Outdoor Events

Afro-Punk Festival July 5-13 AP Skate Park, Brooklyn [www.afropunk.com](http://www.afropunk.com)

Film, music, art, skateboarding and more. Afro-Punk , BAMcinematek and Toyota present the 4th annual festival, taking place in the heart of Brooklyn. The festival is the definitive destination for the global Afro-Punk community and audiences yearning to experience true AP culture. Last year 30,000 people attended the festvial, and this year is expected to be even bigger, featuring 40 bands, 15 films being screened, a visual art exhibit and a skate park featuring 30 pro BMX riders/skaters.

American Crafts Festival June 14-15 & June 21-22 Lincoln Center, Columbus Ave. (at 64th St.) 973-746-0091 or [www.craftsatlincoln.org](http://www.craftsatlincoln.org)

The 32nd annual crafts festival features 400 juried craft displays selected from every region of the United States. Continuous entertainment, craft demonstrations, exotic and natural foods. Ample parking at indoor garage.

Artwalk08: Brooklyn’s Fifth Annual Atlantic Avenue Artwalk June 7 & 8, 1 p.m.-6 p.m.

The 2008 Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk celebrates its 5th anniversary by showcasing over 200 artists in an interactive and participatory celebration of art along Brooklyn’s Atlantic Avenue. Plus, in partnership with BWAC Open Studio tours the same weekend, visitors can view the work of over 500 artists for free.

JVC Jazz Festival New York June 15-28, 12:30 p.m. Union Square Park (South Plaza), various locations [www.festivalproductions.net](http://www.festivalproductions.net)

Considered one of the most prestigious jazz festivals in the world, the JVC Jazz Festival New York is a two-week jazz celebration that fills NYC’s premiere concert halls, intimate clubs, parks, schools and museums with some of the top musical talent in the world.

One event not to miss is JAZZ COMBOS: Thurs., June 19 with jazz ensemble from the University of the Arts, the Northern Illinois University Liberace Jazztet, Greater Hartford Academy Jazz Ensemble.

NYC Gay Pride June 22-29 212-80-PRIDE or [www.hopinc.org](http://www.hopinc.org)

The annual celebration begins with The Rally June 22 (W. 42nd St. & 6th Ave. at Bryant Park) 2– 6 PM. It continues with dailiy events, including Pridefest June 29, Hudson St. betw. Abingdon Sq. & West 14th St., 11am—7pm. Rapture on the River, June 28 (6– 11pm) Pier 54, 13th St. at Hudson River Park. The March, June 29, 5th Ave. & 52nd St. to Christopher & Greenwich St., Noon-end. June 29 is the Dance on the Pier at Pier 54, 13th St. (at Hudson River Park), 4-10:30pm, Fireworks.

Loving Day NYC June 1. Solar 1, East River Waterfront (at E. 23rd St.) 3-7 p.m.

Join the largest Loving Day celebration in the nation, including free BBQ all afternoon, free beer for the first hour, and a big raffle with prizes from Puma. This is the fifth anniversary of the Loving Day project. Last year 1,000 guests joined the celebrations.

Festa del Giglio Begins July 6 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 275 N. 8th St. (at Havemyer St.), W’burg, B’klyn.

A unique street festival centered at Lady of Mt. Carmel and spreading for blocks around, the feast is a celebration of food, music, faith, lilies and history, as Italians mark St. Paulinus’ liberation. Giglio Sunday (July 9), is the highlight when 112 dancing men carry a platform loaded with a live band and a 70-foot-tall, 8,000-pound tower adorned with lilies and images of Paulinus through the streets of Williamsburg. The festival has updated itself a bit over the years, but in spite of that it remains a real taste of old-world New York.

Gateway to Nations NYC Native American Heritage Celebration June 6-8, Friday Students Day open to all school groups from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. & Sun., 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Grand entry, Sat. & Sun. 1 p.m. Floyd Bennett Field Gateway National Recreation Area, Brooklyn. free-$10.

Enjoy buffalo burger or venison stew, chat with a Navajo and Sioux or just enjoy the paintings, pottery, jewelry and dances of this country’s indigenous peoples at the nation’s largest Native American festival.

Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival Aug 2-3, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Flushing Meadows Park, Queens

The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York is an annual sporting and multicultural event to celebrate the fifth moon (or the fifth month) of the lunar calendar. In addition to providing audiences with traditional Chinese foods and performances, the festival, now in its 17th year, hosts over 120 dragon boat teams from across North America, making it one of the largest dragon boat festivals in the United States. Depending on the competitive division, teams compete for cash prizes, trophies and other prizes. Events this year are vary from, performances by the Chinese Music Ensemble of New York, an demonstration of martial arts by Warrior monks from the Shaolin Temple and a dumpling eating contest.

Swedish Midsummer Festival June 20, 5-8 p.m. Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park, Battery Park City

The annual Swedish Midsummer Celebration will once again take place in Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park in Battery Park City on the southwestern tip of Manhattan. This year’s celebration will feature Allsang in Battery Park (sing-along). Families and children of all ages are welcome to help decorate the midsummer pole, make flower wreaths, play traditional games, and dance to the authentic fiddle music of Paul Dahlin and fiddlers from the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. Also includes ring-dancing, and food stands offering traditional delicacies from New York’s finest Swedish restaurants.

Puerto Rican Day Parade June 8, 11 a.m. 5th Ave., from E. 44th to E. 86th Sts. 718-401-0404 or www.nationalpuertoricandayparade.org One of the most highly anticipated parades of the summer, the Puerto Rican Day Parade is possibly the largest outdoor cultural event in the nation. Nearly two million people lined up along Fifth Avenue last year to watch 80,000 parade participants march up the East Side.

WALKING TOURS

Big Onion Walking Tours June-Sept. www.bigonion.com

A comprehensive schedule of walking tours in Manhattan & Brooklyn, an educational trip to some of NYC’s historic haunts and entertaining locales.

Joyce Gold History Tours of New York 141 W. 17th St. 212-242-5762, www.nyctours.com

Joyce Gold gives in-depth walking tours through 30 Manhattan neighborhoods. Day tours explore such themes as: Religious Manhattan, Colonial New York, the Jewish City, a Day in Brooklyn, Ethnic New York, Noshing Manhattan.

New York City Walks and Talks 888-377-4455; www.newyorktalksandwalks.com

Dr. Philip E. Schoenberg and his entourage of NYC experts offer over 100 different tours, to suit the needs of your family, group, association, or special occasion. Learn about ethnic New York, engineering New York or commercial New York. Call for meeting locations.

Oscar Wilde’s New York City Tours 856-237-2044 or www.owsoa.org/owny.htm

Guided walking tours covering Oscar Wilde’s visits to America, in particular NYC where Wilde spent more time than anywhere else in North America. These walks will appeal to anyone with an interest in the people, places and history of the period.

Street Smarts New York 212-696-8262, www.street-smartny.com

Weekend tours focusing on Manhattan and Brooklyn, including a focus on ghosts and hauntings throughout the city, as well as literary, historical and speakeasy tours. Examples include, Ghostly Greenwich Village (Sat., June 14th), and Forever Fashionable Flatiron (Sat., June 28th).

GARDENS

Brooklyn Botanic Garden 1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-623-7200

Celebrate the Seasons at one of New York’s most treasured natural spaces. A tour through BBG, no matter what time of year, is a rewarding experience, complete with an ever-changing natural palette of color, fragrance, beauty, and design.

New York Botanic Garden Tues-Sun.,10 a.m.-6 p.m. www.nybg.org

Founded in 1891, the Garden is one of the world’s great collections of plants, the region’s leading educational center for gardening and horticulture, and an international center for plant research. The Garden is alive with opportunities for discovery, from an “ecotour” of the world in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory to an innovative indoor/outdoor science museum for kids to 50 exquisite gardens and plant collections, all on a 250-acre National Historic Landmark site in the Bronx.

Sixth & B Community Garden Sat. & Sun. 1-6 p.m. www.6bgarden.org

A lush, green oasis offering beauty, peace, education and entertainment to hundreds in the East Village of New York City.

Staten Island Botanical Garden 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, 718-273-8200; Mon.-Sun. Dawn-Dusk, Free.

A short ferry ride away from downtown, the garden is nestled within the grounds of the Snug Harbor Cultural Center. In addition to flowering gardens, it is home to the first Chinese Scholar’s Garden in the United States. This garden with its reflecting ponds and scenic courtyards is an architectural interpretation of nature.

Queens Botanical Gardens 43-50 Main Street , Flushing, Queens 718-886-3800; Closed Mondays. Free.

Wander through the Backyard Gardens, the Children’s Garden, the Rose Garden or the Bee Garden. Several free events and educational workshops take place throughout the summer.

Wave Hill W. 249th St. (at Independence Ave.), Bronx 718-549-3200; www.wavehill.com

The Italianate structure on the Great lawn frames the view of the Hudson River and Palisades on the opposite shore. During the summer months the pergola is a transformed into a tropical oasis, enticing visitors to enjoy both the intricacies of the plant combinations as well as the sweeping views of the river. Starting July 2, Sunset Wednesday will be back on a weekly basis. This weekly music-inspired event allows visitors to dance barefoot on the Great lawn while enjoying the vistas.

PARKS

Battery Park Battery Pl. (State St.), 212-344-7220.

The in-line skater-friendly esplanade also welcomes joggers and “Tai-Chi-ers.” As the birthplace of New York City’s history, the park is freckled with monuments commemorating soldiers, inventors & immigrants, including the Irish Hunger Memorial. The Clinton National Monument honors the fort that was built for the War of 1812 to protect the city.

Bryant Park Betw. 5th & 6th Aves., from 40th to 42nd Sts. 212-768-4242; www.bryantpark.org

Located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, Bryant Park offers an oasis from the bustling streets of Times Square and the surrounding business district. Bryant Park is located with the New York Public Library at the southern end of the park. Bryant Park hosts a variety of popular events, including outdoor film screenings, Broadway in Bryant Park and ice skating.

Carl Schurz Park East River & East End Ave. (betw. E. 84th & 90th Sts.), 212-570-4751 or 800-201-PARK.

Due to some fancy planning, the many microcosmic activities taking place in the park never disturb its serenity. Readers take refuge in tree-lined enclaves, while children rally in the dog-free grounds & gods play in the kid-free runs. Until Bloomberg broke tradition, the 1799 country home at the park’s north end (aka Gracie Mansion) had been home to the city’s mayors since La Guardia.

Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve 83 Nielsen Ave., (betw. Arthur Kill & Sharrots Rds.), Staten Island, 718-967-1976

A 260-acre nature preserve near the southwest shore of Staten Island, containing a variety of unique habitats, such as wetlands, ponds, sand barrens, spring-fed streams and woodlands. Evidences of the Leni Lenape Indians, European settlers and the Free Blacks of Sandy Ground provide a rich cultural history. Educational programs, such as nature walks, pond ecology, bird watching and tree and flower identification, are offered, as are many activities geared to school children.

Columbus Park Mulberry St. (betw. Worth & Bayard Sts.)

Sandwiched between downtown court buildings and Chinatown lies the park of eternal games. Neighborhood kids play ball, while Chinese-checker masters counter one another’s moves.

Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Grand Central Parkway, Queens, 800-210-PARK.

The site of two 20th century World’s Fairs attended by millions of people, Flushing Meadows Corona Park continues to draw and delight visitors. As the largest park in Queens, it offers plenty of space for baseball, soccer, tennis, cricket, etc. Also includes a stunning recreation complex, a zoo, an art museum, a botanical garden, a science museum, and a baseball stadium. Explore one of the park’s six playgrounds, take a stroll along the Flushing Bay Promenade, or launch your model airplane.

Fort Tryon Park W. 192nd St. to Dyckman St., (B’way to Riverside Dr.), Inwood, 212-923-3700

Once home to the Weckquaesgeek Indians, the park has picturesque surroundings and magnificent views. The Cloisters are at the park’s northern limit, housing more than 5,000 Medieval European works of art that date back to 800 AD. Containing one of the highest points in Manhattan, Fort Tryon Park towers above the Hudson River, offering magnificent views of the Palisades and the lower Hudson Valley that challenge the notion that Manhattan’s best vistas are experienced from its skyscrapers  

Inwood Hill Park Urban Ecology Center, 218th St. (Indian Hill Rd.), 800-201-PARK

Within Manhattan, but it feels so far away. A self-supporting habitat that contains the park, a sports complex incl. Columbia’s football and soccer field, numerous stores and restaurants.

Madison Square Park 5th Ave. (betw. 23rd & 26th Sts.) www.madisonsquarepark.org

Located in the Flatiron District, the park has been a public open space since 1686; it formally became a park in 1847, and was so named for President James Madison. Today, many visitors to Madison Square Park dine on burgers and concretes from The Shake Shack, while enjoying the many Public Programs organized by the Madison Square Park Conservancy.

Morningside Park Morningside Dr. & Morningside Ave. (betw. W. 110th & 123rd Sts.). 800-201-PARK

Morningside Park takes its name from the eastern side—where the sun rises in the morning—of the rugged cliff of Manhattan schist which separates Morningside Heights on the west from the Harlem Plain to the east. Built on a steep incline, multiple playgrounds nestle at the bottom of its cliff-like hillside, and visitors pause along its heights to take in a distinctive view. Winding paths bordered with flowers and trees lead to a cascading waterfall, across from which local teams play on its baseball fields. Parents bring their children to play in its playgrounds and learn in its after-school program, and on Saturdays local farmers sell their goods in an outdoor market.

Pelham Bay Park Bronx, 718-430-1890

At over 2,700 acres, Pelham Bay Park is the city’s largest park. Like many of city’s parks, the land on which it sits has a long and intricate history. Many of the park’s historic features remain observable to the modern park visitor. Pelham Bay Park has many significant environmental features. Its variety of habitats enables one to see a diversity of wildlife throughout the park. Two golf courses, an archery range, bridle paths and plenty of room to hike or horseback-ride make the colossal park grand. Within the park’s East Shore nests the crescent shaped Orchard Beach.

Prospect Park 718-965-8951; www.prospectpark.org

Like Central Park, Prospect Park was designed by landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in the 1860s. Located in Brooklyn, Prospect Park’s 585 acres of space attract over 7 million visitors a year. Prospect Park features a variety of events, including Philharmonic in the Parks and Metropolitan Opera in the Park in the summer.

Riverbank State Park Hudson River (betw. 137th & 145th Sts.) 212-694-3600; nysparks.state.ny.us

Riverbank is the only park of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. Inspired by urban rooftop designs in Japan, this 28-acre multi-level landscaped recreational facility is a state-of-the-art park facility. Rising 69 feet above the Hudson River, Riverbank offers a wide variety of recreational, athletic and arts experiences for all ages, interests and abilities. Housed in five major buildings are an Olympic-size pool, a covered skating rink for roller skating in the summer and ice-skating in the winter, an 800-seat cultural theater, a 2,500-seat athletic complex with fitness room and a 150-seat restaurant. Outdoor sports amenities include a 25-yard lap pool, a wading pool, four tennis courts, four basketball courts, a softball field, four hand/paddleball courts, and a 400-meter eight-lane running track with a football/soccer field. Riverbank also boasts spectacular promenade views of the Hudson River, the Palisade Mountains and the George Washington Bridge. At water level, there is a 400-seat amphitheater and docking facilities for excursion and fishing boats. Two playgrounds, a water splashing area and a number of picnic areas round out Riverbank's many offerings.

Riverside Park Hudson River, (betw. W. 72nd & W. 153rd Sts.), 800-201-PARK

Riverside Park is a waterfront park, stretching four miles from West 72nd to 158th Streets along the Hudson River. Since 1875, the landscapes of Frederick Law Olmsted have offered escape from the city and opportunities for people of all incomes to relax, play and socialize in tranquil settings. His design for Riverside Drive made it is one of the most beautiful boulevards in the world, affording views of the Hudson River along its serpentine route. The Coliseum (435 Riverside Dr.) and Grant’s Tomb (W. 122nd St.) are both highlights.

Socrates Sculpture Park 31-29 Vernon Blvd (b’way), L.I.C., Queens, 718-965-1819

Socrates Sculpture Park was an abandoned riverside landfill and illegal dumpsite until 1986 when a coalition of artists and community members, under the leadership of artist Mark di Suvero, transformed it into an open studio and exhibition space for artists and a neighborhood park for local residents. Today it is an internationally renowned outdoor museum and artist residency program that also serves as a vital New York City park offering a wide variety of public services. Unobstructed views of Manhattan. Periodic concerts and video presentations also take place.

Tompkins Square Park From E. 10th St. to E. 7th St. and from Avenue A to Avenue B nycgovparks.org

The notorious park is now available for pleasant strolls during the day. At the 7th St. (Ave. A) corner, chess players and drunks still reign. Basketball courts at the northernmost end of the park attract many neighborhood residents who got serious game and the jungle gym next to the courts is a popular chin-up spot for local muscle heads. Kids enjoy the park’s pair of lively gated playgrounds.

Union Square Bound by 14th St., 17th St., Union Square East and Union Square West

Already well-known as the home of the city’s largest year-round Greenmarket. The Summer in the Square Series features a variety of free events, including concerts, yoga and dance performances. Union Square also offers free Wi-Fi access, as well as free weekly walking tours.

Van Corlandt Park 242nd St., Bronx, 718-549-6494

The city’s fourth largest park, the 1,146 acres are located atop the ridges and valleys of the northwest Bronx. Playing fields and playgrounds are scattered about the park’s edges, surrounding a richly forested heartland fed by Tibbets Brook. Van Cortlandt is home to the country’s first public golf course, the oldest house in the Bronx and the borough’s largest freshwater lake. From the quiet green shade of its oak forests to the crisp white mantle of cricket players atop the Parade Ground, the park boasts a past rich in culture, well-versed in history, and blessed with the intrinsic beauty of nature. Pat of the aqueduct that supplied the city with water is visible along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. Don’t forget to check out the one-time centerpiece to mid-18th century plantation, the Van Corlandt House, known for its Georgian style extravagance. General George Washington set up camp at the house during the Revolutionary Wars.

Washington Square www.nycgovparks.org

Currently under construction as the fountain is being re-centered with the iconic arch, Washington Square became a park in 1828, but before that time, the nearly 10 acre park in Greenwich Village was a cemetery, execution site and parade ground. The iconic landmark of Washington Square Park is the Washington Arch designed by Stanford White. And the park hosts a summer concert series.

ZOOS

Bronx Zoo Fordham Rd. (Bronx River Parkway) 718-367-1010 or [www.bronxzoo.com](http://www.bronxzoo.com)

The Bronx Zoo is the heart of the Wildlife Conservation Society and our work to save wildlife and wild places around the globe. With award-winning, cutting-edge exhibits featuring over 4,000 animals, there is no other zoo in the world that offers the diversity, superb viewing and world-renowned expertise that assures a rewarding experience and the knowledge that visitors can make a difference in the world around them. Whether you’re nose-to-nose with Western lowland gorillas in the famous Congo Gorilla Forest, spotting snow leopards in the naturalistic Himalayan Highlands Habitat, or experiencing almost an acre of an indoor Asian rain forest, you’re always within roaring distance of the world’s most amazing wildlife.

Central Park Wildlife Center E. 64th St. (5th Ave.), 212-861-6030, [ www.wcs.org](http://www.wcs.org/)

Since the 1860s, animals could be found at Fifth Avenue and E. 64th Street in Central Park. However Central Park Zoo as we know it today was opened on August 8, 1988. Today, this “newest, oldest” zoo attracts nearly one million visitors a year. From a steamy rain forest to an icy Antarctic penguin habitat, the zoo leads visitors through tropic, temperate and polar regions to encounter fascinating animals—from tiny leafcutter ants to tremendous polar bears. The Tisch Children’s Zoo, added in 1997, lets little animal lovers meet gentle creatures up close. Year-round education classes and innovative public programs—including the zoo’s “Wildlife Theater”—encourage all ages to learn more about our natural world, and become involved in its protection.

New York Aquarium W. 8th St. (Surf Ave.), Coney Island, B’klyn 718-265-FISH, [ www.wcs.org](http://www.wcs.org/)

With exhibits featuring over 8,000 animals, the Aquarium offers diversity, superb viewing, and world-renowned scientific expertise that assures a rewarding experience and the knowledge that people can make a difference in the ocean world around them. Learn about animals living as far away as the Southwest coast of Africa and the Arctic to those found locally in the Hudson River. Whether you’re getting wrapped up in the tentacles of the jellies in the Alien Stingers exhibit, being awe-struck by walruses in the rocky coastline of Sea Cliffs or cheering on California sea lions during their Aquatheater presentations, there’s always some amazing wildlife.

Prospect Park Wildlife Center 450 Flatbush Ave. (South of Grand Army Plaza.), Brooklyn, 718-399-7339, [ www.wcs.org](http://www.wcs.org)

The Prospect Park Zoo opened on October 5, 1993, becoming the fifth facility in Wildlife Conservation Society’s network of wildlife parks in NYC. This 400-animal zoo prides itself on its interactive exhibits. With tons of mini creatures and educational programs, the zoo is great for kids and parents who don’t want to walk marathon distances. Three major exhibit areas were designed to engage children, especially, in learning about wildlife: The World of Animals, Animal Lifestyles, and Animals in Our Lives. These approaches to wildlife education are based on WIZE (Wildlife Inquiry through Zoo Education), the nationally-acclaimed education programs developed by Bronx Zoo educators. In the World of Animals, youngsters can meet prairie dogs nose-to-nose, and walk among wallabies. The Animal Lifestyles building's centerpiece is a spectacular habitat for hamadryas baboons. Animals in Our Lives exhibits encourage children to observe and draw wildlife; outside, visitors can interact with friendly, touchable species in an inviting barnyard.

Queens Wildlife Center 53-51 111th St. (53rd Ave.), Queens, 718-271-1500, [ www.wcs.org](http://www.wcs.org)

Queens zoo is the result of a $16 million reconstruction. Exhibit updates have given the Queens Zoo the feel of a national park - albeit a small one. The zoo perimeter is a pathway that leads visitors to pockets of wild habitats, from the Great Plains to the rocky California coast to a Northeast forest. At home in these naturalistic settings are spectacular American species: American bison, mountain lions, California sea lions, American bald eagles, Roosevelt elk, and more. South America is represented as well; the Queens Zoo is also the only New York home to spectacled bears, endangered natives of the Andes Mountains. Of special note are both the structures and inhabitants. The aviary is in fact a geodesic dome, designed by Buckminster Fuller and used in the 1964 World’s Fair in Queens. And the zoo's animal residents include “Otis,” the famous coyote rescued in Manhattan’s Central Park in 1999.

Staten Island Zoo 614 B’way, (Clove Rd.), Staten Island, 718-442-3101

The best alternative to the Bronx, featuring a new exhibit, The African Savannah at Twilight, an intense grouping of animals including antelope, lizards, baboons and leopards.