New York City has been absolutely electric lately, but imagine taking in all that endless summer energy from the exact middle of the street—without a single car, taxi, or honking horn in sight.
The city’s annual Summer Streets is officially returning for 2026, shutting down more than 20 miles of major corridors across all five boroughs to hand them over to pedestrians, runners, and cyclists. Described by city officials as “New York’s biggest block party,” this beloved annual event draws over half a million New Yorkers out to play each year.
Even better? This year’s iteration comes with brand-new, extended hours for the outer boroughs, major Citi Bike discounts, and a massive lineup of free fitness and art programming.
Here’s everything you need to know about navigating NYC Summer Streets this year.
🚲 What to expect at NYC Summer Streets 2026
For five glorious Saturdays from July to August, NYC’s usual symphony of aggressive honking horns and grinding gridlock will be completely replaced by wide-open streets teeming with local walkers, cyclists, runners, and street performers.
It’s the ultimate chance to experience the city from a whole new perspective. Along the car-free routes, you can score a massive lineup of free community perks, interactive art, and giveaways, including:
- Citi Bike Discounts: Use code SUMMER2WHEEL in the Lyft or Citi Bike app to save up to $10 on two rides (max. savings of $20, valid for the July 25 events only). Lyft will be sharing additional codes for later dates on their social channels as well!
- The NYRR Start Line Series: New York Road Runners is expanding its beginner-friendly Start Line Series with free community runs/walks in Queens (July 25), Manhattan (Aug 1), and The Bronx (Aug 22). Registration has officially launched at nyrr.org/startlineseries
- Immersive Art Pop-Ups: Look out for The Bower in Manhattan, a massive interactive shade structure meant for chalk drawing. Across the outer boroughs, check out Big Spinning Wheels, a series of hypnotic, kinetic sculptures, alongside giant, playful “NYC Art Stop” letters
🗓️ 2026 Summer Streets Schedule
Summer Streets is a rain or shine event. Based on local feedback to help more New Yorkers enjoy these locations later in the day, the outer boroughs have brand-new, extended hours this year. The program will run according to the following schedule:
Saturday, July 25 – Queens & Staten Island (9 am – 5 pm)
- Queens: Vernon Boulevard, from 44th Drive to 30th Road (enjoy the entire Queens waterfront in LIC and Astoria!)
- Staten Island: Broadway, from Harvest Avenue to Richmond Terrace (connecting Corporal Thompson Park through West Brighton)
Saturday, August 1, 8, & 15 – Manhattan (7 am – 3 pm)
- The Route: A massive continuous car-free stretch running from the Brooklyn Bridge all the way into Inwood at Broadway and Dyckman Street
- Specific Corridors:
- Lafayette Street and Park Avenue, from Brooklyn Bridge to East 110 Street
- East 110 Street, from Park Avenue to Broadway
- Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, from West 110 Street to West 113 Street
- Broadway, from West 110 Street to Dyckman Street
Saturday, August 22 – Brooklyn & The Bronx (9 am – 5 pm)
- Brooklyn: Eastern Parkway, from Grand Army Plaza to Buffalo Avenue (connecting Prospect Heights and Brownsville along the iconic Caribbean Carnival route)
- The Bronx: Grand Concourse, from East Tremont Avenue to Mosholu Parkway
‼️ Secret NYC Tip: Because the event hours vary between Manhattan (7 am – 3 pm) and the outer boroughs (9 am – 5 pm), make sure to plan your travel, running schedule, or bike rentals accordingly!
You can follow the NYC DOT on Instagram and Twitter for live updates on schedule changes during the events.
