The Knick’s St. Cloud Rooftop is legendary for our breathtaking views of NYC. Among our personal favorites is Bryant Park, one of the city’s oldest, largest and most beloved green spaces. Each year, our neighborhood park, a.k.a. Manhattan’s Town Square, attracts more than 12 million visitors for a daily lineup of free activities, including ping pong, chess, a putting green, and courts for Kubb and pétanque; entertainment; and unique learning opportunities (Juggling! Beekeeping! Ribbon Dancing!) to dazzle every age and interest.

While we love the romance of the park’s Winter Village — with its cinematic skating rink, hot cocoa, and private igloos — there will always be a special place in our hearts for Bryant Park in July and August, when the gardens are in full color and the events are in full swing — from 7 a.m to 11 p.m. every single day. Here are a few things our staff and guests are enjoying most about the park right now.

Cover photo by Krisztina Papp on Unsplash

Movie Nights

Now in its 30th year, the outdoor movie series at Bryant Park is a cherished summer-in-NYC tradition. Presented by Paramount +, the schedule always promises a crowd-pleasing mix of films from different eras and genres – this year’s includes everything from Roman Holiday to Star Trek III to Good Burger. Screenings begin at 8 p.m., but we suggest arriving early (the lawn opens at 5 p.m.) to claim your viewing spot.

Picnic Performances

Presented by Bank of America, the Picnic Performances series brings together some of New York’s most revered theatre, music and dance institutions in a casual, accessible, free-to-all setting. This summer’s lineup features performances from the New York City Opera, Ailey Moves NYC!, The Classical Theatre of Harlem, and many others. If you can’t make it to the park, you can catch the livestream on YouTube.

Reading Room

Celebrating the park’s flagship landmark, the New York Public Library, Reading Room offers park visitors free access to magazines, newspapers, and books — best enjoyed with a coffee and croissant from Jake’s! — during the summer months. You can also find a robust schedule of children’s camps and story hours, author readings and panels, book clubs and writers’ workshops by checking the website. 

Midtown Music

There’s no such thing as a mid-day slump when you’re grooving to diverse sounds from around the globe, presented on Bryant Park’s Upper Terrace by musicians from the 34th Street Partnership Ensembles in Residence program. Check the schedule for performers, including party brass band Triad Brass, fiddle-forward folk fusion from Sedi Donka, Brazillian Forró group Trio Arrebol, and Terry Waldo and his Gotham City Band every Wednesday through Labor Day at 3:30 p.m.

Le Carrousel

Complementing the park’s French Classical design inspiration, Le Carrousel is a sweetly nostalgic spin through time on Baroque (by way of Brooklyn) style animals, to the sounds of French cabaret music. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 10 a.m., children can settle in nearby for a puppet show, magic act, science demonstration or story hour (check schedule for details).

The Rap Up & Dance Party: 50 Years of Hip-Hop

On August 5, the New York Public Library is hosting an all-day festival in celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. The Rap Up kicks off at 10 a.m. and includes panel discussions and hip-hop exhibits featuring VIBE Magazine editor-in-chief Datwon Thomas, Wild Style director Charlie Ahearn, Fab 5 Freddy, award-winning hip-hop artist Mickey Factz, fashion icons 5001 Flavors and April Walker, acclaimed author and journalist Vikki Tobak, music by DJ Spinna, and more. From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., a citywide, intergenerational dance party will take place on the plaza outside the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (facing Fifth Avenue). Attendees can take a hip-hop dance lesson and design their own kicks. If you live, work, attend school or pay property taxes in New York State, you can even get a limited-edition library card, commemorating the iconic 1983 film Wild Style, widely considered the first film dedicated to hip-hop.

 

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