City of Water Day, a region-wide day long festival that brings communities together for free, hands-on waterfront activities, returns Saturday, July 13. The New York – New Jersey Harbor and Estuary Program (HEP) is partnering with the Waterfront Alliance, the South Street Seaport Museum, and local community organizations to celebrate the past, present, and future of our region’s 1600 miles of coastline. This year, City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood sites include more than 50 free events with nearly 100 participating organizations, across all five boroughs as well as in Westchester County and New Jersey.
Now in its 12th year, City of Water Day is a free harbor-wide day organized by the Waterfront Alliance in partnership with the South Street Seaport Museum and HEP with a mission to get people to, on, and in the water. Activities such as free kayaking and boat tours, coastal cleanups, fishing, science experiments, music, and crafts will promote the shared goal of a climate-resilient New York Harbor. HEP Program Director Rob Pirani explains the significance of City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood:
“From the Bronx River to the Elizabeth River, from Jamaica Bay to the Hoboken waterfront, City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood programs will help people from all over the region celebrate their local waterways and learn about rising seas and the growing threat of coastal storms. The New York–New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program is proud to support City of Water Day and the In Your Neighborhood programs all over the estuary.”
This year, City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood will focus on activities that will champion the shared goal of a climate resilient Harbor that is prepared for rising seas and increased coastal storms. More than six years after Hurricane Sandy, storms of similar magnitude and increasing frequency across the nation continue to serve as a reminder of our vulnerability to the impacts of climate change in our region. HEP proudly supported City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood by providing $10,000 in funding to community organizations that will focus on educating their communities about the impacts of climate change in our region.
