Check Out The OneThrow Yo-Yo Contest at South Street Seaport Museum
If you’re like me, you might remember stumbling upon your first yo-yo when you were a kid and becoming utterly fascinated. I can still picture myself on my stoop in Park Slope, spending summer afternoons trying to master the same tricks I’d seen others pull off. Though I never quite got as far as I would have liked, I had countless hours of fun trying.
Of course, then I watched each of my own kids become equally intrigued with the pocket-sized toy. Yo-yos aren’t only a nostalgic look down memory lane. A yo-yo never really goes out of style, and they are still very much alive, and many enthusiasts work at perfecting the skill.
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On April 19th, the OneThrow Yo-Yo Contest, hosted by the New York Yo-Yo Club, will come to the South Street Seaport Museum. Parents and children will be able to witness some seriously impressive skills and maybe even try a trick or two themselves.
How the Competition Works
The OneThrow Yo-Yo Contest is open to the general public and it’s free. At the Seaport, the main deck of the historic Wavertree will be turned into a stage. Visitors will see everything from old-school picture tricks to wild off-string moves, counterweight play, and freestyle routines set to music.
The competition kicks off with an amateur contest, where non-professionals will compete against each other in a double-elimination bracket. Amateurs can keep advancing to the next round and possibly compete against the pros. The contest then moves into a pro bracket, where each contestant has 45 seconds to impress the judges. The top competitor will have a chance to show off a full-length, two-minute freestyle, with a chance to earn a seed for the 2025 New York State Yo-Yo Contest.
Amateurs and Pros Can Compete
If you’d like to test your yo-yo skills, everyone can have a chance. Participants can sign up online or register in person with the New York Yo-Yo Club on the day of the event to compete in either the amateur or pro bracket.
If you’re heading to the South Street Seaport Museum for the contest, there’s a lot more to check out while you’re there. While the yo-yo contest will naturally take up most of your attention, the Wavertree ship itself is worth a look.
Wavertree was built in 1885 in Southampton, England, and spent 24 years sailing around the world. Today, the ship is the last iron-hulled, three-masted cargo ship still around and is the star of the Seaport Museum’s “Street of Ships.” Families can tour this historic ship while they’re at the museum.
The yo-yo event is free, but if you want to explore a bit more, you can grab tickets to tour the museum’s historic ships and exhibits. Tickets grant access to the Wavertree, the Lightship Ambrose, and various current exhibitions.
The New York Yo-Yo Club Meets Regularly
Since the early 2000s, the New York Yo-Yo Club has been promoting yo-yo culture throughout New York City by bringing together yo-yo players from across the city to teach skills, host contests, and spread the love for the hobby. The club offers free weekly meetups every Sunday from 2 to 4 pm. Anyone can stop by and learn how to yo-yo, and no experience is necessary.
In sunny weather, the club meets outdoors at Washington Square Park, near the Arch. In rainy or cold weather, the group heads indoors to Brookfield Place Mall, downstairs near the food court. Learn more at newyorkyoyo.club.
The OneThrow Yo-Yo Contest will take place on April 19th and run from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm. Register online, or for more information, visit seaportmuseum.org/yo-yo-contest.
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