg

Central Park has a solution to a very New York problem. As first reported by NY1, the Central Park Conservancy introduced a clever recycling bin designed specifically to fit pizza boxes to address the pileup from picnics and parties. Located in the busy East Pinetum section of the park, near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the bin can store up to 50 pizza boxes. Conservancy staff will check the bin up to three times a day.
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Policy

Pickleball is now a summer attraction at Central Park’s Wollman Rink through 2026

Images courtesy of Justin Steele

April 22, 2024

Pickleball is now a summer attraction at Central Park’s Wollman Rink through 2026

By Aaron Ginsburg

Central Park will be a summer pickleball hotspot for at least the next three years. Following last season's success, the park's iconic Wollman Rink will once again transform into CityPickle, a 14-court pickleball installation offering lessons, open-play sessions, and tournaments, starting May 1. Presented by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Related Companies, and Equinox, CityPickle signed a three-year agreement, securing pickleball in the park until 2026.
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Events & Things To Do

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