Latest news with #RiversideParkConservancy
Time Out
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Goats are returning to Riverside Park this summer, with a free graze-off next month
Riverside Park's most beloved (and hungriest) summer staffers are hoofing it back to Harlem for their sixth seasonal residency—and this time, they're kicking things off with a side of showbiz. On Saturday, July 12, the Riverside Park Conservancy will welcome five invasive-plant-gobbling goats back to the West 143rd Street slopes. But before they clock in to clear mugwort, poison ivy and other green pests, they'll face off in an unprecedented battle of the bellies: The Great Goat Graze-Off, New York City's first-ever professional eating competition between goats. Hosted by none other than George Shea of Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest fame, the free event promises 2.5 hours of pure goat-fueled chaos, complete with brass band fanfare from Nice Brass, photo ops with the herd and enough leafy greens to make a vegan jealous. The showdown will take place on the lawn just north of Ten Mile Playground (at West 151st Street and the West Side Highway) from 11 am–1:30 pm. RSVP is encouraged here. This year's roster of ruminant athletes includes returning favorites like Romeo (a total snugglebug) and Mallomar (quiet but mighty), plus flashy newcomer Butterball, regal Rufus and Kash, a cashmere goat with serious model energy. Together, they'll munch through knotweed and kudzu with a level of determination most New Yorkers reserve for rush-hour commuting. Why goats? These four-legged landscapers are cute and crucial. With steep park slopes too treacherous for human crews, goats excel at chewing down hard-to-reach invasive species. They eat constantly, can consume 25% of their body weight in a day and even improve the soil as they go. It's eco-friendly, cost-effective and deeply entertaining. Last year, the herd cleared a particularly gnarly patch near 143rd Street, transforming it from an overgrown jungle into a lush, plantable slope. This summer's work continues that restoration as part of the Conservancy's larger North Park Initiative to revitalize under-resourced areas of the park.
Time Out
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Riverside Park is hosting 400 free events this summer
One our favorite summer time festivals has just announced its 2025 lineup—and it's looking stacked. Riverside Park Conservancy's Summer on the Hudson will be the biggest one yet, with a staggering 400 free events as part of the roster, including wellness programming in West Harlem and Washington Heights. Summer on the Hudson will kick off on May 1 and will take place along the west side of Manhattan from 59th Street to 181st Streets through October. There are two major additions to this year's festivities: Vinyl Nights on July 26 and August 23, featuring DJ acts, and a comedy show hosted by Nat Townsend that will inaugurate the Riverside Comedy Club on July 25 and August 29. In addition to the new programming, expect old-time favorites to make grand returns, including the silent disco events, game nights and more. Film screenings will abound as well: from Dirty Dancing to The Grand Budapest Hotel and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, among others. In August, the "Movies on the Waterfront" series will bring classic films to the 145th Street Lawn every Thursdays, with a special screening of Coco in Spanish on August 14. More nature-driven activities will also be features this year. Riverside Park and Fort Washington Park will host Sweet Water Dance and yoga classes, for example, and, on May 31, those interested can join a birding walk in Fort Washington Park to celebrate Black Birders Week. Here are some highlights from the upcoming summer season: New York City Irish Dance and Music Festival: Sunday, May 4, 12-6pm at Pier i at 70th Street West Side County Fair: Sunday, September 7, 1-6pm at Pier i at 70th Street Trivia!: Fridays, June 6, July 11, August 1, September 5, 7-9pm at Pier i at 70th Street Riverside Comedy Club: Fridays, July 25 and August 29, 7:30-9pm at Pier i at 70th Street Forest Bathing: F riday, May 9, 6pm; Thursday, June 19, 6:30pm; Thursday, September 18, 6pm; Wednesday, October 15, 4:30pm at 119th Street Tennis Courts Birding Walks: Fridays, May 9, July 11, September 12, 5:30-7pm at 120th Street and Riverside Drive Riverside Park Horticulture Tours: Mondays April 14, May 12, June 16, 12pm at 107th Street Volunteer House Let's Dance!: Sundays in June, 6-9:30pm at Pier i at 70th Street Silent Disco: Saturdays, June 7, July 5, August 3, 6-10pm at Pier i at 70th Street Vinyl Nights: Saturdays, July 26 and August 23, 6-9pm at Pier i at 70th Street
