Staten Island block parties look different from Brooklyn's: the houses are detached, the driveways are deep, and the party spreads sideways into front yards and open garages as much as it fills the road. Knapp Street closes between Draper Place and Freedom Avenue for the better part of a day and an evening. It is the most genuinely local thing happening on these mid-island streets, and there is nothing to buy your way into.
What to expect
Barricades at each end of a residential street, grills and tables in the road, folding chairs pulled out of garages and kids treating the asphalt as a yard. It is run by the block, so the scale is whatever the neighbors organized. The permit window stretches from late morning to well after dark.
Good to know
- There is no subway on Staten Island — drive, or take an MTA bus from the St. George ferry terminal and allow extra time
- Free; a permitted closure keeps the street public roadway
- Bring cash if you plan to eat from a neighbor's grill
- Flat residential asphalt, step-free once the block is barricaded
- Parking tightens on the surrounding blocks once the closure goes in
- Little shade on a suburban street, so bring water and sun cover
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Common questions
How do I get there from Manhattan?
Take the Staten Island Ferry to St. George, then an MTA bus inland. Budget well over an hour each way.
Is it open to people who do not live there?
The closed street is public roadway. Block parties are run by and for the block, so come as a guest.
Is the ferry free?
Yes, the Staten Island Ferry is free in both directions. The connecting MTA bus is a standard fare.
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