


They also would give preference to events that did not take place at the site the year prior - a reversal from existing regulations that prioritize recurring events that producers say would make it difficult for those of them seeking to make the park an annual home base. The proposed rules would open up Flushing Meadows Corona Park to those multi-day events, though limiting them to only twice a year and to 40,000 attendees per day. Randall’s Island is “the one location where we regularly offer the ability to host a multi-day festival.” “In order to limit unreasonable interference with the enjoyment of the park by other users,” Parks currently “restricts festivals … to one day only at almost every site,” its website says. The goal, according to the department’s proposal, is to promote “a broader array of events and greater access” to the park, while taking into account the burden that big shows place on the park’s patrons and resources, as well as the traffic congestion they cause nearby. The proposal, unveiled by the Department of Parks and Recreation last month, would establish a new permit process for multi-day events and those with more than 2,000 attendees at the Queens park - the borough’s largest and home to the World’s Fair in 19. Check the websites of individual museums for their hours and programs.The city is proposing changes to make Flushing Meadows Corona Park more available for large-scale and multi-day events, but event organizers argue that the new plan does not go nearly far enough.
THINGS TO DO IN FLUSHING MEADOWS CORONA PARK FOR FREE
Come in the summer for free outdoor events and walking tours. Travel to Flushing Meadows Corona Park by subway to Mets-Willets Point at the northern edge of the park and near most attractions. Connect with nature at the modest but enjoyable Queens Zoo or the 39-acre (16-hectare) Queens Botanical Garden, whose highlights include a herb garden grouping plants by use. Bring kids to the eight themed playgrounds scattered throughout the park.Īrts, culture and educational opportunities abound at nearby institutions including the New York Hall of Science, the Queens Museum of art and history and the Queens Theater. Rent kayaks or bicycles near Meadow Lake or head for the indoor ice-skating rink at the Aquatic Center in the northeastern corner of the park. Though the green fields once held pavilions representing the world’s nations, today they are more likely to host soccer and cricket matches staged by immigrant communities from the surrounding neighborhoods.Ĭeremony and sport intersect at the park’s northern edge, where tennis fans fill the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for the annual U.S. At the center of the park, the iconic, 140-foot-tall (43-meter) steel Unisphere is breathtaking.Įxplore other sculptures, historical plaques and water features throughout the park that testify to its dignified past. While wandering the elegant tree-lined pedestrian and cycling paths, watch for monuments to these two historic events. The park also hosted the 1964 World’s Fair. It was constructed on top of an ash heap to create space for the 1939 World’s Fair. Spread over 900 acres (364 hectares), the park features ball fields and open lawns, while providing a home for lively cultural and educational institutions alongside a slice of global history.įlushing Meadows is also large and a testament to engineering ingenuity. There’s a world to discover at this sprawling Queens park, where remnants from two world fairs share space with museums, bike paths and playing fields.įind diverse attractions in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, one of New York City’s largest and most storied public spaces.
