Brooklyn Bridge Park offers an exciting lineup of free events —from live music and dance parties, to fitness, family-friendly festivals, education, volunteer opportunities, and more!
Monday, May 11, 2026 — Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) announces its 2026 season line-up of free events including culture, fitness, recreation, education, and volunteer opportunities from May through October. Brooklyn Bridge Park draws millions of visitors to the waterfront each year—offering stunning views, an oasis of greenery, and a diverse blend of active and passive recreation for locals and visitors to enjoy.
Visit brooklynbridgepark.org/events for full event details, with more events and programs to be announced. All events are free, unless noted.
FAMILY FUN & CULTURE
The annual favorite Kite Festival kicks off the official season on Saturday, May 16, with kite-flying, live music, arts and crafts, and more, taking over the Pier 5 turf from 11am–3pm. It’s the one day of the year that kite-flying is allowed at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own kites, with a limited number of giveaways and kites to borrow.
Celebrating its 15th year, Photoville Festival returns to Brooklyn Bridge Park May 16–30, with its signature photography exhibits displayed in shipping containers and open-air exhibitions at Emily Warren Roebling Plaza, as well as across all five boroughs of NYC. Attendees can join walking tours, panels, workshops, and public programming throughout the festival duration.
Public Art Fund presents Woody De Othello’s Guardian Spirit, composed of four large-scale bronzes and three new totemic redwood sculptures, on display at Pier 1 and at the intersection of Washington Street and Plymouth Street through March 2027. This public art exhibition highlights the Othello’s ongoing exploration of nkisi—ritual objects from Western and Central Africa that embody spiritual presences and channel protective or healing forces. Join for themed site-specific programs, including art-making and storytime, throughout the season.
Bring a favorite book and make literary friends this summer with the Park’s new reading parties, held at Pier 6 on Sundays: June 7, August 2, and September 20.
The annual Hindu Lamp Ceremony on Saturday, August 8, brings dance artist and educator Aeilushi Mistry to perform the traditional Hindu Aarti ceremony on the banks of the East River at Pebble Beach, with the opportunity for the public to make a blessing.
Closing out the season, BBP’s annual fall Harvest Festival will take place on Saturday, October 17, with an all-day celebration of fall fun including educational activities, crafts, lawn games, pumpkin patch, face-painting, and music.
MUSIC & DANCE
The renowned DJ collective Papi Juice return to Pier 6 as guest curators for three epic Saturday summer dance parties, celebrating Pride on June 6, followed by July 11 and September 19.
The Metropolitan Opera returns with their annual Met Opera Summer Recital on Wednesday, June 17. Met stars including Emily Pogorelc, Joshua Blue, Edward Nelson, and Dimitri Dover perform arias and duets at Pier 1 Harbor View Lawn.
Brooklyn Americana Music returns on Friday, July 24, curating a sunset concert with folk, roots, country blues, and bluegrass artists.
Dance the night away on Friday, August 21 at Salsa Night, led by Talia Castro-Poz, with dance lessons and a live band.
NYC’s longest-running throwback dance party comes outdoors, with Herbert Holler’s Freedom Party Outside taking place on Saturday, August 29, as Herbert spins hip-hop, R&B, reggae, house, rock, disco and pop, from the ’60s through the 2000s.
Join the viral creative community of Gaia Music Collective for facilitated group singing inspired by the park, at golden hour throughout the summer. All ages and singing levels are welcome.
Bargemusic continues its seasonal residency at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse, presenting chamber music concerts every weekend on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 PM.
MOVIES WITH A VIEW
One of Brooklyn Bridge Park’s most popular series, Movies With A View presented by Persol, returns for its 26th season with outdoor films on Thursday evenings in July and August – and expanding with an additional family film night on September 18. Come early to enjoy a picnic on the lawn and refreshing waterfront breezes, with New York Harbor and Manhattan skyline views like no other as the sun sets. The series kicks off on Thursday, July 2; all take place at Pier 1, Harbor View Lawn.
Film titles and full event details will be released in early June. Entry is free and first-come, first serve. Movies begin at sunset.
RECREATION
The Park’s popular public kayaking program, run in partnership with Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse, kicks off in late May. Visitors can enjoy gliding in Pier 2’s protected embayment on the East River on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5-7pm, Saturdays from 10am-3pm, and “family kayaking” on Sundays from 12-2:30pm. Public kayaking is offered through August, with Saturdays extended into September. No experience is necessary; basic instruction, life vests, and all equipment is provided. Advance registration is required, open two weeks ahead of each date. School and camp groups can register for Youth Kayak Program, designed to introduce participants aged 11-18 to kayaking.
On Saturday, June 20, Brooklyn Bridge Park, in partnership with TeamWRK, host a Juneteenth 5K. This 5K run/walk welcomes participants of all ages and abilities, celebrating freedom, culture, and unity through movement along the waterfront. This is a paid ticketed registration to participate.
Youth Basketball Clinics led by King Hoops are hosted on Saturday mornings from June through August at the Pier 2 basketball courts. Kids aged 7-17 can learn basics and develop their skills, with sessions for beginner and intermediate players. Players may join for individual weeks or the full season.
Stargazing with Amateur Astronomers Association returns to Brooklyn Bridge Park throughout the summer! Peer up at the night sky with their high-power telescopes to view the moon, stars, and planets. Dates include Wednesdays, May 20, June 10, July 15, August 12, and September 16; subject to weather.
Discover the amazing biodiversity of the East River at What Lives In the East River?. Participants 14 years of age or older can learn how to use a seine net to humanely catch and release organisms in the river, and all can observe catches up-close and learn about marine life. Dates include Saturday, May 30, Sunday, June 7, and Saturdays, July 15, August 1, September 26.
Learn the basics of Catch-and-Release Fishing with fishing sessions throughout the summer, presented in partnership with Maritime Youth Alliance. All equipment is provided. Participants can fish for half-hour sessions and learn about the types of fish and marine life found in the East River. Dates include Sundays, June 21 and July 19, Saturdays, August 15 and September 12, and Sunday, October 4.
FITNESS
From May through September, BBP’s Waterfront Workouts series offers weekly workout classes led by local instructors from Dodge YMCA, Abhaya Yoga, Chelsea Piers Fitness, and Form Fitness Brooklyn. Classes include Zumba (Mondays, 6pm), Sunset Yoga (Tuesdays, 6pm), Amp’d Bootcamp (Wednesdays, 6pm), Morning Yoga (Saturdays, 9am), and Pilates (Sundays, 10:30am). Starting in late May, two additional classes expand the fitness offerings with Make the Park Your Gym (Fridays, 6pm), and Stroller Run & Walk with DUMBO Dads (last Sunday of each month, 8:30am). Registration opens at the beginning of each month for that month’s classes.
Brooklyn Bridge Park’s soccer leagues, in partnership with MetroSoccer, are offered for the youth in grades 1-6 in the spring and fall, while recreational and competitive adult leagues are offered in the spring, summer, and fall, with open and co-ed divisions. Advance paid registration is required.
WORLD CUP 2026 FAN ZONE
Join for live match viewings, activations and more, at Emily Warren Roebling Plaza.
TOURS
Docent-led tours, Waterfront Walks, are offered on select Sunday mornings and Tuesday evenings from May to October. Participants learn about the history of the Brooklyn waterfront, the Park’s sustainable design, and how the Park came to life, while enjoying scenic views. Advance registration is required.
Join for select educational and horticulture tours throughout the season, announced on a shorter notice through Brooklyn Bridge Park’s newsletter and socials.
EDUCATION
In addition to scheduled programming, find our educators throughout the Park this summer for drop-in, hands-on activities and crafts at our Education Station pop-up that bring Brooklyn Bridge Park to life.
Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Education Center provides a fun destination for families year-round, with Open Hours on Thursdays and Fridays (3:00 PM-5:00 PM) and Saturdays and Sundays (1:00 PM-5:00 PM) throughout the year. Highlights include a ten-foot scale model of the Park, crafts, and rotating monthly educational themes and activities.
Throughout the summer, the education team will be hosting varied programs that range from art making and nature walks, to hands-on workshops about oysters and plankton. Programs are offered for a varied age range, from children and families to adult-oriented audiences. Check out our Park’s newsletter and socials for these announced on shorter notice.
Brooklyn Bridge Park’s education team also offers free and low-cost summer classes for day camp, youth, and school groups to book, with hands-on, experiential STEAM, and hour-long lessons. Advance booking required.
Teens can apply to join TIDES (Teens Interested In and Dedicated to Environmental Stewardship) to learn about ecology and sustainability through hands-on projects and workshops, while earning community service hours. The program is offered in the spring, summer, and fall.
VOLUNTEER
A hardworking and dedicated volunteer team of volunteers assist with Park beautification and bringing many of the Park’s public programs to life! With flexible, low-commitment, and recurring opportunities available for individuals and groups, there are numerous ways for all ages to get involved and make a difference. Volunteers can join a Green Team to assist horticulture staff with gardening or help at a Coastal Cleanup to keep the shoreline clean. Other opportunities include supporting public events, helping to facilitate educational opportunities, leading tours, or providing photography. For full details on all opportunities and information on how to get involved, visit brooklynbridgepark.org/support/volunteer.
______________________________________
“We’re excited for another packed summer of free events and programs at Brooklyn Bridge Park,” said Eric Landau, President of Brooklyn Bridge Park. “We try to offer something for everyone, from weekly fitness classes, to dance parties, kayaking, and educational activities, our one-of-a-kind Movies With A View, and more. Best of all, these events are absolutely free.”
All programs and events can be found at brooklynbridgepark.org/events, with additions and updates throughout the season. All events are subject to change due to weather or other extenuating circumstances.
Visitors can sign up for event announcements through Brooklyn Bridge Park’s e-newsletter or following on social media.
Facebook: @brooklynbridgepark
Instagram: @brooklynbridgepark
ABOUT BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK
Brooklyn Bridge Park, one of the most transformative public projects in New York City in a generation, has revitalized a formerly industrial waterfront into a dynamic 85-acre civic space. Created to be environmentally and financially sustainable, Brooklyn Bridge Park is a model for resilient urban design that reconnects New Yorkers and visitors to the waterfront. Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) operates as a non-profit corporation of the City of New York and is responsible for the stewardship of the park—maintaining its landscapes, maritime infrastructure, and public amenities. BBP develops and delivers dynamic public programming that weaves
###
Press Contact: Hanna Yando, Communications Manager, hyando@bbp.nyc