New York City will conduct a car-free Earth Day event on Saturday, April 26, closing off over 50 streets in the five boroughs through its Open Streets program.
This year’s event will feature 54 car-free streets and plazas to promote activism, climate change awareness and sustainable transportation methods from 10:00am to 4:00pm, according to a press release.
The annual event, which officially kicks off the city’s Open Streets and Public Space Programming season, transforms select streets into car-free spaces for New Yorkers to enjoy public art, music, outdoor dining and other community programs. The signature event in Brooklyn will occur on 5th Avenue, between 40th and 5th Streets.
The 17 additional Brooklyn Open Streets community programs can be found here.
“New York’s public realm gets better and more inviting with each passing year—vibrant plazas with music and art, bustling streets with outdoor dining, and well-cared for parks teeming with trees and plants. There’s no better way to explore it than a walk or a bike ride to take it all in,” said Deputy Mayor Jeff Roth. “Our public realm is the best of our city—this Car Free Earth Day is an excellent reminder to enjoy it sustainably.”
DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez emphasized the environmental impact of the event.
“We only have one planet — temporary public art, programming, music and other activities at dozens of car-free streets around New York City will help us remember: we must all do our part to reduce our carbon footprint and respect our environment,” he said.
Lyft will sponsor Citi Bike rides and offer free day passes for unlimited 30-minute rides on classic Citi Bikes for 24 hours. Riders can access the offer using the promo code CARFREENYC25 in the Citi Bike app’s Day Pass tab.
