The rallying cry of the 11th annual City of Water Day —on this Saturday, July 14, at the Seaport District in Lower Manhattan and at dozens of In Your Neighborhood waterfront sites in all five boroughs, Yonkers, and New Jersey—is access to the water.
A tangible example of the Waterfront Alliance’s mission to unlock access to the waterfront is the one-day opening of Brooklyn Bridge Beach on July 14. For years, civic groups in Lower Manhattan have urged that the City of New York grant the public access to this small sandy beach under the Brooklyn Bridge. In recent weeks, the Waterfront Alliance worked with the New York City Economic Development Corporation to allow access to the beach for one day on City of Water Day.
The festival hub—presented by The Howard Hughes Corporation—is at Piers 16 and 17 in the historic Seaport District in Lower Manhattan, a few steps south of Brooklyn Bridge Beach. Here’s your guide to activities and programs on City of Water Day.
PortNYC Boat Tours
Free, narrated PortNYC boat tours sponsored by the New York City Economic Development Corporation will take place along the South Street Seaport Museum Street of Ships and elsewhere at the city’s shores. Hosted by local vessel operators, the PortNYC boat tours honor New York City’s maritime heritage and the historic “Street of Ships”—two miles of East River waterfront once lined with sailing and cargo ships. Boat tour reservations will be announced online here, starting July 11. A $5 processing fee will be charged for each boat tour ticket. Please note that there may be a limited number of stand-by tickets available at each departure pier on City of Water.
Con Edison Cardboard Kayak Race
Brooklyn Bridge Beach will be the venue for the sixth annual Con Edison Cardboard Kayak Race in the morning, and will host free public kayak lessons courtesy of HarborLAB throughout the day. At 8:30am on July 14, adjacent to Brooklyn Bridge Beach and under the FDR Drive, the cardboard kayak competition will begin when 15 teams, drawn from corporations, schools, nonprofit organizations, and community groups, each receive precisely 250 square feet of corrugated cardboard, 10 rolls of packing tape, and 3 rolls of gaff tape. At 10:30am, the construction period will conclude and judging (Most Classic Design, Most Creative, etc.) will begin. At 11am, race heats will begin, and by 12:30pm, the Con Edison Cardboard Kayak Race champion will be crowned.
Disney Children’s Activities and Waterfront Activity Fair
At Piers 16 and 17, City of Water Day festival-goers will find Disney Children’s Activities and the Waterfront Activity Fair, where Waterfront Alliance partners will offer waterfront education activities, games, giveaways, performances, and more. Among the many highlights are water quality testing and trawling for plankton with the Billion Oyster Project, a fishing clinic with I FISH NY, and sea animal mask-making with Spotlight Kids NY. Please visit the City of Water Day website for performance schedules.
City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood
City of Water Day is celebrated at dozens of In Your Neighborhood sites in all five boroughs, Yonkers, and New Jersey. Sponsored by the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program, City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood satellite sites offer free activities such as kayaking, fishing, games, and giveaways. Find your closest In Your Neighborhood site on this interactive map.
South Street Seaport Museum
The South Street Seaport Museum, cultural anchor of the South Street Seaport Historic District, will offer $5 museum admission on City of Water Day, as well as hands-on educational activities along Pier 16.
And what’s a festival without food? In addition to the many unique restaurants found in the Seaport District, food vendors will be at the festival hub on Piers 16 and 17. After the festivities, stop by the Seaport District’s new Heineken Riverdeck on Pier 17 for refreshing brews and incredible views of the Brooklyn Bridge
City of Water Day is held rain or shine. Free boat tours are first come, first served with advance registration online required (a limited number of standby tickets will be available the day of the event). For more details about the many activities and programs all around the region on City of Water Day, please visit the City of Water Day website.
