A Family Oasis in the City, The Elizabeth Street Garden

This weekend, don’t hesitate to visit the magical Elizabeth Street Garden. Nestled in Nolita between Prince and Spring Streets, the Elizabeth Street Garden is a half-acre oasis of nature and culture. If you haven’t spent time in this hidden gem of Lower Manhattan, now’s your chance!

The garden, which has been free and open to the public since 1991, is in danger of closing permanently as the city plans to bulldoze the space for a development project starting on September 10th.

For three decades, friends of the garden have used the space to host no-cost, enriching events that bring New Yorkers together. From summertime movie nights to tea ceremonies, poetry readings, and music performances, there’s always magic in the air at Elizabeth Street Garden.

When there’s not an event happening, you and your family will find joy in the simple tranquility of strolling the pebble paths and relaxing on the grass among bespoke landscape architecture and whimsical classical-style statuary. Bring a picnic lunch and some books to read with your little one for the perfect late summer afternoon.

Dogs are welcome too, and there’s never a shortage of friendly pups to pet.

Swing by on Sunday, September 1, at 4 p.m. for a poetry reading hosted in partnership with McNally Jackson. After your visit, make sure to join Robert De Niro, Patti Smith, Martin Scorsese, and over 400,000 friends of the garden who have written letters of support for the ongoing effort to halt the impending destruction of one of New York’s rare verdant sanctuaries.

Keep up with a regularly updated schedule of events @elizabethstreetgarden on Instagram. The garden is always free of charge and open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

-Emma Gould