Riverside Park Conservancy
The mission of Riverside Park Conservancy is to restore, maintain, and improve Riverside Park in partnership with the City of New York for the enjoyment and benefit of all New Yorkers. We support the preservation of the park’s historic landscape, structures, and monuments, engage the community in active stewardship of the park, and provide a wide range of public programs.
From 59th Street to 181st Street, from riverfront to city—side we work to enhance this Olmsted gem for present and future generations. Whatever it needs, Riverside Park Conservancy is by its side. Think of us as its gardener. Its advocate. Its sustainability manager. Its art curator. Its historian. Its visionary. And its guardian.
We work side-by-side with the New York City Parks Department, and we make improvements as diverse as the park itself and the city it serves. With the dedication and generosity of neighbors and park lovers like you, we can elevate your park experience and preserve this historic treasure for generations to come.
In the Press
Explore the park
Riverside Park has so much to offer – scenic waterfront strolls, playgrounds, athletic fields, historic monuments, lawns for lounging, forested habitat, dog runs, restaurants, and more. Check out our map to see what your next adventure will be!
Volunteer
Volunteerism is at the heart of the Conservancy’s mission to conserve, improve, and beautify Riverside Park. Community involvement is essential to the park’s well-being, and our Grassroots Volunteer Program guides individuals and groups of all skill levels in making meaningful contributions to the park’s overall care.
We Count on Neighbors Like You!
As a nonprofit, 501(c)3 charitable organization, the Conservancy depends solely on the generosity of donors to operate its important work. The Riverside Park Conservancy supports the preservation of the Park’s historic landscape, structure, and monuments, engages the community in active stewardship of the Park, and provides a wide range of public programs.
Riverside Insiders
Sign up to receive updates about what’s going on in Riverside Park!
Activities And Events
Summer on the Hudson, held in partnership with Riverside Park Conservancy and NYC Parks, is an annual outdoor arts and culture festival that takes place in Riverside Park from 59th Street to 181st Street. This free public programming series includes a mix of music concerts, dance performances, movies under the stars, DJ dance parties, kids shows, special events, education and wellness activities, and more. There is something for everyone! All programs and events are free to the public and registration is not required unless specifically stated in event information.
Bring your Christmas tree to Riverside Park to be recycled into mulch that will nourish plantings in the Park all year long!
These wood chips are used to nuture trees and plants on streets and gardens parkwide. here’s the best part – you can take a bag of Christmas tree mulch home with you!
Please RSVP in early December, Stay tuned!
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
1. Volunteer (on January 11)
Volunteers are needed to “de-Christmas” the trees left for recycling. We will be removing ornaments, lights, and getting the trees ready to chip. Then, we’ll spread Christmas tree mulch around street trees along Riverside Drive.
Please register on Eventbrite to volunteer and review our health and safety protocol below.
2. Treecycle (from December 26 – January 31)
Recycle your Christmas tree in Riverside Park. Drop your tree at any park entrance and we will bring it to our chipping site to be Treecycled. The chips from your tree will be used as mulch throughout the park. You can even take home a bag of mulch to provide warm winter protection for the street tree in front of your apartment. No need to register – just come on by!
More than 25,000 trees were recycled last year city-wide. Help us top this number!
**Note: Please remember to remove all lights and ornaments before bringing the tree to a MulchFest site. For more info on citywide tree drop-off and chipping sites, please visit https://www.nycgovparks.org/highlights/festivals/mulchfest.
Health & Safety Procedures
The health and safety of our staff and volunteers is of our utmost concern. With COVID-19, RSV, and Flu Season at the top of everyone’s mind, we have put in a number of additional practices that we require our volunteers to follow. Below, please read carefully through all our health & safety procedures.
Each individual volunteer must:
· Bring your own water in your reusable water bottle
· Wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothing that can get dirty.
· Keep all personal items with you at all times, as we will not have an area for bags.
· Masks and social distancing are recommended, but not required.
On the day of the project, if you are sick or not feeling well, STAY HOME! It is not worth the risk to you or to others. If any volunteer refuses to follow our health & safety procedures, they will be dismissed from the project. We take everyone’s safety very seriously, and greatly appreciate your compliance as we work to move our park forward.
The Brooklyn Museum is currently exhibiting the first major retrospective of Elizabeth Catlett’s career. Catlett’s only public commissioned work sought to honor author Ralph Ellison in Riverside Park near where he and his wife Fanny lived. The efforts of Harlem residents in partnership with the Riverside Park Conservancy resulted in the funding for the Ralph Ellison Memorial and the selection of artist Elizabeth Catlett’s sculpture “Invisible Man.” Join us on Sunday, November 24, for free events to explore the history and context of the memorial’s creation.
Ralph Ellison Historical Walking Tour
12:30pm – Lobby of 730 Riverside Drive
Tour with Harlem historian John T. Reddick and explore aspects of Ellison’s life and career in the neighborhood.
View information about our other event, Catlett: Public Art in Context
The Brooklyn Museum is currently exhibiting the first major retrospective of Elizabeth Catlett’s career. Catlett’s only public commissioned work sought to honor author Ralph Ellison in Riverside Park near where he and his wife Fanny lived. The efforts of Harlem residents in partnership with the Riverside Park Conservancy resulted in the funding for the Ralph Ellison Memorial and the selection of artist Elizabeth Catlett’s sculpture “Invisible Man.” Join us on Sunday, November 24, for free events to explore the history and context of the memorial’s creation.
Catlett: Public Art in Context
2pm – American Academy of Arts and Letters | 633 West 155th Street
Join Mr. Reddick and panelists for an informative discussion of the Ellison Memorial in the context of Catlett’s career, engagement with the Harlem community, and identity as an artist. Panelists include:
- Catlett scholar, Dalila Scruggs, Augusta Savage Curator of African American Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum
- The Ellison memorial project’s landscape architect, Ken Smith, Founder of Ken Smith Workshop
- Francisco Mora, Jr., son of Elizabeth Catlett
Guests are also encouraged to explore the exhibitions on view at Arts and Letters. They will be open to the public until 6pm.
View information about our other event Ralph Ellison Historical Walking Tour
Join Yoga instructor Meg SantaMaria for a morning practice. Suitable for all fitness levels. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring your own mat.
This event takes place in the newly-renovated 102nd Street Field House. Enter the Park at 102nd Street and Riverside Drive, then descend to the promenade level. The stairs to the Field House are across the promenade at 102nd Street.
Join Yoga instructor Meg SantaMaria for a morning practice. Suitable for all fitness levels. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring your own mat.
This event takes place in the newly-renovated 102nd Street Field House. Enter the Park at 102nd Street and Riverside Drive, then descend to the promenade level. The stairs to the Field House are across the promenade at 102nd Street.
Join Yoga instructor Meg SantaMaria for a morning practice. Suitable for all fitness levels. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring your own mat.
This event takes place in the newly-renovated 102nd Street Field House. Enter the Park at 102nd Street and Riverside Drive, then descend to the promenade level. The stairs to the Field House are across the promenade at 102nd Street.
Work with our gardener Jonas to maintain Buckeye Garden, a beautiful space filled with buckeyes and ferns, as well as the neighboring conservation areas.
Please meet Jonas at Hippo Playground at 9am. If you enter the Park at 91st Street, you will follow the path down the slope and to the left. The playground will be on your left.
For existing volunteers: please sign up through the Grassroots Volunteer Portal.
For new volunteers: please email [email protected] for information about how to get involved.
This project is not suitable for corporate groups! If you are a corporate group, please email [email protected] to set up a project.
Projects & Initiatives
UpdatesThe Conservancy works to make the Park a better place for all the people and species that spend time here.