Parkgoers of all ages can enjoy hundreds of free events, from April through September

Highlights include hands-on science, sunset concerts, Broadway performances, sunset music/dancing, exercise classes and more 

New York, N.Y. (April 15, 2025) — Hudson River Park today unveiled its dynamic 2025 spring and summer event lineup, featuring hundreds of free and exciting programs for the community across each neighborhood of the four-mile riverfront park. This year’s season officially kicks off May 17th on Pier 84 with SUBMERGE Marine Science Festival, a family-friendly event packed with hands-on river research, wildlife encounters and riveting science shows in a daylong celebration of our local waterways. Expanded summer offerings include six nights of Broadway caliber talent for Broadway By The Boardwalk and a new Science After Dark series that invites curious adults to dive into the wonders of local ecology, learning from experts while socializing with friends in unique park settings.   

"Whether you spend the whole summer with us or are just visiting for a day, Hudson River Park’s stunning waterfront, iconic piers and endless events make every day an adventure. From dance parties and live music to hands-on science fun and heart-pumping fitness, this is where New York comes alive!” said Noreen Doyle, President & CEO of the Hudson River Park Trust.  “We’re grateful to Hudson River Park Friends and all our partners for once again supporting hundreds of free events in the Park this year. So, grab your friends, soak up the sun and make some unforgettable memories with us!"

This season, the forever-popular Healthy on the Hudson summer-long series expands to include classes with Chelsea Piers Fitness and other top notch fitness studios. On July 10th, Dance Is Life! returns to the Park as the electrifying Ladies of Hip Hop host the intergenerational social dance party with high-energy music and a focus on Latin Hustle. Heading into August, Blues BBQ Festival will celebrate its 25th year in the Park, cementing its place as one of NYC’s longest-running free festivals. And that’s just the beginning, because all season long Hudson River Park will host an incredible lineup filled with dance, river discovery, music, fitness classes, improv and more. 

SPRING/SUMMER 2025 HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Nighttime Science Adventures – Why should kids have all the fun? Adults can dive into fascinating marine science topics in the Science After Dark series. Laugh and learn with experts while enjoying complimentary beverages during Ask A Scientist. At Science Stories, talented storytellers connect the marvels of science to everyday life. For your chance to be a student again, Back 2 School gets hands-on with oyster monitoring, plankton microscopy and more! 

  • Dance The Night Away – The summer grooves kick off in July with a special Dance Is Life! event on Pier 45 hosted by The Ladies of Hip Hop. Dancers of all ages and skill levels are invited to embrace the joy of movement. Sunset Salsa returns to Pier 76 in July with lessons led by world-renowned dancers, offering instruction to everyone, from novices to advanced dancers, followed by an open dance party.

  • Summer Sweat – Healthy on the Hudson returns, offering a variety of free, accessible, exciting workouts led by NYC’s best trainers. From yoga to HIIT fitness classes, there is something for everyone to take part in across four pier locations this year. Bike Skills will be available for kids and adults – everyone ages five and up is welcome to join at Pier 76, where experienced instructors will help participants kick off those training wheels. Kayaking, sailing and rowing are available all season long across the Park’s four boathouses, offering free and expert lessons to all ages. 

  • Riverfront Rhythms – Broadway By The Boardwalk brings the excitement of top-notch Broadway talent performing a mix of original music, personal favorites and Broadway staples for free, at Clinton Cove. The crowd-favorite series, Jazz at Pier 84, in partnership with the Jazz Foundation of America, returns with star-studded musicians bringing smooth tunes to the Park at sunset. Pier 45 will host a special celebration of Juneteenth curated by the talented Ladies of Hip Hop while The Bad Judies and Papi Juice  turn out a Pride celebration on Pier 46. Music fans can attend Boardwalk Blues, featuring blues and roots musicians from around the region performing dazzling sunset concerts at Pier 97. Finally, the Blues BBQ Festival is returning for its 25th year, bringing world-class music and delicious eats from some of the area’s top pitmasters to Pier 76.

  • Wildlife of the Hudson – Explore Hudson River Park's diverse ecosystem and local wildlife at various River Discovery events this summer. The Pier 57 Discovery Tank invites visitors to interact with digital wildlife exhibits that dive below the surface of our Hudson River. At the Park’s Wetlab research aquarium on Pier 40, visitors can meet local wildlife face to face during free guided tours. For those who want to drop in a line and go fishing, Big City Fishing is at three different piers this season and offers the chance to learn about more than 200 fish species in the Hudson River.

This season is supported by Hudson River Park Friends, an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the completion, care and enhancement of Hudson River Park, and the designated fundraising partner of the Hudson River Park Trust. Hudson River Park Friends also supports the Park through volunteer events and other in-Park programming throughout the year.

Fall and winter events at the Park will be announced later this year. The full spring/summer 2025 lineup can be found below and for more information, visit hudsonriverpark.org/events.

HUDSON RIVER PARK SPRING/SUMMER 2025 EVENTS LINEUP

Beginning in April

Discovery Tank Guided Gallery

Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays | 3:00–6:00 PM | Pier 57 Discovery Tank at W 15 St.

Saturdays | 11:00 AM–5:00 PM | Pier 57 Discovery Tank at W 15 St.

*Open year-round 

Explore beneath the surface of the Hudson River in our interactive Pier 57 Discovery Tank with digital exhibits and hands-on STEM activities during public open hours. Budding scientists of all ages can learn about the fascinating critters that call our local waterways home.

Back 2 School 

Thursday, April 17 | 6:30-8:30 PM | Pier 57 Discovery Tank At W 15 St.

Thursday, July 17 | 6:30-8:30 PM | Pier 40 Wetlab At W Houston St.

Get your notebooks ready – it’s time for adults to go “back to school.” Rediscover fascinating science topics you may have skipped in high school during hands-on workshops focused on oyster monitoring, plankton microscopy and more.

Volunteer Days

Locations and activities will vary each month | Various times

Volunteers play a vital role in keeping the Park looking its best year-round and are a key part of our Hudson River Park community. Volunteers are invited to work alongside the Park's talented Horticulture and River Project team members while engaging in a variety of gardening, oyster stewardship, shoreline cleanup, community events and other projects! Make a positive impact on the Park you love – join our Blue or Green Teams.

Beginning in May

Healthy on the Hudson

Conditioning on Mondays with Tone House | 6:30 PM | Pier 25 At N Moore St.

HIIT on Tuesdays with Chelsea Piers Fitness | 6:30 PM | Pier 46 At Charles St.

Dance Cardio on Wednesdays with 305 Fitness | 6:30 PM | Pier 97 at W 55 St.

Yoga on Thursdays with Chelsea Piers Fitness | 6:30 PM | Pier 64 At W 23 St.

Bike Skills Select Saturdays | 9:00 - 11:00 AM | Pier 76 At W 34 St.

IronStrength with Dr. Jordan Metzl | Various dates and times

Healthy on the Hudson offers a variety of accessible, exciting, free fitness classes led by NYC’s best trainers in your west side backyard all summer. These 60-minute classes are free and a great fit for all abilities and fitness levels. Join us in sweating it out on the riverfront! Family opportunities include free Bike Skills classes which are designed for riders aged five and up who are ready to ditch their training wheels and ride a two-wheeler for the first time.

Park Tours

Saturdays May 3 & July 12 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Gansevoort Peninsula

Join us on Gansevoort Peninsula to learn about the storied past of this section of the Park. The 5.5-acre oasis includes the last remnant of 13th Avenue and is the largest standalone recreational space within Hudson River Park. Besides hosting Manhattan's first public beachfront, this portion of the Park includes a thriving salt marsh and habitat reef.  

SUBMERGE Marine Science Festival

Saturday, May 17 | 11:00 AM–3:00 PM | Pier 84 At W 44 St.

*School Field Trips, Friday, May 16 | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM 

SUBMERGE is an annual shell-ebration that brings marine science to life. Join our River Project team and dozens of local experts to learn about NYC’s coastal waters and wildlife. This interactive science festival invites the public to explore water topics through awesome experiments, science shows and much more!

Beginning in June

Wetlab Look-ins

Tuesdays & Wednesdays, June 10-September 30 | 3:00–6:00 PM | Pier 40 Wetlab at W Houston St.

Saturdays, June 7-September 27 | 11:00 AM–5:00 PM | Pier 40 Wetlab at W Houston St.

*No Programs July 5 and August 30

Meet Hudson River wildlife and enjoy science exhibits at the Park's research aquarium. There’s always something new to see and learn from the Park’s River Project team as we showcase the Hudson’s resident and migrating fish species. Tours are free and open to visitors of all ages. 

Jazz at Pier 84

Wednesdays, June 11-August 13 | 7:00 PM | Pier 84

Local legends play outdoors for free in a spectacular riverfront setting – what could be better? Combining smooth tunes with beautiful Hudson River evenings, these shows are unlike any other in Manhattan. Presented by the Jazz Foundation of America.

Big City Fishing

Thursdays, June 12–August 21 | 3:00–6:00 PM | Pier 26 At N Moore St.

Saturdays, June 14–August 23 | 11:00 AM–3:00 PM | Pier 51 At Jane St.

Wednesdays, August 6–August 27 | 3:00–5:00 PM | Pier 97 At W 55 St.

*No Programs June 19 & July 5

Drop in a line at our catch & release fishing workshops and learn about the more than 200 species of fish found in the Hudson River. Beginners and experts alike are encouraged to join for a relaxing and educational experience at the water’s edge!

Juneteenth Celebration

Friday, June 20 | 6:30 PM | Pier 45 At Christopher St.

Honor the history of Juneteenth at this special concert featuring dance, music and more, in collaboration with Ladies of Hip Hop.

Improv Everywhere 

Saturday, June 21 | 2:00 PM | Piers 62, 63 & 64

Take part in a truly silly spectacle alongside hundreds of kindred spirits with the 20th edition of Improv Everywhere's annual Mp3 Experiment! The event invites participants to listen to secret instructions via headphones and carry out site-specific, synchronized shenanigans. Part of the annual make Music New York festival, it's the most fun you'll ever have with a crowd of strangers.

Ask A Scientist

Thursdays, June 26 & August 7 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM | Pier 40 Wetlab At W Houston St.

Laugh and learn from local STEM experts featured through this series of informative and entertaining events. Ask a Scientist invites participants to explore a fascinating science topic and engage in a live Q&A session with the experts. Hudson River Park is teaming up with Secret Science Club and Nerd Nite to offer this special series for adults in the Pier 40 Wetlab.

Pride Celebration

Thursday, June 26 | 6:30 PM | Pier 46 At Charles St.

Find your light with The Bad Judies and Papi Juice this Pride. Step into the music. Stay for the magic. Leave brighter than you came.

Sunset Salsa

Thursdays, July 3–August 14 | 6:30–9:00 PM | Pier 76 At W 34 St.

Join world-renowned dancer, instructor and producer Talía Castro-Pozo and her line-up of incredibly talented friends at our weekly dance parties. Celebrated as “The Woman of Salsa” by Latina Magazine, Talía is New York’s preeminent salsa instructor. This event is appropriate for all ages. 

Beginning in July

Broadway By The Boardwalk

Mondays, July 7–August 11| 6:30 PM | Clinton Cove At W 55 St.

Don’t miss your chance to experience performances by some of Broadway’s most talented musical artists for free, surrounded by friends, and set against the stunning Hudson River in what is truly Broadway’s Back Yard.  

Dance Is Life

Thursday, July 10 | 5:00 - 9:00 PM | Pier 45 At Christopher St.

Select Mondays, July & August | 5:00–9:00 PM | Pier 76 At W 34 St.p

Kick off the Dance is Life! residency in the Park with the electrifying Ladies of Hip Hop on Thursday, July 10 on Pier 45 and then join us on following Mondays on Pier 76. Dancers of all ages and levels are invited to find joy in movement at these vibrant outdoor dance celebrations focused on Latin Hustle.

Boardwalk Blues

Thursdays, July 17–August 14 | 6:30 PM | Pier 97 At W 55 St.

Soak up sunset sounds at Hudson River Park’s brand-new Pier 97, as the Jazz Foundation of America brings NYC’s finest blues and roots musicians to the riverfront. Bring a blanket and lose yourself in the groove.

August & September

Blues BBQ Festival

Saturday, August 16 | 1:00–9:00 PM | Pier 76 At W 34 St.

This Hudson River Park staple is one of NYC’s longest-free festivals. Join us in your west side backyard for the 25th year of this day-long festival of live music uniting nationally renowned blues artists with New York’s finest smoked delicacies. Blues BBQ Festival throws down with two live stages, a blues dance floor (free lessons!), hot sauce duels, a riverfront marketplace, games, delicious food and unforgettable stories waiting to happen. 

Science Stories

Thursday, September 4 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM | Pier 57 Discovery Tank At W 15 St.

Hudson River Park welcomes The Story Collider for an evening celebrating true, personal stories about science. Storytellers showcase the vibrant role that science plays in our lives. Stories told during these live shows are recorded and shared during The Story Collider’s weekly podcast.

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About Hudson River Park Trust

Hudson River Park Trust is a unique partnership between New York State and New York City charged with building and operating Hudson River Park between approximately Chambers Street and West 59th Street along Manhattan’s west side. This free, urban recreational oasis is home to award-winning skate parks, playgrounds, sports fields, gardens and nature exhibits, boating and maritime activities, art installations, and a myriad of year-round events that celebrate the diverse cultures and neighborhoods along its expanse. The Park, which transformed four miles of decaying piers and parking lots into a premier New York City destination for local residents and visitors alike, plays a critical role in protecting the Hudson River ecosystem. For more information, please visit www.hudsonriverpark.org.

IMAGES: https://bit.ly/42BNFHK (Credit: Hudson River Park)

CONTACT: Oliver Sampson | oliver@heller.inc | 617.899.6429