Manhattan
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Join the educators from Hudson River Sloop Clearwater as we go fishing with a seine net. The harbor is NYC's unknown commons, come and learn more about your watery neighbors, as we don chest waders and catch fish and invertebrates. We will examine the incredible diversity and adaptations of the estuary ecology. ADA accessible- 15 minutes walk from park entrance. All ages, waders supplied for ages 10 and up.
Organization: Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
Location: 172nd St and the Hudson River, Fort Washington Park
Time: 12:30PM - 3PM
Registration: Optional (https://bit.ly/3DCpf8r)
Learn more: www.clearwater.org
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Where does all the water go? Climb aboard a BioBus mobile science lab to look at the microscopic life in the waters of NYC, and explore the impact of urban life on our aquatic neighbors!
Organization: BioBus, Inc.
Location: 21 St James Pl, New York, NY 10038
Time: 12PM - 4PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.biobus.org
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Have you ever wanted to experience the dynamic world of salt marsh ecosystems up close and personal? Come to Randall's Island Park and celebrate City of Water Day in the Little Hell Gate Salt Marsh! Guests will be able to learn all about salt marshes with the park's Natural Areas team staff, see examples of some of the creatures that call them home, and get an up close look at this beautiful, one of a kind waterway and greenspace with kayak tours of the marsh itself courtesy of HarborLAB!
Organization: Randall's Island Park Alliance
Location: Little Hell Gate Salt Marsh
Time: 11AM - 2PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://randallsisland.org/
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Celebrate City of Water Day 2025 with the Ecology Center! Join us for “Explorations of the East River”—a morning of shoreline cleanup, water testing, and watercolor painting using estuary water. Discover how our waterways are connected, learn how to protect them, and celebrate this lovely waterfront park. Free, all ages welcome (cleanup is 16+).
Organization: Lower East Side Ecology Center
Location: East River Promenade, 1234 E 6th St, New York, NY 10009
Time: 9AM - 12PM
Registration: Required
*Coastal Clean-Up (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/city-of-water-day-2025-coastal-cleanup-in-east-river-park-tickets-1358974040939?aff=oddtdtcreator)
*Water Testing and Painting (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/city-of-water-day-2025-water-testing-painting-tickets-1358985946549?aff=oddtdtcreator)Learn more: https://www.lesecologycenter.org/
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Celebrate City of Water Day with Billion Oyster Project on Governors Island! Stop by Building 16 in Nolan Park for hands-on activities, educational tabling, and Oyster Research Station monitoring . Learn how oysters help restore the harbor and build climate resilience. Free and family-friendly. Participants must be 18+ or accompanied by an adult for oyster monitoring
Organization: Billion Oyster Project
Location: Building 16, Nolan Park, Governors Island
Time: 10AM - 3:30PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://www.billionoysterproject.org/
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Celebrate City of Water Day on the Harlem River, a hub of American rowing that dates back to the 19th century. Gather on the banks to watch Row New York alumni race Harlem River Community Rowing. Guests will have a chance to explore boats, learn the rowing stroke, and try a one-minute rowing machine challenge. Enjoy snacks, giveaways, and prizes for top finishers. This event is open to all ages.
Organization: Row New York
Location: Swindler's Cove, 3703 10th Ave., New York, NY 10040
Time: 8:30AM - 12PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.rownewyork.org
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Have you ever wondered about rowing those long skinny racing shells that you see in the Olympics? Harlem River Community Rowing offers programs for adults from total novices to competitive athletes. On City of Water Day, we'll be doing demos including short races against Row NY's high school athletes, talking to visitors about rowing, and answering all your questions about the sport and how you can get involved. We'll be there all morning, come and meet us!
Organization: Harlem River Community Rowing
Location: Muscota Marsh, Inwood Hill Park
Time: 8AM - 12PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.harlemrivercr.org
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Join FDR Four Freedoms State Park and iDig2Learn to celebrate City of Water Day 2025 on Roosevelt Island. Learn about marine life in the New York Estuary and participate in fun activities. Don't miss Introspection, a dance performance created by Chrisbisram/ShakunDavi Dance at 2 PM. Introspection seeks to remind NYC communities that there is water right under our feet. Inspired by Luyster Creek, a body of water hidden yet in plain sight with a history of industrialization and discard, this brings the creek to light.
Organization: NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation & iDig2Learn, a project of Open Space Institute
Location: Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park
Time: 12PM - 3PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://www.fdrfourfreedomspark.org/ | https://www.parks.ny.gov/parks/186 | https://www.idig2learn.org/
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Join us for FREE admission to the Museum. As a part of your visit, attend our extensive three-floor exhibition "Maritime City" highlighting how New York City, as we know it today, arose from the sea. Throughout our campus experience "Sounds of the Sea for Solidarity," an immersive sound experience offering five unique experiences asking you to commune with the water and create a personal connection with New York Harbor.
Organization: South Street Seaport Museum
Location: South Street Seaport Museum: Pier 16, 1885 Tall Ship Wavertree, and 213 Water-A.A. Thomson & Co.
Time: 11AM - 5PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.seaportmuseum.org
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Did you know that New York City has over 520 miles of waterfront? What does it mean to you to live in a city surrounded by water? + POOL wants to know! We are inviting members of the public to contribute to our new “Water Diaries” project at NYC’s 2025 City of Water Day. Attendees can participate by responding to prompts and sharing their thoughts either on video or audio recording. To set the scene, we are partnering with the South Street Seaport Museum to host Water Diaries aboard Wavertree.
Organization: Friends of + POOL
Location: Tall Ship Wavertree, South Street Seaport Museum, 89 South St, New York, NY 10038
Time: 12PM - 3PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: pluspool.com
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Free kayaking and paddle boarding on City of Water Day! Get a 10-minute lesson and 45 minutes on the water. Ages 2 and up. No swimming skills needed. Life jackets, paddles, and safety supervision provided free.
Organization: Manhattan Kayak
Location: Pier 84 Boathouse at W44 St, 555 12th Ave, New York, NY 10036
Time: 12PM - 12:45PM
Registration: Required (https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/manhattankayak/items/288626/availability/1546918865/book/?full-items=yes)
Learn more: www.manhattankayak.com
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Meet Hudson River wildlife at the Wetlab, our research aquarium that is free and open to the public! The Park’s Wetlab aquarium features Hudson River wildlife and provides guided tours for visitors of all ages. During Wetlab Look-ins, you can join a drop-in tour led by our River Project team to learn more about fascinating local wildlife including oyster toadfish, lined seahorses, and blue crabs.
Organization: Hudson River Park Trust
Location: Hudson River Park's River Project Wetlab
Time: 11AM - 5PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://hudsonriverpark.org/
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This summer, join us to make a fish wish—you might just get a bite! Over 200 species of fish are found in the Hudson River, including over 85 species in HRPK’s Estuarine Sanctuary waters. Anglers ages 5 and up are invited to participate at this program, with parental supervision required. Our River Project team provides all the necessary equipment and an on-site fishing tutorial.
Organization: Hudson River Park Trust
Location: Pier 51 at Hudson River Park
Time: 11AM - 3PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://hudsonriverpark.org/
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Explore local wildlife and waterways at the Pier 57 Discovery Tank! Join our weekly Guided Gallery hours, to explore beneath the surface of the Hudson River through immersive games and meet the fascinating critters who call our local waterways home.
Organization: Hudson River Park Trust
Location: Pier 57 Discovery Tank
Time: 11AM - 5PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://hudsonriverpark.org/
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Join us on Gansevoort Peninsula and take a tour from our salt marsh to our tide pools. During Shoreline Strolls, you’ll have the chance to learn more about these fascinating ecosystems from our River Project team. Grab your binoculars and try to spot some of the shorebirds seen regularly dabbling in our salt marsh, or see if you can spot some of the resident hawks that use the light poles as a perch to find their next meal.
Organization: Hudson River Park Trust
Location: Gansevoort Peninsula
Time: 1PM - 2PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://hudsonriverpark.org/
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Hudson River Park is home to many plant and animal species including over 100 species of birds. Take a closer look to observe butterflies, dragonflies and other interesting insects. Get to know the native plants that thrive in unexpected places in and around the river’s edge. Please wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. Loud noises and barking tend to startle wildlife and reduce viewing opportunities—please be considerate and leave your dog at home.
Organization: Hudson River Park Trust
Location: Marsha P. Johnson Memorial Fountain
Time: 10AM - 11AM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://hudsonriverpark.org/
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Organized by the Waterfront Alliance, City of Water Day is a harbor-wide celebration to get people to, on, and in the water. Join us to celebrate this year’s theme–Unity in the Face of Climate Change-and learn about life along the Hudson River on an interactive nature walk.
Organization: Battery Park City Authority
Location: Rockefeller Park, Park House 201 Murray St, New York, NY 10282
Time: 11AM - 12PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://bpca.ny.gov
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Experience the sound of water slipping away—one turn at a time. Visit The Hourglass, a public artwork about water scarcity in Riverside Park North, and meet the artist. Learn how the sculpture was imagined, built, and made interactive. Join an artist-led workshop, Create a Rain Stick. Activities are family-friendly, free, and wheelchair accessible.
Organization: Art Students League of New York
Location: Riverside Park North, at 145th street. Next to Baseball Field #8
Time: 3PM - 7PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://www.artstudentsleague.org/programs/works-in-public
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Join us for short guided excursions in kayaks on the Spuyten Duyvil stretch of the Harlem River. This event is FREE but please sign an activity waiver ahead of time. For more information about our public kayaking program please visit our website.
Organization: Inwood Canoe Club
Location: Muscota Marsh in Inwood Hill Park, near Columbia Boathouses
Time: 1PM - 4PM
Registration: Waiver required
*English (https://waiver.smartwaiver.com/w/dp9y2ldpwkdtckpb2yfquc/web/)
*Espanol (https://waiver.smartwaiver.com/w/9wnmcxupesjpgw5lft6avd/web/)Learn more: https://www.inwoodcanoenyc.org/open-house
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Experience the Hudson River under sail! Hudson River Community Sailing will offer free one-hour sails at our boathouses in Chelsea and Inwood as part of City of Water Day. Open to participants ages 5 and up. All abilities welcome; adaptive equipment and trained staff will be available to support participants with disabilities. No prior sailing experience necessary. Lifejackets provided. While our Chelsea location can accommodate a range of adaptive needs, sailors requiring a transfer onto the boat and/or adaptive seat must sail from our Inwood location. If you need accommodations, please call (212) 924-1920.
Organization: Hudson River Community Sailing
Location: 348 Dyckman Street New York, NY and Pier 66 at Hudson River Park, 211 12th Ave, New York, NY 10014
Time: 10:30AM - 4PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.hudsonsailing.org
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Have you ever paddled in the Hudson River? New York Outrigger will host free outrigger canoe paddling and stand-up paddle boarding on City of Water Day! Guests will participate in land training to learn about paddling techniques and safety, followed by an on-the-water session. Open to participants 14 years old and up. Ability to swim is required for standup paddle boarding. You must be able to tread water wearing a PFD to participate in outrigger canoe paddling.
Organization: New York Outrigger
Location: Pier 96 Boathouse at Hudson River Park
Time: 11AM - 12PM
Registration: Required (https://www.meetup.com/nyonovice/events)
Learn more: https://newyorkoutrigger.org
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Ever wonder about the Hudson River water quality? Join the CCNY's Geoscience Club and NYWEA CCNY Chapter to test the Hudson River water and compare it to the Wetlab’s research live data! Learn how to report your tests and explore why clean water matters to your health and the environment. Open to all ages. Activities are wheelchair accessible and do not require direct contact with water. Drop in anytime during event hours!
Location: The Wetlab at Hudson River Park Trust
Time: 11AM - 3PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more:
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The Erie Canal celebrates 200 years of transportation history this October! To get ready we are hosting the New York State Museum's exhibit, Enterprising Waters: New York's Erie Canal. Did you know that much of the freight carried on the canalboats was heading for New York Harbor? That the Canal connected New York City to the breadbasket of the Midwest? Learn this and more from our exhibit and return this fall to welcome the replica canalboat SENECA CHIEF which will visit Pier 26 on October 26.
Organization: Lilac Preservation Project
Location: Hudson River Park's Pier 25
Time: 2PM - 6PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.lilacpreservationproject.org
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Climate change isn’t coming; it’s here! Join the NYC Economic Development Corporation and the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice to learn about what the City is doing to protect Lower Manhattan from climate change while enhancing the waterfront to include new public space, resilient ferry terminals, stormwater management, and accessibility. EDC and MOCEJ will co-host the Financial District & Seaport Climate Resilience Plan site walk. The route will be under a mile and outdoors.
Organization: New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC)
Location: Pier 16, South Street, NYC, NY 10038
Time: 2PM - 3:30PM
Registration: Optional (https://forms.microsoft.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=fQWQf6A-_kawfOBWhicIG6YUyEVhotBGiBMrxROHAWtUMDNMOUQ4TDdFQUM5OTJXMk9GMU9NQVVQUC4u)
Learn more: https://fidiseaportclimate.nyc/
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Sit back and enjoy this intimate lightly narrated Manhattan boat tour of lower Manhattan from the open deck of our mini yacht Kingston! On this NYC boat tour, get up close views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and the NYC Skyline from the Hudson River. This NYC cruise is great for small groups, friends, or family looking for a top-rated sightseeing experience around NYC. The boat features an interior salon with openable windows and an open outer deck, along with a full bar.
Time: 10:45AM - 12:15PM
Location: Chelsea Piers, Pier 62
Registration: Required (https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/sail-nyc/items/26023/availability/1488057751/book/?full-items=yes)
Learn more: www.sail-nyc.com
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Are you concerned about how the climate is changing in New York City? Do you want to connect with others and learn more about what’s being done locally to protect our shorelines? Join New York Restoration Project for a tour of the Living Shoreline at Inwood’s Sherman Creek Park for City of Water Day! Register below.
Please check NYRP’s social media for the latest updates regarding outdoor event cancellations due to inclement weather and air quality.Organization: NYRP - New York Restoration Project
Location: Riley Levin Children's Garden
Time: 1PM - 3:30PM
Registration: Required (https://www.nyrp.org/en/get-involved/events/city-of-water-day-2025/) www.nyrp.org
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On July 12th, Friends of Inwood Hill Park will join dozens of other organizations and community groups in celebrating the 18th annual City of Water Day, a regional day of water-focused events organized by the Waterfront Alliance and the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP). We will mark this City of Water Day by working in and around the regenerating saltwater marsh in the northern part of Gaelic Field.
Organization: Friends of Inwood Hill Park
Location: Inwood Hill Nature Center
Time: 10AM - 4PM
Registration: Not required Learn more:
