Giant cardboard skyscrapers dancing to a live brass band, chased by human-scale rats and a Statue of Liberty puppet, on a car-free island with the Lower Manhattan skyline behind them. Boxcutter Collective built it with Sane Energy Project, El Puente and Great Small Works, so real neighbourhood organising sits under the spectacle. If you are taking kids anywhere Saturday, take them here.
What to expect
An outdoor performance on the lawns of Colonels Row, the row of former officers' houses on Governors Island. Expect oversized handmade cardboard puppets, a live brass band and a loose, participatory crowd rather than fixed seating. The rest of the island, including Slide Hill and Hammock Grove, is a short walk away.
Good to know
- Ferries leave from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street, and seasonally from Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 and Red Hook.
- All passengers ride the ferry free on weekend mornings; later boats are ticketed for adults.
- There are no cars on the island, so it is safe to let kids roam; bikes can be rented on arrival.
- Bring a picnic blanket and sun protection; the lawns have limited shade.
- Pair it with Slide Hill, home of the longest slide in the city, and the Hammock Grove.
- Check the last ferry time before you settle in for the afternoon.
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Common questions
How do I get to Governors Island?
By ferry from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street in Manhattan, or seasonally from Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 and Red Hook. Round trip is $5 for adults, and free for children 12 and under.
Can we ride the ferry for free?
Yes, if you go early. All passengers ride free on Saturdays and Sundays before 11am.
What else can we do on the island the same day?
Slide Hill has four slides including a 57-foot, three-storey run, and the Hammock Grove has hammocks with harbour views. There is also a free jazz set at Colonels Row the same afternoon.
More this weekend
