Thomas Jefferson Park

The Daily Plant : Tuesday, May 3, 2016

NYC Parks Brings Classic Back With Annual Street Games Event

Malcolm Pinckney

Kids of All Ages Enjoy Fun Outdoor Games and Activities from the 60s and 70s

This past weekend, NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, joined Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer to celebrate the 9th annual Street Games event at Thomas Jefferson Park in East Harlem.

Presented by NYC Parks and Disney, the event brought out the young, and young at heart, for a chance to (re)visit the days when stickball, pogo sticks, hula hoops, double-dutch, yo-yos, and box car derbies were all the rage.

“Through Street Games, NYC Parks inspires kids to get up, go outside and get active with the reintroduction of low-tech games that have been played for generations,” said Commissioner Silver. “Thanks to Disney’s support, and that of all our sponsors, Thomas Jefferson Park was enlivened by people of all ages and abilities, enjoying the classic games played for generations in the streets of New York City—borough-to-borough.”

The event closed 114th Street and Pleasant Avenue just north of the Park to vehicle traffic so that kids could learn to ride a bike and participate in activities including a soap box derby, street hockey and wheelchair basketball. In addition, the Red Bulls hosted a skills challenge on the soccer fields and the New York Empire ultimate team taught discus throwing.

But there was more than just games! The event also featured live music and entertainment— including performances from Dance Theater of Harlem and a Break Dancing crew.

Street Games is part of Disney’s commitment to creating healthier generations by making healthy living fun and simple. Presented by Disney, together with its businesses and affiliates, Street Games was also sponsored by Cabot Creamery, Movement Creative, New York Empire, and more.

NYC Parks produces a series of annual, large-scale festivals that provide unique outdoor experiences for thousands of New Yorkers year-round. In addition to Street Games (Spring), these include Adventures NYC (Summer), and Winter Jam NYC (Winter).