Opening Ceremony:
Cardboard Kayak Race
Hudson River Park’s Pier 84, Manhattan
(44th St. at the Hudson River)
Thursday, July 23 | 3:45 — 7:30pm
All are welcome to attend the 2026 City of Water Day Opening Ceremony, which features Cardboard Kayak Racing.
Teams of City of Water Day event organizers and invited guests will design and build kayaks out of cardboard and tape, and race them in the water. Come watch the fun and cheer on your favorites!
Build period: 3:45 – 5:45pm
Races: 5:45 – 7:15pm
A special thank you to Manhattan Kayak Club and Hudson River Park Trust for their support with this event!
Come watch the fun and cheer on your favorites!
Want to compete?
Here’s how to get involved:
Be a City of Water Day event host: when you register your City of Water Day event you can indicate that you’d like to field a team, or just have a few people who you’d like to have join a team.
Sponsor City of Water Day: Sponsor support allows Waterfront Alliance and NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program to support more than 50 community-based organizations that host the local events that make up City of Water Day. All sponsorships include the option to field a team in the cardboard kayak races.
Questions?
Contact:
dezer@waterfrontalliance.org
212-935-9831 x117