Manhattan
-
Come aboard the BioBus mobile science lab and use our research-grade microscopes to look at organisms in the waters of Inwood Hill Park — one of Manhattan's last remaining salt marshes. BioBus scientists will bring the marsh's brackish ecosystem to life for all ages. Free and open to all. No registration required. Activities are family-friendly and open to all ages.
Organization: BioBus
Location: Inwood Hill Nature Center, Inwood Hill Park, 600 W 218th St, New York, NY 10034
Time: 10AM - 4PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.BioBus.org
-
In honor of POOL1, the first iteration of + POOL, and City of Water Day, Friends of + POOL will host a Community Block Party featuring live performances, a waterslide, and activities and games for all ages. The event will celebrate the future of NYC’s waterfront, where all New Yorkers have regular access to our city’s waters and can reconnect with nature. A series of science talks and panel discussions with + POOL engineers and scientists working on the project will engage community members more deeply in the work underway at the pool.
Organization: Friends of + POOL
Location: 80 Rutgers St, New York, NY 10002
Time: 12PM - 5PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.pluspool.com
-
The Harlem River is home to two rowing crews, Harlem River Community Rowing and Row New York, serving both experienced and beginner adult and youth rowers. This City of Water day, come cheer on exhibition races between the crews and then try rowing for yourself and learn more about our programming! We will first demonstrate the rowing stroke on the erg machine and then get into a rowing shell on the water. Ages 12+, free and open to all abilities.
Organization: Harlem River Community Rowing & Row New York
Location: 3579 Harlem River Dr, New York, NY 10034
Time: 10AM - 4PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://www.harlemrivercr.org
-
Have you ever explored the Harlem River? Randall’s Island Park Alliance will host a free seining program on City of Water Day. Grab a pair of waders and help drag a seining net along the shore of the Harlem River to discover the amazing biodiversity in our waterways. Learn how to identify fish, crabs, and jellyfish. All equipment is provided, but wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet! You must be 12 years or older to seine, but all are welcome to participate in our shoreline activities.
Organization: Randall's Island Park Alliance
Location: Rock Dock, Water's Edge Garden, Harlem Riv Pathway, New York, NY 10035
Time: 11AM - 2PM
Registration: Not required
-
Celebrate City of Water Day with us for a powerful day of movement, connection, and restoration. We’ll start off riding strong with Black Girls Do Bike, then slow down with an intentional walk led by GirlTrek. From there, get your energy up with a line dance session with Orisha Wholeness, followed by a rejuvenating yoga flow with Parris On Purpose. We’ll close the day with I Am My Sister, grounding ourselves through reflective water work. Come ready to move, breathe, and connect by the water.
Organization: Orisha Wholeness
Location: 146 Carder Rd, New York, NY 10004
Time: 10AM - 5PM
Registration: Optional (https://www.orishawholeness.org/event-details/city-of-water-day-with-orisha-wholeness-and-partners)
Learn more: www.orishawholeness.org
-
Over 200 species of fish are found in the Hudson River, including more than 85 species in Hudson River Park's Estuarine Sanctuary waters. Anglers ages 5 and up are invited to participate in Big City Fishing, with parental supervision required. All the necessary equipment is provided and an on-site fishing tutorial. Participation is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Beginners and experts alike are encouraged to join for a relaxing and educational experience at the water’s edge.
Organization: Hudson River Park
Location: Pier 51 at Hudson River Park, Hudson River Greenway, New York, NY 10014
Time: 11AM - 3PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.hudsonriverpark.org
-
Join NYC Bird Alliance and the New York Restoration Project in celebrating City of Water Day with a free bird outing along Harlem River! Sherman Creek is a small street-end park with lots to uncover. Its proximity to Highbridge Park, Fort Tyron Park, and Inwood Hill Park make it a prime destination for migratory birds. Come see what you this small but vibrant park has to offer. Registration not required but highly encouraged. Free.
Organization: NYC Bird Alliance & NYRP
Location: Sherman Creek, 10th Ave, New York, NY 10034
Time: 9AM - 10:30AM
Registration: Optional but encouraged (https://nycbirdalliance.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/nycbirdalliance/event.jsp?event=22176&)
Learn more: www.nycbirdalliance.org, https://www.nycgovparks.org/events/2026/07/25/celebrate-shorebirds
-
The shores of the Hudson River were once busy with boatbuilders, and will be once again! For City Of Water Day, we will host a boatbuilding demonstration and teach participants the basics of wooden boatbuilding. Participants (12 years and older) may drop by for any part of this demonstration to try their skills at shaping wood into graceful floating designs.
Organization: Waterfront Program Partners
Location: Dyckman Marina, 348 Dyckman St, New York, NY 10034
Time: 10AM - 3PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.waterfrontprograms.com
-
Join Brooklyn Book Bodega and the Trust for Governors Island for a book giveaway! Families are invited to stop by for this free book giveaway where kids can browse and choose books of their own to take home. The event will focus on environmental themes, celebrate access to the waterways that connect us, and inspire young readers to explore water, community, and climate through stories.
Organization: Brooklyn Book Bodega
Location: 108 Andes Rd, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Time: 12PM - 2PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://www.brooklynbookbodega.org
-
Have you ever wanted to kayak on the Hudson River? Join the Downtown Boathouse for a free, welcoming public kayaking experience and see New York City from the water. Guests will receive basic paddling and safety instruction, be fitted with a PFD, and paddle in a protected area with trained volunteers nearby. No experience is needed, and children are welcome with a parent or guardian.
Organization: Downtown Boathouse
Location: The Downtown Boathouse at Pier 26, 233 West St, New York, NY 10013
Time: 10AM - 4:30PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.downtownboathouse.org
-
Come on a guided stroll along the Hudson River to learn about issues facing our communities and how BPC is preparing for our future. Celebrate life at the water’s edge!
Organization: Battery Park City Authority
Location: The Park House in Rockefeller Park, New York, NY 10280
Time: 11AM - 12:30PM
Registration: Optional (email registration@bpca.ny.gov to RSVP)
Learn more: www.bpca.ny.gov
-
Have you ever watched the powerful tidal currents of NYC’s East River and wondered where they flow? Or wondered if there are hidden waterways among us? Learn about the amazing marine life that dwells within our waters while enjoying one-of-a-kind views on Roosevelt Island located within the river. At 1 PM watch a dynamic dance ensemble performance by Chris Bisram/ShakunDavi Dance and stick around for powerful percussion by Fogo Azul NYC at 3 PM. Be sure to examine marine touch tables with iDig2Learn. Join us at FDR Four Freedoms New York State Park for fun activities at the southernmost tip of Roosevelt Island. Open and free to all ages and abilities.
Organization: FDR Four Freedoms State Park, Four Freedoms Park Conservancy, iDig2Learn
Location: FDR Four Freedoms State Park, 1 FDR Four Freedoms Park in New York, New York 10044
Time: 10AM - 4PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://www.fdrfourfreedomspark.org/, www.idig2learn.org
-
Celebrate City of Water Day with Solar One at Stuy Cove Park along the East River! This free, family-friendly event for all ages invites participants to explore NYC’s urban ecology through hands-on activities in a newly revitalized, ADA-accessible waterfront park. Activities include water quality testing, introductory fishing, cyanotype art using East River seaweed, and “Beak ’n’ Bloom,” a nature activity focused on birds, pollinators, and native plants. Drop-in, accessible.
Organization: Solar One
Location: Solar One Environmental Education Center at Stuyvesant Cove Park, 800 FDR Dr Service Rd East, New York, NY 10010
Time: 10AM - 4PM
Registration: Required for fishing clinic (https://givebutter.com/city-of-water-day-fish-print-explore-smvfsg), not required for other activities
-
Friends of Inwood Hill Park is joining the Waterfront Alliance for another year to bring waterside programming to Inwood Hill Park alongside some of our favorite partner organizations, including the Urban Park Rangers, BioBus, the American Museum of Natural History, Riverkeeper, and more! We will host a shoreline cleanup, a salt marsh nature hike, and other water-focused events to celebrate our connection to the water and Inwood Hill Park.
Organization: Friends of Inwood Hill Park
Location: Inwood Hill Nature Center, 600 W 218th St, New York, NY 10034
Time: 10AM - 4PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://friendsofinwoodhillpark.weebly.com/
-
We will have brochures to promote the Coast Guard Auxiliary and boating safety. We'll have a knot tying activity and we have enlisted the support of the FDNY to have a boat on the river with a water hose display.
Organization: United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
Location: Dyckman Marina, 348 Dyckman Street (adjacent to The Hudson restaurant)
Time: 9AM - 3PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://cgaux.org/
-
Did you know New York City Parks also include parks on the water? At City Parks Foundation, we bring students to the water to learn, play, and protect New York City's waterways through our Coastal Classroom After School, Summer Groups, and Summer Institute. Practice knot tying and other boating skills! Look for water birds while learning why they are especially vulnerable to plastic pollution and climate change.
Organization: City Parks Foundation
Location: Dyckman Marina, 348 Dyckman St, New York, NY 10034
Time: 10AM - 1PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://cityparksfoundation.org/
-
Pier 42, like all urban green spaces, requires ongoing care to remain an enjoyable public park and a functioning climate resiliency system. For this year’s City of Water Day, our team will lead a tour of Pier 42, highlighting green infrastructure and resilience features, while also introducing participants to the native plants that can be observed throughout the park. The walk will be followed by stewarding the bioswale.
Organization: Lower East Side Ecology Center
Location: Pier 42, 612 FDR Dr, New York, NY 10009
Time: 9AM - 11:30AM
Registration: Required (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1989407789251?aff=oddtdtcreator)
Learn more: https://www.lesecologycenter.org/
-
Explore local wildlife and waterways at the Pier 57 Discovery Tank! The Park’s Discovery Tank is an interactive technology-powered gallery and classroom at Pier 57 that is free for the public to enjoy. Budding scientists of all ages can dive into hands-on STEM activities focused on monthly themes to learn about the environment from our knowledgeable River Project team.
Organization: Hudson River Park
Location: Pier 57, 25 11th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Time: 11AM - 5PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.hudsonriverpark.org
-
Manhattan Community Boathouse will be providing the equipment, instruction and oversight you need to experience a safe, fun and free afternoon of kayaking on the Hudson River. The program is beginner-friendly and no prior experience is required. Participants must be at least 18 years old (or accompanied by a parent or guardian) and know how to swim. Come dressed to get wet! Lockers and locks will be provided to keep valuables dry and on-site changing rooms will be available for use.
Organization: Manhattan Community Boathouse
Location: Pier 96, Hudson River Park, Hudson River Greenway, New York, NY 10019
Time: 1PM - 6PM (Last admission at 5:30PM)
Registration: Not required
-
Have you always wanted to give sailing a try? This is the perfect opportunity. Hudson River Community Sailing is offering free one-hour sails on City of Water Day! Under the guidance of an HRCS Skipper, you can learn how to steer and control the sails while enjoying spectacular views of the city. Open to participants 5 years old and up (under 18 with a parent or guardian). All participants must wear an HRCS-provided PFD. No swimming or sailing experience required.
Organization: Hudson River Community Sailing
Location: Pier 66 Boathouse (inside Hudson River Park) at 26th Street, 211 12th Ave, New York, NY 10014
Time: 9AM - 4PM (Sails begin at 9AM, 10:30AM, 1PM and 2:30PM)
Registration: Required (Walk-up registration required. Registration for all available spaces will begin at 8:40am. Please note, space is limited and available on first-come, first-served basis.)
Learn more: https://hudsonsailing.org/community-days
-
Maybe you've been to a poetry reading, but have you been to one on board a ship? Since 2019 Poets Afloat has been pairing poets with historic vessels in mini-residencies. This reading will feature poets who have composed verses aboard New York's fleet of historic ships.
Organization: Lilac Preservation Project
Location: LILAC Maritime Museum, 229 West St Pier 25 North, New York, NY 10013
Time: 4PM - 5PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.lilacpreservationproject.org
-
The Seaport Museum’s City of Water Day offers free general admission to the museum throughout the day, which will allow you to explore all of the exhibitions on view, including The Promise of Liberty: Words That Shaped a Nation, and two historic ships at Pier 16. At noon, families with children ages 2 and up are invited to join the Seaport Museum and the American Indian Law Alliance for a special reading of We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade. After the reading, families are invited to participate in a hands-on art project focused on respecting and honoring Mother Earth. And at 3:30, join with Onondaga leaders of the American Indian Law Alliance for “Three Belts of Peace: What the Founding Fathers Forgot to Tell You,“ a special look at how Indigenous diplomacy and governance shaped the American Revolution.
Organization: South Street Seaport Museum
Location: South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038
Time: 11AM - 5PM
Registration: Optional, but recommended (https://southstreetseaportmuseum.org/city-of-water/)
Learn more: https://southstreetseaportmuseum.org
-
Join Classic Harbor Line on this 1.5 hour narrated cruise. Offering up close views of the Statue of Liberty and the NYC Skyline.
Organization: Classic Harbor Line
Location: Chelsea Piers, Pier 62 (Across from West 23rd Street and the Hudson River), New York, NY 10011
Time: 10:30AM - 12PM
Registration: Required (https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/sail-nyc/items/26023/availability/1819077834/book/?full-items=yes)
Learn more: https://sail-nyc.com/
-
Start your City of Water Day enjoying the sunrise over the East River, a walk through the park. We will cross the Manhattan Bridge and end the walk in Dumbo (about 3-4 miles). This event is organized by Shorewalkers, an environmental organization launched in 1982 that is dedicated to promoting and preserving New York City’s waterfront, as well as raising awareness of its shorelines by leading invigorating hikes throughout the metropolitan area.
Organization: Shorewalkers
Location: John V. Lindsay East River Park, East River Promenade, New York, NY 10002 (Take the FDR pedestrian overpass at Delancey Street and enter the John Lindsay East River Park)
Time: 5:30AM - 7:30AM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: https://shorewalkers.org/
-
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
Location: Hudson River Park's River Project Wetlab, Pier 40, New York, NY 10014
Time: 11AM - 5PM
Registration: Not required
Learn more: www.hudsonriverpark.org
-
Has your child dreamed of setting sail on the closest thing New York Harbor has to a pirate ship? Join Buoyant for a free one-hour youth sail around New York Harbor and get a preview of our longer Harbor Camp program that introduces young people to the harbor, historic vessels, basic seamanship, and the joy of being on the water. Two sessions: 9am and 10:30am. Open to all ages. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Organization: Buoyant
Location: Manhattan By Sail, 89 South St Pier 17, New York, NY 10038
Time: 9AM - 10AM (Sail #1), 10:30AM - 11:30AM (Sail #2)
Registration: Required (https://forms.gle/ffmoSGBgTHJc5Er77)
Learn more: https://buoyantusa.org/
