Broadway Boulevard is the piece of Manhattan that proves pedestrianisation works: a stretch of Broadway taken from cars and handed to bistro tables, planters and umbrellas, sitting between two of the busiest transit hubs on the continent. Free programming on those plazas is designed to catch you mid-errand, which is the entire point. If you work in the Garment District or you're cutting through between Penn Station and Times Square, it's a free reason to actually stop.
What to expect
The plazas run along Broadway through the Garment District, with movable seating and umbrellas set out between the planters. Programming is staged in the open on the plaza, free and unticketed, with people watching from the tables or standing at the edges. Check the setup when you arrive, since the plaza's programming shifts through the season.
Good to know
- N, Q, R or W to 34th St-Herald Square, or the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, W or S to Times Square
- Free and unticketed — the plazas are open public space
- Movable seating is first-come; tables fill through the lunch hour
- Paved, level and fully step-free along the whole stretch
- Very little shade beyond the umbrellas, so bring sun protection
- Food from the surrounding blocks can be brought to the plaza tables
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Common questions
Where is Broadway Boulevard?
It's the pedestrianised stretch of Broadway running through the Garment District between Herald Square and Times Square.
Is there seating?
Yes — movable chairs and tables are set out across the plazas, first-come.
Does it cost anything?
No. The plazas are public space and programming on them is free.
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