New York’s annual Summer Streets street fair turns seven miles of Manhattan streets into a long pedestrian mall with rest stops that offer all sorts of free entertainment and family activities.
The festival seeks to promote alternative transportation. Without traffic the streets are wonderfully quiet and the City takes on a different kind of beauty. Instead of all the hurried traffic, you see families enjoying the morning together. You can walk through the Park Avenue tunnels which is kind of cool.
Summer Streets takes place on the first three Saturday mornings in August. It drew over 300,000 people in 2018.
Summer Streets 2019
The 2019 Summer Streets festival runs from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park on Saturday, August 3, 10 and 17, 2019 from 7am – 1pm. FREE
Summer Streets Route
The Festival route runs from Central Park to the Brooklyn Bridge.
- 72nd St at Central Park
- Park Avenue
- Fourth Avenue
- Lafayette St
- Centre St at Brooklyn Bridge
There are several rest stops with various forms of food and entertainment.
Uptown Rest Stop
Park Avenue at 51st ~ This stop has a children’s playground with free cultural workshops. The Kid Fitness Zone is for children ages 2 to 12. There are also free bike rentals.
August 3, 2019 ~ There is a French Parkour pop-up playground. The New York Botanical Garden hosts a potted plant workshop to celebrate its current exhibition, Brazilian Modern: The Living Art of Roberto Burle Marx. Afuriko plays African jazz from 9am to 9:45am. The Afro-Latineers play Afro-Latin jazz from 10am to 10:45am. Inti and the Moon play Afro-Peruvian music from 11am to 11:45am.
August 10, 2019 ~ The International Center for Photography is teaching selfie tricks. Africa Center hosts a West African Glass Painting workshop. The Calpulli Mexican Dance Company dances Mexican folklore from 12pm to 12:45pm.
August 17, 2019 ~ El Museo del Barrio hosts an art and jewelry workshop inspired by the designs of Puerto Rico’s Indigenous Taíno culture. Afro Brazil Arts dances Brazilian capoeira from 9am to 9:45am.
Midtown Rest Stop
Park Avenue at 25th St ~ This stop has a city picnic with free samples.
There are free bike rentals, a free bike repair workshop, a bicycle riding workshop and a free bike helmet fitting. Go early because the helmet line closes at 12 noon.
August 3, 2019 ~ The Jaliya Kafo Ensemble plays West African music from 8am to 8:45am.
Astor Place Rest Stop
Fourth Avenue at Astor Place ~ This stop hosts a free Summer Streets Dance Festival.
SoHo Rest Stop
Lafayette St at Spring St ~ This stop has a fitness zone with a free NYPD rock climbing wall and a dog park with animal health activities.
Foley Square Rest Stop
Centre St at Duane St ~ This stop has a sports zone with a free 165-foot long zipline. There is hand-cycle riding and adaptive basketball.
August 3, 2019 ~ All-Women Brazilian drum line Fogo Azul performs from 12pm to 12:45pm. Can you believe we have two All-Women Brazilian drum bands in New York? That is crazy good.
August 17, 2019 ~ Batingua Arts performs Afro-Caribbean dance from 12pm to 12:45pm.
For a complete list of Summer Streets activities, visit www1.nyc.gov
