Your Guide to Fall Events in the Park

Hudson River Park’s fall event lineup brings New Yorkers together to celebrate the season by the River. Dance under the stars, discover Hudson River wildlife, find new ways to stay active along our four miles of waterfront and more.

Seasonal Celebrations

From migrating monarchs to changing foliage, fall is one of the most beautiful times to enjoy Hudson River Park. Throughout the Park, we're hosting celebrations that make the most of these seasonal milestones and celebrate local communities in their west side backyard.

Join us on Saturday, September 13 in Hudson River Park’s Habitat Garden for Pollination Celebration, a day dedicated to monarchs, bees and the pollinators that help our city bloom. As a designated Monarch Waystation, the Habitat Garden is the perfect place to learn about some of the Park’s resident pollinators while enjoying family-friendly nature walks, insect-inspired crafts and hands-on activities.

On Saturday, September 20, we’re joining together with the Chelsea Waterside Park Association to host a community celebration, featuring music, crafts, face painting and fun for all ages! Then, on Saturday, September 27, stop by our Pier 84 Community Celebration, a family day with crafts, music and endless fun, hosted in partnership with the West 44th Better Block Association and Friends of Pier 84.

Always one of the highlights of fall in Hudson River Park, Pumpkin Smash returns on Saturday, November 1. Squash, smash and smush your post-Halloween pumpkins into compost to help keep our Park beautiful, green and growing as you enjoy seasonal festivities at this annual autumnal tradition. BYO pumpkin for a smashing good time!

A parent and child swinging a baseball bat down at a pumpkin on a stump, at the Pumpkin Smash event at Pier 84

A bubble performer creates a long string of bubbles as children jump and play below them on the Chelsea Waterside lawn

A group of people dancing at an event at Pier 84

A person holding on to flowers planted in a garden bed at Hudson River Park's Habitat Garden

Two instructors from Ajna Dance Company lead children and adults in a dance class on the Chelsea Waterside lawn

A monarch butterfly perched on a pink-purple flower in Hudson River Park's Habitat Garden in Chelsea

Dance into Fall

Dance programming continues further into the autumn season than ever before. Celebrate community through movement with KEIGWIN + COMPANY at Rhapsody at Hudson River Park’s Pier 84, Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5. These free Sundown Dances feature open classes, live performances and community dance parties.

Inspired by the Park as a vital gathering place, Rhapsody is a two-night celebration that invites dancers and community members to move and connect with one another. This exciting season of dance begins on Tuesday, September 2 with a Let’s Make a Dance workshop led by K+C Artistic Director and former HRPK Friends Board Member, Larry Keigwin, with rehearsals open to the public throughout September. Learn more about this unique opportunity to see—and join—the creative process in action.

Sunset Salsa returns for a fall season at Pier 45, turning Thursday nights in September and October into a weekly salsa soiree beginning September 11. Led by world-renowned dancer, instructor, and producer Talía Castro-Pozo, these evenings feature beginner salsa lessons followed by open dance parties under the stars. Whether you’re stepping onto the floor for the first time or are already an experienced dancer, all levels are welcome to join this Hudson River Park favorite.

An Ajna Dance Company instructor leads a Bollywood & Bhangra class

The redish pink sky is the perfect backdrop for Sunset Salsa with Talia

A dancer among a group of dancers at a Keigwin + Company outdoor event

Participants dance during a Bollywood & Bhangra class at Pier 63

Talia teaches a group of Park visitors how to salsa at Pier 45

Autumn Fitness

From free evening workout classes with the city skyline as your backdrop to weekend opportunities for movement and skill-building, you’ll find ample opportunities to get active and find your flow by the river this season.

The Park’s Healthy on the Hudson series continues into the fall with free evening classes in conditioning, HIIT, dance cardio and yoga through October. Open to all levels and hosted in partnership with top-notch local trainers, these workouts are a perfect way to close out your day with fresh air and harbor views.

On Saturday mornings from September 13 to October 25, head to Pier 46 for Bollywood & Bhangra with Ajna Dance Company. These high-energy, all-level and all-ages classes celebrate movement and community through dance forms that highlight rhythm and expression.

Looking to build confidence on two wheels? Bike Skills with Bike New York offers free weekend classes at Pier 76 for kids and adults alike — a fun and supportive way to learn or sharpen biking skills right in the Park.

Science After Dark

Looking for a unique night out with friends — or a way to impress a science-loving date? Our Science After Dark series brings all the fun of the back-to-school season without any of the homework. Bring your curiosity, grab a drink and discover something new alongside fellow New Yorkers who love to learn.

Science Stories returns Thursday, September 4, featuring captivating storytellers uncovering the surprising science hidden in everyday life. This month’s live event will focus on overcoming life’s toughest moments, from scientific roadblocks to personal turning points,, with many stories later featured on The Story Collider podcast.

On Thursday, October 9, we’re hosting Back 2 School: Oyster Monitoring — a hands-on adult workshop that gives you the opportunity to take part in the Park’s ongoing habitat restoration and monitoring efforts that have helped introduce more than 35,000,000 oysters back into the Hudson River.

And be sure to join us on Thursday, November 13 for Ask a Scientist to laugh and learn with STEM experts. Each iteration of this popular series brings the opportunity to explore fascinating research areas with scientists who pair insight with humor.

Visitors to the Pier 57 Discovery Tank interact with microscopes and touchscreen displays

River Discovery

Meet wildlife, explore seasonal themes with interactive STEM activities and take a tour that explores the Park’s living shoreline with our River Project team this fall. During Wetlab Look-in dates through the end of October, stop by the Park’s research aquarium at Pier 40 to meet local fish and river critters. Then, help us close out the season at Release of the Fishes on Wednesday, October 29 — an annual tradition where participants of all ages join our River Project team to return resident fish to the Hudson River for the winter.

The Discovery Tank at Pier 57 remains open year-round, featuring hands-on STEM activities and digital exhibits that highlight the hidden world beneath the Hudson. Each month brings a new theme during Guided Gallery hours: explore climate change in September, learn about trees and foliage in October, and dive into compost in November.

And on Saturday, October 18, explore Hudson River Park’s waterfront with a guided tour of Gansevoort Peninsula as part of Open House New York Weekend, a citywide festival that unlocks access to hundreds of New York’s most fascinating places. Visitors will learn about Gansevoort Peninsula’s unique living shoreline, featuring a salt marsh and submerged reef balls and oyster gabions seeded with 20 million juvenile oysters. Our Pier 40 Wetlab will also be open for Open House New York participants to meet local wildlife and learn about this unique flow-through aquarium from our River Project team.

Two visitors to Hudson River Park's Pier 40 Wetlab look into an aquarium tank with Hudson River wildlife inside

A parent and a child interact with a touchscreen display at the Pier 57 Discovery Tank

HRPK River Project staffers help attendees lower buckets of fish into the Hudson River at the Release of the Fishes event at Pier 40

An HRPK River Project staffer leads a group on a Shoreline Strolls tour of Gansevoort Peninsula

Two turtles swimming inside an aquarium tank at Hudson River Park's Pier 40 Wetlab

Volunteer with Us

Give back to your Park this fall by joining fellow New Yorkers for hands-on projects that keep Hudson River Park green, thriving and resilient. Volunteering in the Park offers opportunities to connect with neighbors, care for our shared backyard and see your impact firsthand.

Throughout the season, the Park’s Green Team gathers for horticulture projects — from planting to pruning — that help the Park’s landscapes flourish. Later in the fall, volunteers will help plant thousands of bulbs that ensure a colorful spring throughout the Park. Join us on select Saturdays from September through November.

Our Blue Team supports community science with projects that include oyster restoration and shoreline cleanups alongside dedicated River Project scientists. Running through October, these volunteer days offer a unique way to contribute to the health of the Hudson River.

YOU Make this Free Programming Possible

This fall, Hudson River Park is alive with activity. Mark your calendars and explore the full lineup. The hundreds of free and low-cost programs we host throughout the year are made possible through the support of our community. Help keep fun, diverse community events thriving along our four miles by donating to Hudson River Park Friends today.