As a New Yorker, you may associate buses with rush-hour traffic or the tedious process of simply getting from point A to point B. But this summer, buses take on a whole new meaning, where New Yorkers can now time travel through over 90 years of New York City history.
This September 8, the New York Transit Museum’s treasured Bus Festival returns, providing New Yorkers with the opportunity to board beloved vintage buses in Brooklyn at a free outdoor event.
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The Bus Festival includes photo ops, a chance to meet some of the bus drivers who keep our city running smoothly, and a scavenger hunt activity sheet that’ll help you learn about these cool vehicles. Stop by the pop-up shop to buy a souvenir to take with you; the shop includes toys and transit merch, including model buses of course. You’ll be allowed to board the buses and take photos, but keep an eye out for off-limits areas (including the driver’s seat!). Also remember not to eat or drink on these classic vehicles. It all comes with a view of the Manhattan skyline from the Emily Roebling Plaza underneath the Brooklyn Bridge.
Though the museum hasn’t announced the buses coming to the festival this year, past events have included a model from the 1950s that was the first air-conditioned bus in the U.S., as well as a bus called “Betsy” that dates back to 1931.
The festival is free to attend, open to all ages, and runs from 10am to 3:30pm. If you RSVP, you have the chance to win a family membership to the New York Transit Museum. You might as well make it a full-circle experience and take the bus to Bus Fest—the B25 stops close to the festival site.
