Central Park

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

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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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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

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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

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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

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"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.
details here
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

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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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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

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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
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

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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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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

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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
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

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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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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

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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

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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.
check it out
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

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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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Take a cherry blossom tour in NYC

Green-Wood Cemetery. Photo Credit: Amy Nieporent

March 21, 2024

Take a cherry blossom tour in NYC

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

The company of Mobile Unit’s “The Comedy of Errors,” touring the five boroughs May 2-21 and returning to The Public May 25-June 11. Photo credit: Peter Cooper

February 14, 2024

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

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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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17 spots to go sledding in New York City

Photo of Owl’s Head Park in Bay Ridge courtesy of NYC Parks/ Daniel Avila

February 13, 2024

17 spots to go sledding in New York City

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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
Central Park’s Bow Bridge reopens with new wood decking

All photos courtesy of Central Park Conservancy

January 11, 2024

Central Park’s Bow Bridge reopens with new wood decking

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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
Central Park’s Bow Bridge closes for renovations

Photo by Pierre Blaché from Pixabay

November 28, 2023

Central Park’s Bow Bridge closes for renovations

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

Photo via WikiCommons

October 3, 2023

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

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

Fred Eversley, Parabolic Light, 2023. Photo credit: © Fred Eversley. David Kordansky Gallery, New York. Photo: Nicholas Knight, courtesy of Public Art Fund, NY Presented by Public Art Fund at Doris C. Freedman Plaza, New York City, Sep 7, 2023–Aug 25, 2024.

September 8, 2023

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

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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
Global Citizen reveals lineup for its 2023 festival in Central Park

Photo of Global Citizen Festival in Central by Anthony Quintano on Flickr

July 11, 2023

Global Citizen reveals lineup for its 2023 festival in Central Park

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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
New York City’s best spots for bird watching

Birdwatching in Prospect Park, courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance on Flickr

June 15, 2023

New York City’s best spots for bird watching

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

The Delacorte Theater. Photo credit: Joseph Moran

June 6, 2023

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

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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
Pickleball is coming to Central Park’s Wollman Rink

Image courtesy of CityPickle

March 23, 2023

Pickleball is coming to Central Park’s Wollman Rink

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

Photo by Ajay Suresh via Wikimedia Commons

February 16, 2023

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

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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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