Here’s the Full Schedule of Free Events at Brooklyn Bridge Park for Summer 2014

May 14, 2014

Brooklyn Bridge Park may be getting even more popular this summer — there’s a robust schedule of free events.

Here’s a handy list of all of them via the BBP Conservancy:

A FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS – ALL FREE – FOLLOWS
BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK 2014 SEASON SCHEDULE OF EVENTS ARTS & CULTURE
Celebrate Brooklyn! Dance Parties presented by BRIC
Sponsored by Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy
Thursdays, 7:00 pm, Pier 1
Sweeping views, great lawn, dance lessons, beer gardens, bike valet… and it’s free! Three spring evenings feature some of the coolest dance bands on the planet, the funkiest DJs under the stars, and the greatest view in the world on Pier 1!
May 15 Electro-Jamz Dance Party: Cibo Matto I Javelin | JD Samson
May 22 – African Dance Party: Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars I DJ Chief Boima
Syfy Movies With A View
Thursdays, with music at 6:00 pm and movies at sunset, Pier 1
Join us as we celebrate 15 Season of our movie series on Thursdays this summer! Shorts curated by BAMcinematek, DJs from Brooklyn Radio kick off the evening, and bike valet is provided by Transportation Alternatives.
July 10 – Duck Soup (G)
July 17 – Sharknado
July 24 – Fantastic Mr. Fox (PG)
July 31 – Beetlejuice (PG)
August 7 – Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (PG)
August 14 – Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai (R)
August 21 – The Birds (PG)
August 28 – Public Vote!
Books Beneath the Bridge
Mondays, July 8 – August 12, 7:00 pm, Granite Prospect
Second annual outdoor literature series curated by six local, independent bookstores.
July 7 – Freebird
July 14 – Greenlight Bookstore
July 21 – Powerhouse Arena
July 28 – Community Bookstore Park Slope
August 4 – Word Bookstore
August 11 – Bookcourt
Danh Vo: We The People
Opening Saturday, May 17
Pier 3 Uplands
Presented by The Public Art Fund
A major new dual-site exhibition inspired by the Statue of Liberty, “We the People” is a full-scale copper replica of the statue in 250 individual parts fabricated over the course of four years using the original techniques and materials. Visitors to the Pier 3 Greenway Terrace will encounter a never-before-exhibited section of the statue: the draped sleeve of the statue’s right arm, which holds the golden torch. This colossal, 13-piece section will be assembled into three forms and presented alongside the ear of the statue. The exhibition continues at Manhattan’s City Hall Park.
John Street Pasture
Coming Spring 2014
John Street Pasture is a temporary living earthwork that celebrates green space, agriculture, and the transitional nature of urban land. This cover crop of crimson clover will bloom into a lush field of reds and greens all while creating a nutrient rich resource of nitrogenized soil for the now under-construction John Street section of Brooklyn Bridge Park. John Street Pasture is a collaboration of Andrea Reynosa, Alloy and Brooklyn Grange.
Pier Kids
Sundays, June 1 – August 3, 11:00 am
Pier 6
Sing, act, dance, and draw! Please join us on Pier 6 for a weekly family celebration of the arts. Engaging activities will vary each week and be accompanied by an outdoor pop-up reading room from the Uni Project. Each program is followed by art projects from Private Picassos and Project Art.
Walt Whitman’s Song Of Myself
Sunday, June 8, 4:00 pm
Granite Prospect
Annual marathon reading of Walt Whitman’s most critically acclaimed poem.
Shakespeare At Sunset
June 13-15 (King Lear) and July 18-20 (Taming of the Shrew), 7:00 pm
Granite Prospect
Free performances of King Lear by Theater 2020 and Taming of the Shrew by Random Access Theater.
BAMcinemafest Outdoor Screening
Thursday, June 19, Pier 1
Join BAMcinemaFest for an outdoor festival featuring live music, curated food and a special film screening! The films start at sunset.
Barolosolo Cirkus Company
June 21-22, 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Pier 1
A kiosk in a village square. What could be more ordinary? Join France’s Barolosolo Cirkus Company for an anything but ordinary New York premier of íle O, and watch as this intrepid team creates a delightful mash-up of modern physical theater around their kiosk-pool moving from comic to absurd in a universe filled with aquatic poetry and music. Presented in association with SummerStage. Kids presented by Disney.
Make Music NY
Saturday, June 21, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Pier 3 Greenway Terrace
The 8th Annual Make Music New York festival returns June 21 with more than 1,000 free concerts in public spaces across NYC. More details at makemusicny.org.
Met Opera
Wednesday, June 25, 7:00 pm
Pier 1
This summer recital features three rising Met stars: soprano Amber Wagner, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, and tenor Russell Thomas, joined by pianist Dan Saunders.
Hindu Lamp Ceremony
Saturday, August 2, 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Main Street
Help Aeilushi Mistry bring peace and harmony to our shoreline as she performs the traditional Hindu Aarti ceremony at the park! Presented with Brooklyn Arts Council.
Jazzmobile: Arturo O’Farrill
Monday, August 18, 7:00 pm
Pier 1
Join us for a performance by Latin Jazz artist, Arturo O’Farrill who brings swinging rhythms to the park!
Battle Of Brooklyn Reenactment
Saturday, August 23, 12:00 pm
Main Street
Join reenactors from Glover’s Marblehead Regiment to learn how sailors saved George Washington’s army during the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776.
Kite Festival
Saturday, September 13, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Pier 1
Watch your kite soar above the Manhattan skyline! Kites will be available for purchase or you can bring your own.
Photoville
September 18 – 21 & 25 – 28
Pier 5 Uplands
PHOTOVILLE will be a feisty mix of exhibitions, lectures, hands-on workshops, nighttime projections, photo dog run, and a summer beer-garden that will create a photographic destination like no other at the Pier 5 Uplands. In addition —and in collaboration with Photo District News—THE FENCE, Brooklyn’s premiere outdoor photographic exhibition will present the work of 40 talented photographers from around world. THE FENCE at the park measures 1000 ft in length and stretches along the Greenway. Presented by United Photo Industries.
Dumbo Arts Festival
September 21 – 28
Various locations
Brooklyn Bridge Park is participating in DUMBO Arts Festival again this fall! This three-day celebration of art and culture will feature a variety of scenic locations within the park hosting several of this year’s innovative art installations.
RECREATION
Get Active on the Brand New Pier 2 Courts!
5 acres dedicated to active recreation, Enjoy basketball, bocce, shuffleboard and handball courts, a roller/inline skating rink, swings, fitness equipment, picnic tables and half an acre of play turf. Restrooms, skate and equipment rentals, lockers, water fountains and bike racks are also available on site. Take part in fitness classes, leagues, and free play.
Free Skate
Mondays & Fridays, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Sundays, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Pier 2 (Opening late May. Dates TBD)
Cruise around the new Pier 2 roller/inline skating rink with Free Skate (kid approved) sessions during select hours each week.
Kayaking
June 7 – August 30
Saturdays, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Thursdays, 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm
Pier 2 Dock
Glide along the water while kayaking with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse at the Pier 2 floating dock! Children under 18 must have an adult guardian present.
Family Field Days
July 26 and August 23, 10:00 am – 1:00pm
Various locations
Come play games of all shapes and sizes from volleyball, basketball, and soccer clinics to potato sack and relay races with celebrations on each of the park’s active piers.
Pop-Up Pool
Daily, Late June through Labor Day
10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Pier 2 Uplands
Take in the sunshine and cool waters at the Pier 2 Pop-Up Pool! The 30’x50’ pool includes a sandy beach and play area with refreshing food and drinks from Lizzmonade. Swim lessons are available.
Pier 5 Fields
Check website for dates
Three turf fields invite soccer, flag football, field hockey, lacrosse, rugby, and ultimate frisbee players alike to play games looking out at the skyline. Check the website for open play time.
Conservancy Soccer Leagues: Get in the game. Coed and men’s adult soccer leagues play Wednesdays in spring, summer, and fall. Saturday morning youth leagues in spring and fall. Sign up for leagues at brooklynbridgepark.org.
Pier 6 Volleyball
Check website for dates
Walk-up Play: Bring your own volleyball.
League Play: Join a team for organized play on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and join in weekend tournaments.
Reserved Play: A limited number of courts can be reserved for an hour by individuals online at brooklynbridgepark.org.
Public Clinics: Brush up your game with free instruction for children, teens, and adults.
Bike NY Pedal Stops
Select Sundays, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Pier 1
Stop by the free rider assistance and information station where you can get a drink of water and healthy snack, then pick up safety instructions, bike maps, and route suggestions.
FITNESS
All Classes Are One Hour.
Senior Fitness with Dodge YMCA
Mondays, May 5 – June 30, 10:00 am
Pier 6
Outdoor Strength wth Brooklyn Strength
Mondays, June 9 – August 25, 7:00 pm
Pier 6
Sunset Pilates with Body In Balance
Wednesdays, June 18 – September 24, 7:00 pm
Pier 5
Pilates with The Fitness Guru
Tuesdays, June 24 – September 9, 7:00 pm
Empire Fulton Ferry
Early Morning Yoga With Dodge YMCA
Mondays, June 30 – August 18, 7:30 am
Pier 6
Zumba with Dodge YMCA
Sundays, July 6 – August 17, 4:00 pm
Pier 2
Hip Hop Aerobics with Dodge YMCA
Fridays, July 11 – August 22, 7:00 pm
Pier 2
Crossfit with Dumbo Crossfit
Sundays, July 13 – August 3, 2:30 pm
Pier 2
EDUCATION & ENVIRONMENT
Wednesday Night Tours
Wednesdays, May 7 – Oct 8, 6:30pm
Pier 1 Entrance
Take an evening’s stroll with New York’s finest scholars and learn about the extraordinary history, ecology, and design of Brooklyn Bridge Park!
The Brooklyn Bridge
May 7
Discover the epic story of this engineering marvel and New York icon as well as the men and women who built it.
David Frieder, The Roebling Museum
The Billion Oyster Project
May 14
Take a look at the park’s oyster gardens and discover the power of these ecosystem engineers.
Sam Janis, New York Harbor School
Natives & Newcomers
May 21
Explore the complex relationships between the Dutch and local Lenape clans as cultures collide.
Emma Nordin, New-York Historical Society
Bringing the Park to Life
May 28
Hear the story of Brooklyn Bridge Park’s creation and innovative approach to revitalizing urban space.
Regina Myer, BBP President
War on the Waterfront
June 4
From Ft. Hamilton to the Navy Yard, Brooklyn’s waterfront played a key role for America in WWII.
Andrew Gustafson, Turnstile Tours
Interactive Photography Tour
June 11
Explore the fundamentals of basic photography while capturing the beauty of the park. Topics covered: composition, lighting, and depth of field.
Alexa Hoyer, BBP Photographer
A Park with a View
June 18
Look across the water in an architectural tour of the historic and modern skyscrapers on the Manhattan skyline.
Kyle Johnson, AIA Architect
Native Plants In Designed Landscapes
June 25
Come on a tour of the park highlighting the use of native species and cultivars in a designed space.
Ulrich Lorimer, Brooklyn Botanical Garden
Abolition On The Water
July 2
Superstar minister Henry Ward Beecher gave voice to freedom and home to the Underground Railroad in 1850s Brooklyn.
Regina McIlvain, Plymouth Church Historian
Building A Sustainable Park
July 9
Gain an in-depth knowledge of BBP’s sustainable features from building materials to storm management.
Leigh Trucks, BBP Director of Capital Projects
The Atlantic Dock Co.
July 16
Learn about the men who built and ruled the docks spanning the waterfront from DUMBO to Red Hook.
Inna Guzenfeld, Historian
Coastal Wetlands
July 23
Where the land meets the sea, the marshlands along the park offer a unique habitat for a variety of wildlife.
Emily Maxwell, The Nature Conservancy
Infrastructure Intersections
July 30
Unravel the tangled histories and structures of all the bridges, tunnels, and highways that keep NY moving.
John Kriskiewicz, Historian
Whales In The Harbor
August 6
Discover a new era when whales, dolphins, and seals have returned to NY Harbor in surprising numbers.
Paul Sieswerda, Gotham Whales
The Golden Age Of Brooklyn Distilleries
August 13
Amble through the historic rise of Brooklyn distilleries of the 1800′s until the death knell of the Volstead Act in 1920.
Jill Paradiso, Culinary Historian
Designing Brooklyn Bridge Park
August 20
Hear directly from one of the innovative minds behind Brooklyn Bridge Park’s award winning design.
Matt Urbanski, Principal, MVVA, Inc.
A Key to the Continent
August 27
The waters of the East River acted as a strategic hub in the American Revolution and the Civil War.
Barnet Schecter, Historian
Blooms and Bugs
September 3
Learn about Pier 1’s native plant gardens including the freshwater pools, woodlands, prairie, and salt marsh.
Matthew Wills, Naturalist
What Was Where
September 10
A journey from colonial times to present day, particularly focused on the industrial dockyards.
Matt Postal, Architectural Historian
My Hand in Yours, Walt
September 17
A literary walk through the legacy of the Brooklyn Bridge in works by Whitman, Crane, Bishop, and Moore.
Adam Fitzgerald, Poet
Interactive Photography Tour: Fall
September 24
Explore the fundamentals of street photography while capturing everyday moments of life in the park.
Alexa Hoyer, BBP Photographer
The Billion Oyster Project: Fall
October 1
See how the park’s oyster gardens have grown and learn the power of these tiny ecosystem engineers.
Sam Janis, New York Harbor School
Docent Tours
Sundays, 12:00 pm
Pier 1
Engage with our docents on a tour about the history of the Brooklyn waterfront, BBP’s sustainable design, and how the park came to life!
Seining
Multiple Dates
Empire Fulton Ferry
Learn about the remarkable creatures of the East River as our scientists use a seining net to humanely catch and release these unique critters.
Wildflower Walk
Tuesday, May 13, 5:00 pm
Pier 1
Explore the parks spring blooms and the many buzzing pollinators that bring the park to life.
Rebecca McMackin, BBP Director of Horticulture
World Science Festival: From The Earth To The Stars
Saturday, May 31, 8:00 pm
Pier 1
It’s an outdoor party beneath the Brooklyn Bridge and the twinkling canvas of the night sky, and a night to explore and discover the vast wonders of the cosmos! Bring your telescope if you have one, or use one of the dozens we’ll have on hand.
Checkmate 101
Wednesdays, June 11 – August 30
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Pier 1
Come learn how to take your chess game to the next level! Best for beginners; limited boards available.
Journey To The Stars
Thursday Evenings, June 19 – Sept 18
Pier 1
The Amateur Astronomers will guide your eyes across the sky as you discover the wonders of the universe.
City Of Water Day
Thursday, July 12
Location and times to be determined
Join us for a celebration of the waterfront, with our free kayaking and seining programs!
VOLUNTEER EVENTS
Green Team
Saturdays, 10:00 am
Pier 1
Join this dedicated corps of volunteers who keep Brooklyn Bridge Park beautiful! The Green Team meets every Saturday to provide essential horticultural care to the park. The Green Team is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy nature and make the park look its best. Children are welcome to volunteer with a parent or guardian.
Coastal Clean Up Day
Saturday, September 20, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Pier 1
Team up with thousands of volunteers worldwide to combat pollution in our waterways and along our coastlines. Volunteers will care for our unique coastal environment by cleaning up the park’s beaches, shorelines, and salt marsh. It promises to be a remarkable stewardship experience.