LOWER MANHATTAN — Boatloads of free waterfront activities are making a splash in New York Harbor this weekend.
City of Water Day, now in its eighth year, is slated to bring dozens of gratis events to the city's waterfront, including free kayaking, boat tours and fishing demonstrations, on July 18.
"It's really a great day, a way for people to engage and use the waterfront for recreation and education," said Roland Lewis, president of the Waterfront Alliance, the nonprofit group that organizes the event. "It's exciting to see how the event has grown each year, and we hope we're helping people see the tremendous potential and fun along the water's edge."
Most of the activities will take place on Governors Island and in Hoboken's Maxwell Place Park, though organizers said there will be waterfront events in all five boroughs to celebrate the day, as well. Activities run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and organizers said they expect thousands of people to participate.
One of the more quirky, and challenging, events of the day is the cardboard kayak race. Teams, including groups from Stuyvesant High School and Brooklyn's P.S. 9, will be given two hours to build a kayak on Governors Island from cardboard they've been provided, then race their newly made vessel in New York Harbor.
The race will begin at 2:30 p.m., but building starts at 12:00 p.m, if you'd like to watch it all come together.
There will also be a variety of land-based games, music and snacks for kids on Governors Island.
For more information about City of Water Day, along with a description of events, head here.
