Summer Streets Is Back! Family Fun in Queens This Weekend

Each year, Summer Streets gives New York families the rare chance to enjoy the city in a whole new way they may only have dreamed about—without cars. With traffic cleared and the streets transformed into safe, open spaces, families can walk, bike, scoot, and play freely, without worrying about vehicles.

Summer Streets transforms key thoroughfares into car-free zones, replacing bumper-to-bumper traffic with free fitness classes, live cultural performances, and kid-friendly fun. This year, it’s part of the citywide celebration marking New York City’s 400th anniversary. Summer Streets will take place in all 5 boroughs on the next five Saturdays.

This Saturday, July 26, families have the chance to reclaim the streets for play, movement, and memory-making as Summer Streets kicks off this year in Queens and Staten Island.

Psst… Free Kid and Family Activities in NYC: 10 Free Things to Do This Week

Summer Streets in Queens

In Long Island City, the Queens Summer Streets route will span Vernon Boulevard from 44th Drive to 30th Road, offering families a rare opportunity to enjoy one of the borough’s most scenic waterfront stretches without traffic. (Note that Vernon Boulevard, South of 44th Drive, North of 30th Road, and adjacent avenues will remain open to motor vehicles.)

Families can look forward to live music and cultural performances, plus kid-friendly activities at designated rest stops—think arts & crafts, story times, and interactive games. There are also free fitness and wellness classes for all ages, from yoga to Zumba. You can catch the NYRR Start Line Series Run from 7 am to 10 am—a family-friendly 5K where you can watch or cheer on runners.

Bring the stroller for little ones, and scooters and bikes for older kids, or just enjoy walking the route. You can also use a Citi Bike for free. Lyft is offering complimentary Day Passes with promo code LYFTSUMMER25 on the Citi Bike app.

30th Drive Rest Stop – Performance Schedule

Families can stop by the 30th Drive Rest Stop on Vernon Boulevard throughout the day to enjoy a lively mix of music, dance, and cultural performances. Start with smooth morning jazz from the Silvan Joray Trio, followed by high-energy percussion from Manhattan Samba. Experience traditional Thai cultural dance with Ngamluck Singhapromsan, then a spiritual Nasheed performance by the Elhaam Academy Nasheed Group. Later, enjoy a vocal performance by Erol Diaz before the day closes with an exciting set from Fogo Azul, an all-women drumline that brings the energy up to the max.

Along this route, families will find hands-on activities, creative crafts, and interactive installations that make it easy to keep kids engaged throughout the day. Stop by for animal-themed coloring and storytime with Animal Care Centers of NYC, collaborative art projects with the Museum of Chinese in America and Cayena Press, or take part in face painting, puppet shows, and cultural dance lessons with groups like Grupo Nacional de Colombia and Teatro Sea.

There’s also plenty of physical fun, including spin bikes, a bouncy house, and even an NYPD rock climbing wall. Kids can personalize a tote bag at the VIVE booth, make collage art with Starly Art Studio, or explore sidewalk safety with NYC DOT. Plus, don’t miss the interactive mural, karaoke station, and resources on health, safety, and immigrant rights from local city agencies.

41st Avenue Rest Stop

At the 41st Ave. rest stop between Vernon Blvd. and 10th St., families can enjoy a combination of movement, music, and cultural performances. Start the day with a morning yoga session led by Queens Community Yoga with Dana Humphrey (bring your own mat), followed by a Zumba class with Siembra Today. Experience the smooth sounds of the Thai jazz band Phueksachard Buranapim, then enjoy a live music set by The Exotic Mundanes, and finish with a musical performance from the Elhaam Academy Nasheed Group.

Along this route, little ones can participate in DIY crafts, face painting, and literature-based play with partners like Felije Inc., The NYC Face Painter, and New York City Children’s Theater. Creative kids can also join in mural painting, coloring, and hat decorating.

Families can try free Learn to Ride bike classes with Bike New York, and check out the batting cages, skate rentals, cargo bike demos, and hula hoop fitness. Kids can climb inside real NYC trucks, explore wellness tools with Siembra Today, or learn about animals with Global Animal Rescue.

Parents can enjoy wellness activities, mental health resources, free samples from sponsors like siggi’s, Stonyfield, Topo Chico, and Vitaminwater, and helpful information from city agencies on everything from sidewalk safety to health insurance.