How Do You Summer Street?

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Planning to do something fun this Saturday at Summer Streets? Let us know! 

We’d like to help facilitate the planning of ad-hoc events along the
route. Did you realize that most of the side streets adjacent to the
route are also closed? So there’s plenty of room to, say, organize a game of stickball. 

We’ve started a Livable Streets Group: "Summer Streets 2008."  There’s a discussion going there, so join the group, sign up for the mailing list and toss around ideas with other readers, or post ideas for activities on the wiki.

If, for example, you’re interested in stickballing with TOPP staff and Streetsblog editors, meet at Union Square by the Gandhi Statue at 10 a.m.   We’ve also heard of demand for more kids activities, so if you know of anything, add it to the list.

We hope to see you out there!

Photo of
Robert Burghardt mural: wallyg/Flickr

  • there should be some marshals wandering around with flags to help peds across the streets. If we can figure out a way to do it here in summer streets it may also work in central park when it is car free.
    i was thinking of trying the carry a crossing flag to other side of street/ like they do for peds in some areas. It is going to take some education on both sides, peds and bicyclist. we need to try different solutions and also convey the message to bicyclist that they should yield to peds and also not pass peds too close. i am guilty of the latter and need to modify my behavior

  • lee

    stick ball is fine, but wiffle ball probably has a lower chance of damaging anything. plus, i can break off wicked curves.

  • Looking forward to partaking for the first time tomorrow since I missed last week’s fun. Bringing my bike, camera and plan to volunteer for part of the morning at the Upper Green Side booth at the Greenmarket on 82nd Street between First and York Avenue. Plenty of good food, juice and live acoustic music for folks that want to stop off for a break.

    See you out their tomorrow!

  • how about fly ball on the stoop steps
    i forget what it is called, you throw a spaulding or tennis ball from the sidewalk into the stairs on the stoop and hit the edge of the steps and the ball flys up, the other people have to catch it and than rotate the players..
    it was one of the things we did where there were stoops as a kid.
    how about reintroducing the non computerized games of the pre digital youth.
    stick-ball was mentioned, that may work on a unique side street that has few windows and parked cars, maybe one of the streets that are cleared off near madison park/ credit suisse building, they use the east part of the street for fitness class.
    marbles in one of the park like dividers that may have a dirt portion.
    yo yo’s, they are coming back
    flipping cards, i remember doing some kind of baseball card flipping/flinging game against a stoop steps, something to do with leaners or closeness to the step.
    there was also a coin game that was played against the side of any building or curb, stone step, i think it may have been more of a gambling game though. the object was to get the closest to the step and there where requirement i can’t remember like the coin i had to bounce off the step first.
    i guess craps should be included, how can one grow up in a nyc urban environment and not play a couple games of dice/craps.
    Blowing soap bubbles on a non slick area, maybe a grassy area with shade would be better for soap bubbles, they have those big 3 foot bubble makers.
    Could have a shaded side street dedicated to urban outdoor games and recreation..

  • Brad

    Playing “300” with a football would be fun. Where you throw the ball up and call a number that someone gets if they catch it. I mean really any type of game where you can get a few people together would be fun, isn’t it supposed to rain in the morning though? Kinda a blower.

  • Awesome — there are so many fun street games. Weirdly, I was actually just playing 300 last night with some coworkers.

    Stickball is obviously the iconic street game, but growing up in Brooklyn we always played wiffle ball instead.

    Any other good game locations along the route people can think of?

  • Back when I was a kid, a quiet street during the summer would *immediately* be used for a game of football (saaaaker for the Americans) or cricket. Football’s easier ‘cos all you need besides people are some coats for goalposts and a tennis ball.

  • “I forget what it is called, you throw a spaulding or tennis ball from the sidewalk into the stairs on the stoop and hit the edge of the steps and the ball flys up.”

    When I was a kid, we always called it stoop ball.

  • Spud Spudly

    Yeah, stoop ball. One person went until they missed, then the other person would go. Five points for a regular one-bouncer, ten points for catching it on a fly and 100 points if you hit the point of the step and caught it on a fly. Play to 1000.

    I played a LOT of stickball growing up in Brooklyn, but not the type where you stood in the middle of the street and bounced the ball and ran bases. You need a strike zone painted on a wall. That way you can really pitch the ball overhand as hard as you want. Maybe someone can paint a strike zone on an apartment building on Park Avenue, then any ball that hits the first floor of the building across the street is a single, second floor is a double, third floor a triple and anything over that a homerun.

    A good game of two-hand touch football would be nice. Or bring a frisbee and play some ultimate.

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