Car-Free 'Summer Streets' Expanding Up To Harlem, City Announces

EAST HARLEM, NY — On a few weekends next month, New Yorkers can bike or stroll from East Harlem all the way down to the Brooklyn Bridge without dodging a single car, thanks to a new expansion of the popular "Summer Streets" event.

The annual program that closes stretches of Park Avenue, Lafayette Street and Centre Street to all vehicle traffic will be held on three Saturdays — Aug. 6, 13, and 20 — from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Running in past years from Lower Manhattan up to East 79th Street, this year's route has been extended nearly two miles up to East 109th Street, Mayor Eric Adams and Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced Thursday.

Along the car-free route will be six rest stops featuring live music, art, dance, and water filling stations. Free CitiBike day passes will be available on Aug. 6 by using the code SUMMER22; and three rest stops will also feature free bike rentals.

Uptown, the rest stop on East 109th Street and Park Avenue will feature an arts and culture hub with Art Lives Here, the Studio Museum in Harlem and Harlem Needle Arts; a performance by the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus on Aug. 20, and pop-up music performances on Aug. 6 and 13.

"Our streets belong to all New Yorkers, and I’m so excited to be restoring the Summer Streets program to three full Saturdays and bringing it to East Harlem for the first time," Mayor Adams said in a statement.

"This is exactly what our public space is for: making fun activities accessible to hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers for free. I look forward to more people than ever taking advantage of this incredible opportunity to enjoy the best our city has to offer."

Now in its 14th year, Summer Streets launched in 2008. This year will be the first time since 2019 that it will be held on three separate days.

About 300,000 people participate in Summer Streets every year, the city said — though some advocates have questioned why the city still limits it to a handful of days.

"Our streets are one of the greatest gifts of living in the greatest city on Earth," said East Harlem Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs.

"All New Yorkers should be able to enjoy them regardless of zip code, which is why I am so appreciative that Mayor Adams and Commissioner Rodriguez have expanded Summer Streets to East Harlem."

Read the full list of Summer Streets programming here.