By Leslie Albrecht
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER WEST SIDE — Killer tomatoes, human chess, pilates and children's mosh pits are coming to the Upper West Side — and they won't cost a penny.
The Parks Department has unveiled its schedule for Summer on the Hudson, an annual series of free concerts, movies, classes and cultural activities in Riverside Park South, Riverside Park and West Harlem Piers Park.
Most of the programming takes place in Riverside Park South, which runs along the Hudson River from West 72nd to West 59th Street. Check out the full schedule here.
While Central Park grabs headlines for splashy programs like SummerStage, there are plenty of events to choose from in the less well-known Riverside Park, said Director of Public Programming Zhen Heinemann.
"It's really an opportunity for the community to come out and have fun, free activities and meet each other," Heinemann said. "Riverside Park is really the whole West Side's back yard. We're like the West Side's secret party."
This year's schedule features a "dance safari" on the weekend of September 17 and 18 where six choreographers will present 10 to 15 minute dance pieces at locations throughout Riverside Park South.
The audience will meet at Riverside Park's West 79th Street entrance, then walk through the park to "discover" each location, as if they were on a safari looking for animals, Heinemann said.
"Riverside Park South has very varied landscapes," Heinemann said. "There's the pier, there's the walkway that goes along the water. Each of those can be considered a different set, and the choreographers are using those as inspiration for dance."
This year's Movies Under the Stars series has a horror theme, and will show such classics as Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" on July 27, and the 1978 camp movie "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" on August 3. Screenings are every Wednesday at Pier I, near West 70th Street.
Summer on the Hudson also offers free yoga, pilates and kayaking, as well as human chess games at the Soldiers and Sailors monument.
There are also two new programs for cyclists this year. Bike New York and Bike and Roll will offer "Pedal Stops" where cyclists can grab water and biking tips from experienced cyclists. In the fall, there's "Light Up Your Bike," where Bike New York and the Riverside Park Fund will bike lights.
The popular children's performance series with kid-friendly bands is back. Scheduled performers include the FunkeyMonkeys, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus and The Bossy Frog Band. Performances are on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. from July 14 to August 18 at Pier I near West 70th Street.
Heinemann says she's making an extra effort this year to enforce a stroller parking policy to there's plenty of space for children to move and dance.
"I want there to be a nice kid mosh pit without stroller interference," Heinemann said.
