City of Water Day 2021: List of NYC Events For Saturday

NEW YORK CITY — The weather forecast for Saturday is looking up: mid-80s and only partly cloudy – perfect for a free paddling class, going on a shoreline bike ride or helping restore an oyster population.

These are just some of the activities planned for the 14th Annual City of Water Day — held throughout New York and New Jersey—to celebrate "the waters that surround us" but also to highlight the potential impacts of climate change to the harbor.

Hosted by the Waterfront Alliance, NY-NJ Harbor and Estuary Program and community organizations, Saturday is chock-full of engaging and informative activities for the entire family.

To share more City of Water day events, email sarahbelle.lin@patch.com

Here's what you can find throughout the boroughs on Saturday:

Manhattan

City of Water Day in the Hudson River Park Wetlab

What: Come to the Hudson River Park for a special Wetlab Look-in. Meet native Hudson River wildlife in the Wetlab, where the flow-through aquarium houses dozens of species of fish and invertebrates all caught within the Park as part of an ongoing ecological survey.
When: Tours between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Pier 40, 353 West Street

Fishing Clinic on the East River

What: Join the Lower East Side Ecology Center for community science angling and help them build their database of the species of the river. All are welcome, whether it's your first time fishing or you're a professional angler. Instruction, bait, and tackle will be provided. Fish will be released or kept temporarily for display. Free to participate. RSVP on Eventbrite.
When: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Where: East River Park Fire Boat House, East River Promenade

Coastal Cleanup in East River Park

What: The Lower East Side Ecology Center will be hosting a coastal cleanup of East River Park's embayments. Gloves and trash pickers will be provided. RSVP on Eventbrite.
When: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: East River Park Fire Boat House, East River Promenade

Summer on the Hudson: Billion Oyster Project Presentation

What: Come see the Billion Oyster Project on the Baylander’s Jungle Deck. Learn about the project's latest effort to restore their harbor. Free to attend.
When: noon to 2 p.m.
Where: 125th Street and Marginal Street in West Harlem Piers

Brooklyn

BGI Waterfront Resiliency Ride for City of Water Day

What: Join Brooklyn Greenway Initiative and the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club for City of Water Day with a guided shoreline bike ride. They'll explore the Brooklyn Waterfront from Vinegar Hill down to Red Hook and over to the Gowanus Canal. Our group will follow Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway and discuss how climate change and rising sea levels may impact Brooklyn. Tickets cost $10.
When: 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Start at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street

Note: Tour is cancelled if it is raining 60 minutes prior to departure or during the ride. No refunds but you can join Gowanus Dredgers' next ride for free if you can't make it or ride is cancelled due to weather.

Gowanus Drone Explorations

What: Join the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club at their shoreline to help survey and map our Canal. We will demonstrate their underwater drone, use microscopes and host other fun science activities for all who stop by.
When: 11:00am to 2:00pm
Where: Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd Street

Gowanus Oysters Health Check

What: Join the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club in their effort to restore a sustainable oyster population and to foster awareness, affinity, and understanding of our harbor and urban waterways. They are growing a colony of oysters at the Gowanus Canal and will be checking on their size, health and growth at this event. This activity supports the larger effort to harbor wide oyster restoration program and volunteers are welcome to watch or join in the activity.
When: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd Street

Gowanus Watermark Walk

What: The Gowanus Dredgers lead this shorewalk to explore and understand the extent of Superstorm Sandy’s flooding around our Gowanus Canal, and reflect on the past and future flows of water in the neighborhood. While we explore ghost streams and imagine future storms intensified by climate change, we will delve into the shared history of water and society along our Gowanus estuary, and imagine the future for this intrepid shoreline. Tour runs rain or shine. Tickets cost $10.
When: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Where: Meet outside Mirror In the Woods, 575 Union Street

Just Gowanus: An Interactive Performance Tour

What: Artichoke Dance Company presents Just Gowanus: An Interactive Performance Tour that intersects performance and environmental education to bring awareness to the neighborhood of Gowanus, Brooklyn. This project will be Artichoke Dance Company's third event in Gowanus and aims to illuminate the area's history from an environmental justice perspective. Tickets cost $30.
When: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Gowanus Canal Conservancy Salt Lot Facility, 2 2nd Avenue

Shoreline Marine Life Discovery Workshop

What: Join Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park and marine biologists from the Coastal Classroom for workshops to discover and explore marine life at low tide on the Bushwick Inlet Park jetty. Activities will include a seining demonstration and organism identification, marine food chains discussions, water quality testing and talk about the human impacts to aquatic ecosystems in NYC. Participants 16 and older can assist them but must sign a waiver. RSVP on Eventbrite.
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Bushwick Inlet Park, 86 Kent Ave near N 9th Street and near the riverfront

Kaiser Park Coastal Cleanup

What: Volunteer with the Stewardship Team at Kaiser Park. Volunteers will help them remove debris from the coastline. Volunteers should dress in clothes that can get dirty and wear a face mask. Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by a chaperone. Space is limited and registration is required.
When: 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Kaiser Park, Bayview Avenue near W 33rd Street

Ecology Park Plant ID Workshop

What: Join NYC Parks to learn how to identify native and invasive plants that are reflective of the plant communities in and around Jamaica Bay. Come dressed in sturdy boots or shoes, long pants and clothing that can get dirty. Please be sure to wear a face mask and bring your own water bottle to this event. Space is limited and registration is required. Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by a chaperone.
When: 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Ecology Park, Bergen Avenue and Avenue T

Queens

4th Annual Jamaica Bay Festival (Brooklyn and Queens)

What: Activities include Jamaica Bay Kayak Parade, Rockaway Hotel Rooftop Yoga, Guided Adventure Kayak Tour and West Pond Living Shoreline Project Tour. Hosted by the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, American Littoral Society and partners. All events are free to attend.
When: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: See below for all event details.

• Rockaway Hotel Rooftop Yoga (8 a.m. to 9 a.m.): The Rockaway Hotel, 108-10 Rockaway Beach Drive. RSVP on Eventbrite.
• Jamaica Bay Kayak Parade (9 a.m.): For boat launch locations, download this guide.
• Guided Adventure Kayak Tour (1 p.m. to 3 p.m.): Meet at Canarsie Pier. RSVP on Eventbrite.
• West Pond Living Shoreline Project Tour (1 p.m. to 2 p.m.): Tour the new living shoreline under construction at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. The restored shoreline will create over 8-acres of habitat that will protect the West Pond from climate change and extreme weather. RSVP on Eventbrite.
• Ecology Park Open House (2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.): An exclusive tour of the microcosmic landscape known as Ecology Park in Brooklyn's Paerdegat Basin Natural Area Preserve. RSVP on Eventbrite.

City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood: Dutch Kills Loop

What: Join Newtown Creek Alliance and members of the Dutch Kills Loop project for an afternoon of activities for a clean-up next to the waterway along 29th street and a walking tour around the project area. Participants are encouraged to bring water, sun protection and wear closed-toed shoes. All necessary tools and supplies will be on hand. RSVP on Eventbrite.
When: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: 29th Street and 47th Ave

Spring Creek Wetland Restoration

What: Join NYC Parks to help remove debris in order to help restore the wetland and create a healthier ecosystem. Come dressed in sturdy boots or shoes, long pants and clothing that can get dirty. Please be sure to wear a face mask and bring your own water bottle to this event. Space is limited and registration is required. Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by a chaperone.
When: 9 a.m. to noon
Where: Spring Creek Park, 157th Avenue and 78th Street

Bronx

Estuary Paddle

What: Join Bronx River Alliance for an Estuary Paddle on the Bronx River. This guided paddle takes paddlers through the lower saltwater portion of the river, featuring a dichotomy of estuarine habitat and urbanization. In celebration of City of Water Day, the paddle will feature a visit to the site of the Soundview Oyster Reef at the mouth of the river. Tickets cost $35.
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Concrete Plant Park Boat Launch, south of the Bronx River Foodway

Community Rowing and Birding

What: Guests of all ages can explore the Bronx River aboard student-built wooden row boats, accompanied by staff who teach them about the local waterways. Community Birding brings birdwatching to the shores of the Bronx River. Identify and learn about local species with knowledgeable guides. Binoculars and field guides will be provided. Free to attend.
When: 1 p.m to 6 p.m.
Where: Hunts Point Riverside Park, 1409 Lafayette Avenue

Staten Island

Staten Island’s First Victim of Hurricane Sandy: The Old Orchard Light

What: Learn about sea level rise, climate change, and equitable access to the waterfront. Activities include a pop-up exhibit on the Old Orchard Light, taking a Pier 1 sounding and visualizing “the blue line” high-water mark during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: National Lighthouse Museum, 200 The Promenade at Lighthouse Point

For a list of all City of Water Day events in New York and New Jersey, visit the Hudson River Foundation's City of Water Day landing page.