If you’ve ever wished New York would hit the mute button on traffic for a few hours, your favorite summer fantasy is about to become reality.
Summer Streets is back starting this month, turning more than 20 miles of roads across all five boroughs into giant, car-free playgrounds where walkers, runners, cyclists and roller skaters can take over streets normally clogged with traffic. This year’s edition unfolds over five Saturdays between July 25 and August 22, with free activities, live performances, fitness classes, art installations and plenty of room to simply wander down the middle of the avenue.
More than 500,000 people participated last year and it’s easy to see why: Summer Streets has evolved from a morning bike ride into one of the city’s signature warm-weather traditions, whether you’re logging a long run or teaching a kid to ride a bike.
The season kicks off on the 25th, with simultaneous routes in Queens and Staten Island. In Queens, Vernon Boulevard will be closed to car traffic between 44th Drive and 30th Road, creating a waterfront route through Long Island City and Astoria. Staten Island’s route runs along Broadway between Richmond Terrace and Harvest Avenue, linking West Brighton with one of the borough’s busiest commercial corridors.
Then come three straight Saturdays in Manhattan—August 1, 8 and 15—featuring the event’s longest route yet. Participants can travel from the Brooklyn Bridge all the way north to Dyckman Street, following Lafayette Street, Park Avenue, East 110th Street, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Broadway through the heart of the borough. Streets will be open from 7 am to 3 pm, giving early risers eight uninterrupted hours to explore.
The series wraps up on August 22, when Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway—from Grand Army Plaza to Buffalo Avenue—and the Bronx’s Grand Concourse—from East Tremont Avenue to Mosholu Parkway—become pedestrian-first corridors from 9 am to 5 pm.
New York Road Runners is expanding its free Start Line Series with beginner-friendly running and walking events in Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. Lyft and Citi Bike are offering discounted rides to help people get to the festivities, while NYC DOT Art is debuting interactive public art installations, including a giant chalk-friendly shade sculpture in Manhattan and colorful kinetic sculptures appearing across multiple boroughs.
Everything is free and the event happens rain or shine. So dust off your bike, lace up your sneakers or simply show up ready to wander. In a city where finding a quiet stretch of pavement can feel impossible, Summer Streets is one of the rare days when the roads belong to everyone.
