From outdoor movies and dance parties to free kayaking, festivals, fitness classes, and family activities, Brooklyn Bridge Park is bringing back another packed season of waterfront fun this summer.
At a Glance
Free events run from May through October at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Outdoor movies return with the 26th season of Movies With A View
Families can enjoy the Kite Festival, Harvest Festival, crafts, and reading parties
Free kayaking, fitness classes, fishing, and stargazing return for summer 2026
Live music, dance parties, opera performances, and salsa nights
Many events are free and open to all ages, with select activities requiring registration
Psst… Check Out Things to Do with the Kids This Weekend in NYC
Free Movies, Waterfront Fitness, Kayaking & Family Festivals Return to Brooklyn Bridge Park This Summer
Each year, when May rolls around, New York City parents (already knee-deep in the whirlwind of end-of-school tasks!) often find ourselves wondering how we’ll keep the kids entertained all summer. Brooklyn Bridge Park’s summer program line-up just might have some of the answers.
This year marks the park’s 16th anniversary, and the celebration spans from May through October, with more than 50 free or low-cost events lined up across its waterfront. The season is packed with something for nearly every age and interest, including open-air movies, ballet workshops, kayaking, music, and community science.
The lineup runs May through October and includes returning classics alongside a handful of new additions.
Photo Credit: Alexa Hoyer
Kites, Books & Fall Favorites
Festivities kick off Saturday, May 16, with the annual Kite Festival at Pier 5 with live music, arts and crafts, and a sky full of color from 11 am to 3 pm. Believe it or not, it’s the one day a year kite-flying is actually allowed in the park, and one of the reasons why Brooklyn families have been showing up for it year after year.
That same weekend, Photoville Festival returns for its 15th year, filling shipping containers and outdoor spaces along the waterfront with photography installations.
One very fun new activity this year is reading parties. On select Sundays, you can bring a book to Pier 6, spread out on the lawn, and spend the afternoon reading alongside fellow readers.
The season wraps on October 17 with the Harvest Festival, where you’ll find pumpkins, lawn games, face painting, live music, and more.
Photo Credit: John Eng
Movies, Music & Dancing by the Water
Movies With A View is back for its 26th season, starting July 2. Free screenings run Thursday nights at Pier 1 Harbor View Lawn through July and August, with a family movie night added September 18. Film titles are set to drop in June, but watching anything under that skyline is a fun summer night out. Bring a blanket and snacks, and arrive early.
The music and dance programming returns with Papi Juice hosting summer dance parties; there are salsa lessons with live music, a sunset Americana concert, and DJ Herbert Holler’s Freedom Party Outside is back. The Metropolitan Opera also returns for a free recital at Pier 1 on June 17.
Photo Credit: Etienne Frossard
Kayaking, Stargazing, Fitness & More
If you’d rather move than observe, there are quite a few recreational options. Free public kayaking returns in late May through Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse. It is beginner-friendly, on the East River, and all equipment is provided. Fitness classes run all summer: yoga, Pilates, Zumba, bootcamp, stroller-friendly walks, and runs.
For families, there’s also stargazing with the Amateur Astronomers Association, catch-and-release fishing, marine life workshops on the East River, youth basketball clinics, and soccer leagues for kids and adults.
And with the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer, the park is hosting live match screenings and fan events at Emily Warren Roebling Plaza.
“We’re excited for another packed summer of free events and programs,” said park president Eric Landau. “We try to offer something for everyone — from fitness classes and dance parties to kayaking, educational activities, our one-of-a-kind Movies With A View, and more. Best of all, these events are absolutely free.”
Psst… Check Out The Paley Museum Is Showing Every Single World Cup Match This Summer
