New York City's 'Summer Streets' closes 7 miles of Park Avenue to traffic for 3 August Saturdays
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Nearly seven miles of New York City streets are closing on the first three Saturdays in August for the city's annual Summer Streets celebration.
During the event, the streets are open to pedestrians and cyclists for an array of outdoor activities. Last year, nearly 300,000 people took advantage of the open streets.
Summer Streets run along Park Avenue and connecting streets, stretching from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park.
Participants can find a zip line in Foley Square, a rock wall in SoHo, a dance festival in Astor Place and a picnic in Midtown. Scroll down for a list of events!
This year, dozens attempted to beat the world record for most people executing a handstand simultaneously. The final participant count was 100 people, and while it did not beat the current record of 250 people.
The free outdoor event, which was introduced to New York City in 2008, was modeled after Ciclovía in Bogotá, Colombia and the Paris Plage in France. The city said in encourages residents to use more sustainable forms of transportation.
Summer Streets will be held from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the firsts three Saturdays in August.
List of events
Children's Corner: 51st Street and Park Avenue
-- The Arts & Cultural Workshops lets children ages two and up visit with the city's most reputable cultural institutions, including the New York Botanical Garden, The International Center of Photography, and The Africa Center.
-- A stage will feature musical, theatrical and dance performances.
-- The Kid Fitness Zone includes a Parkour program, urban obstacle course, and workouts.
-- The I LOVE NY Mobile Visitor's Center is hosting a virtual reality experience and trivia games to win fun NY-centric prizes.
-- The DOT Safety Zone lets children and adults climb into a parked truck to experience a truck driver's perspective.
-- Free bike rentals and bike valet will be offered.
City Picnic: 25th Street and Park Avenue
-- Grab free samples from vendors throughout the day.
-- A stage will feature a diverse array of musical performances.
-- Free bike rentals and bike valet will be offered alongside Citi Bike's DJ bike train.
Dance Festival: Astor Place and Lafayette Avenue
-- The Summer Streets Dance Festival will bring the theatre out onto the street, making dance accessible to all.
-- The Clif Kids Bicycle Playground has easy to navigate features and tunnels for young riders to work on their two-wheel bike handling skills.
-- Gazillion Bubble Show's Bubble Garden features interactive bubble-themed fun.
-- DOT Hand-Cycle Activation's lets participants test the hand-cycle model, which allows for easy transfers between a wheelchair and the hand-cycle.
-- Kitu Coffee and Nuun will offer free samples.
Fitness Zone: Spring Street and Lafayette Avenue
-- The Body Shop is offering free samples.
-- The Fitness Class Stage will host free fitness classes.
-- Participants can scale a 27-foot tall rock wall.
-- A dog park and agility course let furry friends run around and play. A doggie dentist will also be on site.
Sports Zone: Duane Street and Centre Street
-- A 165-foot-long, 30-foot-high zip line lets fun-seekers zip down Centre Street.
-- Dunkin' hosts an interactive football experience while giving out free samples of new iced coffee flavors.
-- Participants, including able-bodied people, can train with an adaptive basketball team.
-- On August 10, the New York Knicks will run basketball free throw contests and give out prizes.
-- A series of pop-up performances will take place at Foley Square.
-- Walking tours of the city led by seasoned art and architectural historians are available.
-- Free bike rentals and bike valet will be offered.
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