Car Free Day NYC 2019 Street Closures, Programs

NEW YORK, NY — Two large stretches of Manhattan will be liberated from cars Saturday for the city's fourth annual Car Free Day.

Car Free Day — held in celebration of Earth Day — is meant to encourage New Yorkers to abandon cars in favor of walking, biking and public transportation. The city organizes a number of activities, giveaways and programs to be held on the streets that are shut down to vehicle traffic and parking.

Whether you want to participate in Car Free Day or avoid it, here's what you need to know:

Which streets are shut down?

The Car Free Day closures will take place on a 30-block stretch of Broadway in Midtown Manhattan and a nine-block stretch of St. Nicholas Avenue in Washington Heights. Broadway will be closed between Union Square and Times Square and St. Nicholas Avenue will be closed between 181st Street and 190th Street from, city officials said.

When will the streets be closed?

Broadway streets will be closed between 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and St. Nicholas Ave. streets will be closed between 10 a.m.-4 p.m., city officials said.

What kind of programs are planned?

Broadway:

• Union Square: American Institute of Architects, American Society of Landscape Architects of New York, and the American Planning Association that will design a pop-up streetscape to help New Yorkers visualize the future of Broadway, in which the street functions as social public space, privileging the pedestrian experience. This rest stop also includes fitness classes all day provided by the NY Health and Racquet Club and historical walking tours of Union Square.

• Flatiron: Bike programming sponsored by Citi Bike will be located at Flatiron. A performance area features family fitness classes hosted by WRKNYC, PopFit Kids, Exhale Spa and Vibrate Higher, a dynamic musical performance by Fogo Azul NYC, and our signature Earth Day performance by the Artichoke Dance Company.

• Worth Square: Fitness activities including free inline skate rentals provided by Go!Sports USA and family-oriented parkour activity from The Movement Creative.
• Herald Square: Fitness classes including cardio, dance, boot camp and Iron Strength, provided by the 34th Street Partnership. DOT Safety Education and Bike and Greenway divisions are also on site to provide participants with bike safety resources.
• Garment District: Musical performances by the Rockness Music and The Marching Cobras, a cultural Afro- Brazilian martial arts performance by the New York Capoeira Center, a dance performance by Ori Manea Tahitian Polynesian Dance and entertainment by the Bryant Park Jugglers.
• Times Square: Big Onion Tours offers walking tours of Times Square and Midtown. Stops include: the former site of the American Horse Exchange, the Astor Hotel, the Paramount Building, the Lamb's Club, the former Aeolian Hall, and sites associated with Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and other famous performers. Project Dance's will hold its annual dance festival from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

St. Nicholas Avenue:

• 181st to 182nd Street: City College STEM Institute will offer robotics and computer programming. The FDNY will also park a truck that people can check out.
• 182nd and 183rd Street: Main stage hosting performances by groups such as Dance Project of Washington Height and Jazz Power, as well as acts such as Carnegie Hall and El Chaval.

• 183rd and 184th Street: Bike New York and DOT are partnering for a "Bike Bonanza" from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. People can trade in outgrown kid's bikes for one of an appropriate size.

• 184th and 185th Street: Try out a Citi Bike, learn your route to work with Uptown & Boogie Bike, or challenge yourself to an obstacle course provided by Asphalt Green and The Armory. Participants can also stop by the WellCare to get a free health screening.

• 185th and 186th Street: Sports programming such as volleyball, tennis and football will will be offered all day.
• 186th St and 187th Street: WeAct for Environmental Justice will be hosting a Swap, Shop, and Repair Fair from 12-3 p.m. Citywide agencies such as the Department of Environmental Protection, Mayor's office of Sustainability, Commission on Human Rights and the Office of Emergency Management will set up
• West 187th Street: Puppet shows by the Wildlife Conservation Society; Bronx Zoo, as well as Repartorio Español. Participants can also take dance or theater workshops with People's Theatre Project or DPWH.
• 187th St to 190th Street: Face painting, balloon animals and environmental design. Children can also make art projects with the Children's Museum of Art. Row NY and Hudson River Community Sailing are also offering classes and information.