Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day

Join us to celebrate Car-Free Earth Day on Saturday, April 26, 2025 from 10am to 4pm. Car-Free Earth Day is an annual car-free event hosted by NYC DOT.

Programming will be presented at signature and partner produced locations citywide, promoting activism and education surrounding climate change, sustainability, and other relevant topics. The event also marks the official start to NYC’s Open Streets and Public Space Programming season.

A colorful poster with flowers and moss spelling out Car Free Earth Day. The event poster also includes an earth and photos of people riding bicycles, running, playing music, and dancing.

Event Map

Car-Free Earth Day will include car-free streets and plazas across the five boroughs, with locations featuring public art or community programming.

Event Map Description

This map contains 54 locations with Car-Free Earth Day events across the five boroughs.

  • The Bronx with 9 locations
  • Brooklyn with 19 locations
  • Manhattan with 16 locations
  • Queens with 8 locations
  • Staten Island with 2 locations

This map also presents 3 public art locations: 2 locations in Manhattan and 1 location in Brooklyn.

Map Disclaimer

Please note that the data and information on this website is for informational purposes only. While we seek to provide accurate information, please note that errors may be present and information presented may not be complete. Accordingly, the City of New York or the New York City Department of Transportation make no representation as to the accuracy of the information or its suitability for any purpose and disclaim any liability for omissions or errors that may be contained therein.

NYC DOT Signature Locations

Signature event locations are listed below by borough.

The Bronx

  • East 188 Street between East Fordham Road and Valentine Avenue
  • Creston Avenue between East 188 Street to East Fordham Road
  • Valentine Avenue between East 188 Street and East Fordham Road

Brooklyn

  • Fifth Avenue between 40 Street to 50 Street

Manhattan

  • Broadway between 17 Street and 46 Street
  • St. Nicholas Avenue between 181 Street and 190 Street
  • Dyckman Street between Broadway and La Marina/Inwood Hill Park

Queens

  • Woodside Avenue between 75 Street and 78 Street

Staten Island

  • Port Richmond Avenue between Richmond Terrace and Castleton Avenue

Partner Produced Locations

Click expand or collapse to view a list of partner produced locations by borough.

The Bronx

Partner Location Address Partners & Activation Times
Decatur Avenue Open Street Decatur Avenue, East 194 Street to East 195 Street 10:30am to 1pm: Morrisania Band Project & 11am to 3pm: The Hort
Evelyn Place Open Street Evelyn Place, Grand Avenue to Aqueduct Avenue East 10am to 4pm: Orisha Wholeness
Fordham Plaza Park Avenue, East 189 Street to 3 Avenue 1pm to 2pm: Artichoke Dance Company
James Baldwin Plaza Goulden Avenue, at Mosholu Parkway 1:30pm to 3pm: Liz Hogg/Sonder School of Music
Jennings Street Open Street Jennings Street, Prospect Avenue to Chisholm Street 1pm to 3pm: Wukkout & 12pm to 4pm: Common Threads
Lou Gehrig Plaza East 161 Street, Walton Avenue to Grand Concourse 2pm to 3pm: Sambuco Tribe
Morrison Avenue Plaza Morrison Avenue, Harrod Place to Westchester Avenue 12pm to 1pm: Drip Sweat
Roberto Clemente Plaza 3 Avenue, East 148 Street to Willis Avenue 10am to 2pm: Hive Public Space

Brooklyn

Partner Location Address Partners & Activation Times
Albee Square Plaza Dekalb Avenue, Bond Street to Fulton Mall 11am to 3:30pm
Banker's Anchor North 15 Street, Nassau Avenue to Banker Street 12pm to 2pm: Playful Productions
Berry Street Open Street Berry Street, South 5 Street to South 3 Street 12pm to 1pm: Jody Sperling/Time Lapse Dance
Duane Joseph/Parkside Plaza Parkside Avenue, at Ocean Avenue 11am to 1pm: SEA (Society of the Educational Arts, Inc.)
Hillel Place Plaza Hillel Place, Nostrand Avenue to Flatbush Avenue 10am to 1pm: Dominicans Love Haitians Movement
Hoyt Street Open Street Hoyt Street, Atlantic Avenue to State Street 3pm to 4pm: Bubbles and Buoy
Humboldt Plaza Humboldt Street, Moore Street to Varet Street 10am to 4pm
Kensington Plaza Beverley Road, Church Avenue to East 2 Street 11am to 2:30pm: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus
Marcy Avenue Plaza Marcy Avenue, MacDonough Street to Fulton Street 12pm to 3pm: Setch Szendrody Quartet
New Lots Plaza Ashford Street, Livonia Avenue to New Lots Avenue 12pm to 1:30pm: OMNY Taiko
Pearl Plaza Pearl Street, Water Street to Anchorage Place 1pm to 4pm: Agustin Grasso Quartet
Polhemus Place Open Street Polhemus Place, Carroll Street to Garfield Place 2pm to 4pm: Pigeonwing Dance
Thatford Avenue Open Street Thatford Avenue, Belmont Avenue to Dead End 11am to 3pm: Zing! For Kids & 11am to 3pm: The Hort
Underhill Avenue Plaza Underhill Avenue, Atlantic Avenue to Pacific Street 12pm to 4pm: The Movement Creative
Washington/Empire Plaza Empire Boulevard, Washington Avenue to Franklin Avenue 1:45pm to 3:45pm: Wukkout
West 22 Open Street West 22 Street, Neptune Avenue to Dead End 1pm to 3pm: Brooklyn Book Bodega & 11am to 3pm: The Hort
Willoughby Avenue Open Street Willoughby Avenue, Washington Park to Washington Avenue 12pm to 1pm: Tilted Axes- Music for Mobile Electric Guitars

Manhattan

Partner Location Address Partners & Activation Times
Arches Plaza Rose Street, Avenue of the Finest to Frankfort Street 9am to 10:30am: New York Chinese Cultural Center
Audubon Avenue Open Street Audubon Avenue, West 165 Street to West 166 Street 10am to 2pm: I Challenge Myself & 10am to 2pm: Unlimited Biking
Avenue B Open Street Avenue B, East 7 Street to East 9 Street 2:30pm to 3:30pm: Tilted Axes- Music for Mobile Electric Guitars
Bogardus Plaza Hudson Street, Reade Street to Chambers Street 3pm to 4:30pm: Dahlia Dumont/The Blue Dahlia
Doyers St Plaza Doyers Street, Pell Street to Bowery 12pm to 4pm: Lina Liu Artist Group
East 4 Open Street East 4 Street, 2 Avenue to Bowery 2pm to 4pm: General Mischief Dance Theatre
Forsyth Plaza Forsyth Street, Canal Street to Division Street 10am to 4pm: Tape Art NYC
Johnny Hartman Plaza Hamilton Place, West 143 Street to Amsterdam Avenue 1pm to 3pm: Wayne Tucker and the Bad Mothas
Pell Street Open Street Pell Street, Mott Street to Bowery 10am to 4pm: Zoescope
Pershing Square Plaza West Park Avenue, East 41 Street to East 42 Street 12pm to 3pm
Plaza de las Americas West 175 Street, Broadway to Wadsworth Avenue 11am to 4pm: Fun Fit Kids
West 120 Street Open Street West 120 Street, Lenox Avenue to Mount Morris Park West 12:30pm to 2pm: Urban Yoga Foundation & 3pm to 4:30pm HOF Global
West 142 Open Street West 142 Street, Amsterdam Avenue to Hamilton Place 10am to 4pm: Zoescope

Queens

Partner Location Address Partners & Activation Times
31 Avenue Open Street 31 Avenue, 33 Street to 35 Street 3pm to 5pm: Playful Productions
34th Avenue Open Street 34 Avenue, 69 Street to Junction Boulevard 12pm to 4pm: Bameso USA & 11am to 3pm: The Hort
Corona Plaza Roosevelt Avenue, National Street to 104 Street 2:30pm to 4:30pm: Underground Horns
Diversity Plaza 37 Road, 73 Street to 74 Street 10am to 4pm: Workers Transport
Herman Hochberg/71 Avenue Plaza 71 Avenue, Stephen Street to Myrtle Avenue 2pm to 4:15pm: Dance Entropy
Lowery Plaza Queens Boulevard, at 40 Street 3pm to 4pm: Percussia
Murdock Avenue Plaza Murdock Avenue, 180 Street to Dead End 10am to 4pm: Zoescope
Myrtle Wyckoff Plaza Wyckoff Avenue, Myrtle Avenue to Gates Avenue 10am to 4pm: Play Pattern

Staten Island

Partner Location Address Partners & Activation Times
Minthorne Street Open Street Minthorne Street, Bay Street to Victory Boulevard 12:30pm to 1:30pm: eGalitarian Brass

Free Citi Bike Rides on Car-Free Earth Day

Through the support of Lyft, Citi Bike will offer free unlimited 30-minute rides on a classic Citi Bike on Car-Free Earth Day for 24 hours. All riders may take advantage of the offer. To redeem your free pass, enter promo code CARFREENYC25 on the “Day Pass” tab of the Citi Bike app.

Public Art Installations at Car-Free Earth Day

NYC DOT commissioned five artists to provide temporary, environmentally focused artworks along certain routes through the NYC DOT Art program. Learn more about NYC DOT Art initiatives and open calls at nyc.gov/DOTArt.

Rising. Curtains. by Anjali Deshmukh and Ernest Verrett

Location: 5th Avenue between 44th and 45th Streets in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
NYC-based artists Anjali Deshmukh and Ernest Verrett are showcasing their ongoing sculptural installation Rising. Curtains. The beaded curtain depicts a map of global temperatures from 1901 to 2000 to raise awareness about climate change and prompt consideration of its effects. Visitors are invited to reflect through a series of games that help the sculpture change throughout the course of the event.

Asphalt Asters by Molly Gambardella

Location: Broadway between 22nd and 23rd Streets in Flatiron, Manhattan
Connecticut-based interdisciplinary artist Molly Gambardella is displaying her Asphalt Asters, which transform community-sourced single-use plastic bags into larger-than-life sculptures. A symbolic garden will bloom from our streets to remind visitors that these native flowers are a keystone to pollination.

NYC Art Stop Letters by Cailtin Keegan

Location: Broadway between 46th and 47th Streets in Times Square, Manhattan
The popular NYC Art Stop Letters will come to Car-Free Earth Day with a brand-new botanical design by NYC-based illustrator Caitlin Keegan. This eye-catching installation features large-scale letters spelling out “NYC,” filled with whimsical illustrations of native plants and natural elements. This piece celebrates New York’s unique ecosystems and the beauty of everyday greenery.

Branching by Ishita Jain

Location: Citywide on JCDecaux bus shelters
Branching by NYC-based illustrator Ishita Jain is a vibrant poster honoring some of the oldest New Yorkers —the City's majestic trees—on the occasion of Car-Free Earth Day. Among the branches, people run, bike, and play on the streets demonstrating the intricate relationship between nature and the urban landscape of our beloved city.

Get Involved

Do you love New York City? Are you passionate about the environment, health and fitness, or arts and culture? If you answer yes to any of these questions, consider partnering with us on future events and help make the streets come alive with exciting programming and activities!

The 2025 Car-Free Earth Day partner application is now closed.

Brand Sponsors

Corporate entities may submit ideas for event sponsorship of Car-Free Earth Day at varying levels.

Questions about event sponsorship may be emailed to sponsorship@dot.nyc.gov.

Car-Free Earth Day Video

Ver el video de Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day en español en Youtube.

Video description: People exercising, skateboarding, running, visiting tents with environmental programming in NYC during a car-free event.

History

First launched in 2016, Car-Free Earth Day originally converted select Manhattan streets into public plazas and car-free streets for pedestrians, cyclists, and local businesses.

Car-Free Earth Day has expanded to locations throughout the five boroughs – connecting Open Streets, plazas, and accessing over 1,000 miles of NYC's Bike Network! Environmental programming is offered by City agencies and community organizations along the routes to promote activism and education surrounding climate change, sustainability and other relevant topics. NYC DOT is proud to partner with local artists to bring exciting performances to the event.

Visit NYC DOT’s Flickr for images of past Car-Free Earth Day events, flickr.com/nycstreets.

  • A large group of people wearing bike helmets stand or sit on bicycles and handcycles, ready to ride along a car-free roadway in Manhattan
  • A musician sings into a microphone while playing a small accordion during a concern on a street closed to vehicles
  • Commissioner Rodriguez stands behind a podium during a press conference to announce the partners involved in the 2024 Car-Free Earth Day event
  • People stand next to a table and tent in Times Square to talk about traffic signals and NYC DOT