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NYC’s car-free Earth Day returns April 25 with streets open across 5 boroughs

By

Catalina Gonella

Published Apr 5, 2026

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Numerous events were held at over 30 locations across New York City for a Car-Free Earth Day in April, 2023.

 

Zhang Fengguo/Xinhua via Getty Images

By

Catalina Gonella

Published Apr 5, 2026

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Dozens of streets across the five boroughs will transform into public pedestrian plazas for Earth Day on the last Saturday of April.

The annual Car-Free Earth Day, hosted by the city’s Department of Transportation, will close select streets to car traffic on April 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Each location will feature free activities and programming focused on climate change and sustainability, according to the DOT. Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn said it’s a reminder that streets play a critical role in the fight against climate change.

“Transportation is the second biggest source of carbon emissions in New York City, and finding ways to make clean transportation options quicker, easier, and more affordable is key,” Flynn said in a statement. “We encourage all New Yorkers to come out to enjoy temporary public art, programming, music, and other activities at dozens of car-free streets around New York City.”

The event was first launched in 2016 and originally only took place in Manhattan. It has since expanded to all five boroughs, connecting Open Streets and plazas across more than 1,000 miles of bike lanes. City agencies and community organizations will offer environmental programming to promote climate change education and activism along the routes. The DOT is also partnering with local artists who will perform at car-free locations.

There will also be art by New York-based visual artists creating environmentally focused temporary works through the NYC DOT Art program, including Frahydel Falczuk. Falczuk’s large-scale installation, “The Plastic Sea,” will “evoke the sensation of being submerged in a ‘sea of plastic,’ as a commentary on waste and consumption,” according to the DOT.

Below are the event’s “signature locations” with some of the most space and programming. For a map of all locations, visit the DOT’s Car-Free Earth Day page.

Manhattan:

Queens:

Brooklyn:

The Bronx:

Staten Island:

Tagged

environment

new york city

parks

transportation

Catalina Gonella

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