Central Park

March 21, 2024

Take a cherry blossom tour in NYC

Thousands of cherry blossom trees across the five boroughs have begun to sprout their vibrant petals, marking the arrival of spring in NYC. One of the best ways to experience the breathtaking flora is by embarking on a tour through one of the city's cherry blossom hot spots. Luckily, plenty of locations across the city offer tours of cherry blossoms and spring flowers, including Central Park, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Green-Wood Cemetery, and more.
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February 14, 2024

Free Shakespeare in the Park program traveling to all five boroughs this summer

Shakespeare is coming to a park near you this summer. The Public Theater on Tuesday announced its free Shakespeare in the Park program will travel to all five boroughs while its Central Park home, the Delacorte Theater, undergoes a renovation. Kicking off on May 28, "Go Public! A Festival of Free Shakespeare in the Park" includes a citywide tour of "The Comedy of Errors" by the theater's mobile unit at parks and plazas across the city, including on the Fifth Avenue Terrace at the New York Public Library and Bryant Park and in Hudson Yards.
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February 13, 2024

17 spots to go sledding in New York City

Sledding has long been a New York City pastime during the long winter months, thanks to the many hills and slopes found in parks across the five boroughs. With the first real snowstorm in two years upon us, it's the perfect chance to escape your apartment and get some fresh air and winter fun. Ahead, find the best places to go sledding in every borough, from scenic Sunset Park in Brooklyn to the natural rolling hills of Manhattan's Inwood Hill Park.
See the full list
January 11, 2024

Central Park’s Bow Bridge reopens with new wood decking

The iconic Bow Bridge in Central Park reopened this week after a two-month-long renovation project. Led by the Central Park Conservancy, the project replaced the decking with new, more durable wood and bolstered several beams under the deck to stabilize them and prevent future corrosion. The Conservancy researched historic photographs of the bridge, originally constructed in 1862, to identify the number of planks and the decking size of the bridge floor.
get the details
November 28, 2023

Central Park’s Bow Bridge closes for renovations

The famous Bow Bridge in Central Park will close for two months for renovations. The Central Park Conservancy on Sunday announced in a social media post the iconic bridge will not be open to the public from November 27 through January 2024 for repairs that include replacing its wood decking. Parkgoers will still be able to access the Bethesda Terrace and Ramble area from the East and West Drives through West 77th, West 78th, East 74th, and East 78th Streets, as well as from Belvedere Castle going south, according to TimeOut.
read more here
October 3, 2023

12 acres of Central Park’s Great Lawn closed until April after damage from Global Citizen Festival

A large section of Central Park's Great Lawn will be closed through at least April after damage caused by the Global Citizen Festival and heavy rain. As first reported by West Side Rag, the "combination of heavy rain, foot traffic, and machinery" during the September 23 event destroyed one-third of the grassy area, leading to its immediate closure and need for re-seeding.
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September 8, 2023

Fred Eversley’s first public artwork in NYC explores new dimensions in Central Park

A new art installation in Central Park invites New Yorkers to perceive the environment, others, and themselves through the lens of artist Fred Eversley. Titled "Parabolic Light," Eversley's first-ever public artwork in New York City is a 12-foot-tall sculpture made of polyurethane that prompts viewers to question the way visual and physical perceptions influence connections to the world around us. The sculpture is on view in Central Park's Doris C. Freedman Plaza through August 25, 2024.
more on the captivating sculpture here
July 11, 2023

Global Citizen reveals lineup for its 2023 festival in Central Park

The lineup for the 11th annual Global Citizen Festival in New York City has been revealed. Taking place on Central Park's Great Lawn on Saturday, September 23, this year's event includes headliners the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ms. Lauryn Hill, with Megan Thee Stallion, Conan Gray, and the Stray Kids also set to perform. The free ticketed event connects music and activism, with a focus on tackling issues related to extreme poverty around the world, including empowering women and girls, fighting climate action, and alleviating the hunger crisis.
See the lineup
June 15, 2023

New York City’s best spots for bird watching

With hundreds of parks and over 500 miles of waterfront, New York City is an excellent place for bird watching. The five boroughs serve as a temporary and permanent home to over 400 species of bird, thanks to both habitat diversity and location on the Atlantic Flyway, the route birds follow during migrations. From Pelham Bay Park in the northeast Bronx down to Great Kills Park on the South Shore of Staten Island, there is no shortage of birding activities in New York. We've rounded up the best places to find feathered friends throughout the city, most of which are accessible via public transportation. For guided bird-watching tours and walks, check out events from NYC Parks, NYC Audubon, and the Linnaean Society of New York.
Full list ahead
June 6, 2023

NYC’s free Shakespeare in the Park program returns this week

Shakespeare in the Park, the Public Theater's beloved free program in Central Park, returns to the Delacorte Theater this week. Directed by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon, the Public will present one performance of "Hamlet" for an extended nine-week run from Thursday, June 8 until Sunday, August 6. A production of "The Tempest" will be presented from Sunday, August 27 through Sunday, September 3 before the Delacorte Theater closes for renovations.
See more here
March 23, 2023

Pickleball is coming to Central Park’s Wollman Rink

Central Park will soon be home to the largest pickleball offering in the Northeast. The park's Wollman Rink will turn into CityPickle, a 14-court pickleball installation opening in April. Presented by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Related Companies, and Equinox, CityPickle will offer lessons, clinics, leagues, open-play sessions, tournaments, and other activities for players of all levels.
Find out more
February 16, 2023

Central Park’s iconic Loeb Boathouse set to reopen this summer

After closing its doors last year, the iconic Loeb Boathouse in Central Park will reopen this summer with a new operator. Mayor Eric Adams and the city's Parks Department on Thursday announced Legends Hospitality, the group that operates at Yankee Stadium and One World Observatory, has been selected to manage the Boathouse as part of a 10-year lease. If the contract is approved by the city's Franchise and Concession Review Committee next month, the venue could be open to the public as early as June.
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December 20, 2022

Central Park’s first named gate since 1862 honors the exonerated ‘Central Park Five’

A new gate in Central Park will permanently honor the "Central Park Five," the five Black and Latino teens who in 1989 were convicted of a crime they didn't commit. "The Gate of the Exonerated" commemorates the exoneration of all five men, each of whom unjustly served between six and 12 years in prison before being cleared in 2002. Located on 110th Street between Malcolm X Boulevard and Fifth Avenue, the new entrance was unveiled on Monday, exactly 20 years after their convictions were overturned, marking the first named gate in Central Park since 1862.
See more here
October 21, 2022

This map of Central Park tracks fall foliage in real time

The Central Park Conservancy has launched a new, interactive Peak Fall Foliage map to let parkgoers know the best times and locations to take in autumn's most vibrant colors. In the coming weeks, approximately 18,000 trees across Central Park's 843 acres will reach their peak color. The map's real-time information is provided by Central Park's arborists who take care of more than 170 species of trees on a daily basis.
See more here
September 7, 2022

Memorial honoring Black lives lost to acts of racism will open in Central Park

A new exhibition honoring Black lives lost to racial injustice in the United States will open this month in New York City's historical Seneca Village, once home to a thriving black community that was displaced by the city to make way for Central Park in the 1850s. Presented by the San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art (SDAAMFA), the Say Their Names Memorial Exhibition is a month-long augmented reality experience debuting on Saturday, September 17 at West 85th Street in Central Park.
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July 21, 2022

Central Park’s Loeb Boathouse to close permanently

Loeb Boathouse, Central Park's iconic lakeside restaurant which has operated for nearly 70 years, will be closing permanently on October 16. According to a notice filed with the New York State Department of Labor (DOL) by the venue's owner, the establishment will be closing its doors and laying off all of its 163 employees due to what owner Dean Poll calls, "rising labor and costs of goods."
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July 5, 2022

New photo exhibit shows New York City children playing on car-free streets in the summer of ’68

The city's Parks Department opened a new photography exhibition at Central Park's Arsenal Gallery that displays more than 40 archived photographs from the department's collection. Called "Streets In Play: Katrina Thomas, NYC Summer 1968," the exhibit features images taken by the late photographer Katrina Thomas, who in 1968 was hired by NYC Mayor John Lindsay and tasked with capturing the city's summer initiative, "Playstreets," in which residential blocks were closed to vehicles and instead equipped for recreational activity.
Take a look
April 27, 2022

10 of the best running spots in New York City

For avid runners and beginners alike, New York City offers a wide range of places to hit the pavement, from its iconic bridges to green trails nestled in the city's parks. The scenic routes provide unbeatable views of the river and skyline that can keep you motivated to keep going when you're ready to give up. Ahead, we round up the 10 most iconic spots to go for a run in the city, fit for regular marathoners, treadmill-devotees looking for a change of scenery, and total newbies.
Lace up those sneakers...
January 26, 2022

Landmarks approves design for $77M renovation of Delacorte Theater in Central Park

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved plans for the revitalization of Central Park's Delacorte Theater, the city's first major post-pandemic outdoor theater investment. The new design's main goals are to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, protect the building from the ravages of a changing climate, and improve efficiency and comfort.
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January 5, 2022

How New York keeps its cool: A history of ice skating in NYC

While we haven't had much snow yet this year, New York is already a winter wonderland thanks to the many ice skating rinks found across the city. If you choose to glide through the season on ice, taking a spin anywhere from Central Park to Coney Island, you’re sliding into a New York winter tradition that includes the nation’s first organized ice rink, a decade of “Icetravaganzas” that drew millions, a glittery trend of hotel ice gardens throughout Midtown, and even a relationship to the origins of baseball. So lace up, and read on for a history of ice-skating in New York City.
Glide into this story!
December 9, 2021

15 holiday trees in NYC that are not at Rockefeller Center

The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center may be the most popular conifer in New York City, with 125 million people visiting the tree each year, but it certainly is not the only one. Every holiday season, spruces adorned with colorful lights and ornaments pop up across the five boroughs. The city’s many holiday trees each offer a unique take on the tradition, which began in NYC in 1912 when the first public Christmas tree was erected in Madison Square Park. For those looking to skip the Midtown crowds this year, we’ve rounded up 15 of the best holiday trees, from the origami tree at the American Museum of Natural History to the flotilla of trees in Central Park’s Harlem Meer.
Get the full list
November 8, 2021

The best places in Central Park to see fall foliage

Some of the most breathtaking fall foliage can definitely 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
August 11, 2021

Central Park’s famous carousel will reopen with Coney Island’s Luna Park as operator

One of the country's most popular carousels will soon spin again. Central Park's Friedsam Memorial Carousel will reopen to riders this fall after being closed since March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. As first reported by amNY, the operators of Coney Island's Luna Park, Central Amusement International, will operate the merry-go-round, replacing the Trump Organization, which had its contracts with the city canceled earlier this year after the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Details here