Fall's a Ball! Battery Park City Authority Releases Fall 2026 Program & Events Guide

Courtesy of Battery Park City Authority Program guide includes details of free events happening in Battery Park City from September through December From dance performances and a massive light art festival to special slate of events celebrating climate week, BPCA's fall programming lineup has something for everyone to enjoy Get the Guide Here The Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) today released its Fall 2026 Program & Events Guide, featuring a robust lineup of free public programming across Battery Park City from September through December. This autumn, Battery Park City is home to a jam-packed fall event season including performances, major festivals and celebrations such as Illumination Light Art Festival, art, film series, fitness, and more. Hitting mailboxes this week, the Fall Program and Event Guide features program offerings organized by monthly highlights and by events of interest to adults and seniors, school-aged children, and preschoolers. In addition to its weekly programming and special happenings and festivals, BPCA will host a full week of environmental events to celebrate Climate Week in September. Reflecting the neighborhood's legacy of responsibly stewarding environmental leadership and education, the week will feature a wide array of opportunities to celebrate the environment and learn more about resiliency and sustainability efforts within the parks and beyond. Highlights include a symposium with University of Miami's Climate Resilience Institute on Nature-Based Infrastructure for Coastal Resilience, a lecture on spittlebugs, fishing, beekeeping and more. Highlights of BPCA's Fall 2026 Program & Event Guide include: BILL T. JONES: WORLD PREMIERE Thursday, September 10; Saturday, September 12; and Sunday, September 13 @ 7:30PM, Wagner Park The world premiere of Curriculum IV: Spin and Spin! Turn! Turn! Turn! by visionary artist Bill T. Jones responds to a performance altered by the events of September 11, 2001. Commemorating the 25th anniversary, this new work brings dance back to Lower Manhattan, influenced by resilience and the passage of time. Free RSVP Presented by LMCC (Lower Manhattan Cultural Council) as part of the 2026 River to River Festival and in partnership with BPCA. BPC FARMERS MARKET Sundays through November 22 @ 9AM-2PM, River Terrace along the Irish Hunger Memorial Built by independent farms and food businesses, Down to Earth Markets provides delicious, locally sourced seasonal food which supports a strong regional food system. ILLUMINATION LIGHT ART FESTIVAL Thursday, September 17 through Saturday, September 19 @ 7PM, Wagner Park Step into Illumination.nyc, an immersive outdoor light festival where interactive art, dazzling installations, and live DJs transform the night. Explore, play, and dance under the stars in a luminous, one-of-a-kind experience. HURRICANE MARIA COMMEMORATION Saturday, September 19 @ 3PM, Hurricane Maria Memorial Commemorate nine years since Hurricane Maria's devastating landfall in Puerto Rico. Poetry by Bonafide Rojas, live music and dance by Los Pleneros de la 21, and an open mic hosted by Paul con Queso will honor those impacted by the Hurricane. Presented by Nuyorican Poets Cafe in partnership with BPCA. CLIMATE WEEK IN BPC Sunday, September 20 through Saturday, September 26 In keeping with Battery Park City's legacy of environmental leadership, BPCA celebrates Climate Week NYC with a diverse set of programs open to everyone. CLIMATE RESILIENCE INSTITUTE SYMPOSIUM Tuesday, September 22 @ 9AM-5PM, Wagner Park Pavilion Classroom BPCA and the University of Miami's Climate Resilience Institute (CRI) presents Absorb, Adapt, Thrive: Nature-Based Infrastructure for Coastal Resilience —a dynamic day of conversations exploring how research, innovation, and real-world partnerships are building stronger coastal communities. SPITTLEBUGS AND CLIMATE CHANGE T uesday, September 22 @ 3PM, 6 River Terrace Join BPCA volunteer, Ruth Moskovitch, and entomologist husband, Vinton Thompson, PhD, as they share their findings on how spittlebugs are adapting to rising temperatures due to a shifting climate. Their presentation will be followed by a panel discussion and bioblitz. MEET THE BEEKEEPER Wednesday, September 23 @ 1:30PM, Rockefeller Park Join a presentation led by BPCA's beekeepers at the Battery Park City hive located at the Chambers St. entrance to Rockefeller Park. Learn about the importance of creating habitat for bee populations in urban areas and its benefit to sustainability efforts in the neighborhood and throughout the city. FUN, FEMME FISHING Wednesday, September 23 @ 6PM, Wagner Park Tide Deck Join anglers from BPCA and the Lower East Side Ecology Center for a night of Fun, Femme Fishing–an inclusive event where new and experienced anglers can build community, explore our waterways, and develop new skills. Come cast out with us! Registration required. Email registration@bpca.ny.gov to sign up. ARTIST TALK & PANEL: 100 PRACTICES FOR A CHANGING LANDSCAPE Wednesday, September 23 @ 6:30PM, Wagner Park Pavilion Classroom Artist Sarah Cameron Sunde will lead a panel on public art and climate change. They will discuss the role of art, rituals, and listening in preparing for extreme weather events, and how they can reveal invisible infrastructure all around us. Sunde is an interdisciplinary environmental artist and a cofounder of the Works on Water Triennial. PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE – AT THE WATER'S EDGE: RESILIENCY FOR LOWER MANHATTAN Friday, September 25 @ 8:30-11AM, Wagner Park Pavilion Classroom Join leading experts for a panel discussion and guided walking tour exploring how Lower Manhattan is preparing for climate change, coastal storms, and rising seas. Learn about protecting this vital economic and transportation hub while examining how evolving policies, insurance markets, and emergency response systems may shape resilience efforts. Hear from leaders in climate adaptation, waterfront infrastructure, and public space management as they discuss what's at risk and why Lower Manhattan is indispensable to the City's future. Co-presented by cultureNOW, Lower Manhattan Historical Association, and BPCA. FOREST BATHING FOR CLIMATE Friday, September 25 @5PM, Teardrop Park Celebrate Climate Week by reconnecting with Nature. Lori Klamner will guide a thoughtful meditation through Teardrop Park, inviting all to appreciate the outdoors in a new way. SON ROMPE PERA Thursday, September 24 @ 7PM, Wagner Park Son Rompe Pera is a Mexican fusion band based in Naucalpan, a suburb of Mexico City. Primarily playing cumbia, they integrate the use of Mexican marimba music that is traditional in the folklore of their country and such other genres as danzón, rock, ska and others. BROADWAY NIGHTS OFF: BETSY WOLFE Monday, September 28 & October 5 @ 7PM, Wagner Park When the lights go down on Broadway, the stars from your favorite productions come downtown for an intimate concert series featuring unforgettable performances and stunning views. The series will continue October 5 with a special guest. PAT OLESZKO'S WE ARE THE RESIST-ANTS: ANTHEM Saturday, October 3 & Sunday, October 4 @1PM, Wagner Park Join artist Pat Oleszko for an exuberant, absurdist picnic spectacle featuring dancers and prancers of Resist-Ants as they take over Wagner Park. Oleszko's work has recently been featured in the Whitney Biennial, the SculptureCenter, and Art Basel Miami Beach. LOVESTRUCK BALLADEERS Thursday, October 8 @ 7PM, Wagner Park The Lovestruck Balladeers enchant audiences with their masterful performances and inspired repertoire of ragtime, jazz and beautiful songs from around the world. DIA DE LOS MUERTOS CELEBRATION Saturday, October 10 @ 3PM, 6 River Terrace Celebrate Dia de los Muertos with a Bougie Charcuterie spread, arts & crafts with Olga Ayala, and music by The Marilyn Castillo Trio, followed by a poetry open mic hosted by Caridad De La Luz, 'La Bruja.' TRIBECA JAZZ INSTITUTE Thursday, October 15 @ 6PM, Wagner Park Sunset performance by emerging artists from the one-of-a-kind jazz program at Church Street School of Music & Art. GO FISH! BATTERY PARK CITY'S CELEBRATION OF LIFE IN THE HUDSON ESTUARY Saturday, October 17 @ 10:30AM-1PM, Wagner Park Join experienced anglers for catch-and-release fishing and learn about life in the Hudson River. The event will also feature a variety of engaging activities from visiting environmental education and conservation groups. BROOKLYN CONTRA BARN DANCE Saturday, October 17 @ 5PM, Wagner Park Contra is a community-oriented mash-up of swing and square dancing performed in lines. Brooklyn Contra teaches a style of community folk dance featuring great live music, dancing, and joy. Each dance starts with a lesson from the caller and a breakdown of the simple moves. BEYOND RECOVERY: BUILDING THE NEXT 25 YEARS OF LOWER MANHATTAN Thursday, October 22 @ 4-8PM, Wagner Park Pavilion Classroom Twenty-five years after 9/11, Lower Manhattan stands rebuilt yet faces new challenges shaped by climate change, economic transformation, and evolving civic life. This panel brings together leaders in planning, culture, business, and community development to explore how memory, resilience, and innovation can guide the neighborhood's next chapter. CAMPFIRE STORIES & SONGS Saturday, October 24 @ 2PM, Teardrop Park Cozy up to a campfire for stories and songs with family and friends featuring a live performance, nature activity, Halloween art project, lawn games, and so much more! HOLIDAY LIGHTS CELEBRATION Thursday, December 3 @ 6PM, Rockefeller Park Kick-off the holiday season with the illumination of the Battery Park City Holiday Tree. The festive annual Battery Park City tradition features lively carols, beverages and treats, and many special guest appearances – along with a visit from you-know-who! These highlighted events are in addition to BPCA's year-round, weekly recurring programs for all ages. For more information, please visit bpca.ny.gov/events. About BPCA: Established in 1968, The Hugh L. Carey Battery Park City Authority is a New York State Public Benefit Corporation charged with developing and maintaining a well-balanced, 92-acre community of commercial, residential, retail and open space, including 36 acres of public parks, on Manhattan's Lower West Side. Through execution of its first-ever strategic plan, BPCA works daily toward being an inclusive community, a safe and climate resilient place, and a vibrant public space, all while demonstrating leadership for the future with a team dedicated to improving service and project delivery. For more info visit: bpca.ny.gov. 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