New York City’s greenest cultural attraction, Central Park, offers an abundance of activities and programs for families all summer long. The Park was famously designed to be a natural refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city. And while the urban landscape has changed quite a bit since the Park’s development in the 1870s-luxury condominiums and office buildings have grown up all around it-its bucolic core has remained remarkably intact.
Upper East Side pre-war buildings like 737 Park Avenue can boast Central Park views, combining the best of city living with a little taste of the natural world. One of the best things about Central Park is that it offers something for everyone: whether you love sports, music and theater, natural beauty, dining at the newly redesigned Tavern on the Green, or simply relaxing, Central Park has you covered.
This July, the Central Park Conservancy has a full calendar of events for all ages. Since it was established in the 1950s by famed producer and director Joseph Papp, Shakespeare in the Park has presented plays free of charge in the outdoor Delacorte Theater. From June 18 to July 6, one of Shakespeare’s best-loved comedies Much Ado About Nothing will star Hamish Linklater and Tony nominee Lily Rabe as the wise-cracking would-be lovers Beatrice and Benedick. From July 22 to August 17, Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor John Lithgow will star as the tragic monarch King Lear.
Not to be outdone, on July 16 SummerStage will welcome Ballet Hispanico and A Palo Seco. Ballet Hispanico, the nation’s premiere Latino dance organization, will perform a quartet of works including Asuka, inspired by the music of the late Celia Cruz, known as the “Queen of Salsa.” A Palo Seco is a New York-based Flamenco company devoted to combining Flamenco tradition with the artistic context in which they live. On July 21, an array of hip hop, Indie-rock, punk and folk artists committed to social justice will honor the late musician and activist Pete Seeger with an evening of music. The program’s hosts are Gina Belafonte, the daughter of Harry Belafonte, and Kitama Jackson, Pete Seeger’s grandson. Award-winning actor and comedian John Leguizamo will perform his autobiographical one-man play Ghetto Klown, which includes a sketch about an imagined street fight between a modern-day gang and the Sharks from “West Side Story.” Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series includes four show-stopping performances in Central Park at Rumsey Playfield: Jason Derulo on July 4, Keith Urban on July 11, Zedd on July 18, and the Kings of Leon on July 25.
For the under-12 set, SummerStage Kids offers Global Family Day on July 6, which features workshops on circus arts and face-painting, plus a performance by the Okee Dokee Brothers whose album Can You Canoe? won the Grammy for Best Children’s Album in 2013. For those seeking more low-key kid-friendly fun, the Central Park Conservancy offers an array of tours for all ages. The Conservatory Garden Tour is an introduction to the thousands of trees, flowers, shrubs, and perennials that decorate the Garden, led by the Conservancy horticulturalists who take care of them year round. The Belvedere’s Kingdom Tour will acquaint you with the landscapes dominated by historic Belvedere Castle including the Great Lawn, Turtle Pond, Shakespeare Garden, and the Obelisk, commonly known as Cleopatra’s Needle. And for those who like the big picture, the iconic views of the Central Park tour will give you a sense of how Park designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux struggled to make their vision for this urban sanctuary a reality.
Find more information about these and more Central Park events at: http://www.centralparknyc.org/
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