Central Park, Sep 19–25: fall arrives this weekend — Saturday is the only dry day, and Sunday brings rain onto an 18-mile run

        This is the week summer ends. Saturday holds at 71° and partly sunny, and after that the park does not see 70° again — the rest of the week runs 63–67° with a shower chance every single day, and Sunday carries an 89% chance of rain from morning to night. Plan around Saturday, because there is not another dry day in this email.

Weather this week

Saturday is partly sunny and 71° with no rain in it; Sunday turns to all-day rain at 89%, and then the week settles into a cool, damp pattern — 67°, 63°, 65°, 64°, 66° — with shower chances between 22% and 37% every day. This is the seasonal turn, not a passing front.

Sat Sep 19 — the only dry day, and it is a full one

The 25th Annual Chess-in-the-Park Rapid Open takes Bandshell Plaza 11 AM–5 PM — a quarter-century-old tournament, free to watch, and the best thing happening in the park this week.

Also on:

  28th Annual SCTPN Walk for Education and Awareness, Dead Road North, 9 AM–1 PM — a four-hour charity walk staging on the west side. Runners and cyclists should expect crowds at the Dead Road approaches through midday.
  Osborn Cup on Bowling Green, 7 AM–6 PM, both weekend days — lawn bowls, and worth ten minutes if you have never watched it.
  Model Yacht Racing at Kerbs 9–3; UnityMarketsNY at Farmers’ Gate 9–7; the Farmstand and Unity Market at Dana Discovery Center 9 AM–8 PM.
  That Guitar Man at Hernshead noon–6, the Iconic Views tour at 2, Skate Circle at Dead Road 2–7, tango at the Shakespeare Statue 6–9 PM.

East Meadow is closed, and 40 private ceremony bookings land Saturday — the heaviest single day we have recorded this season. The scenic south-end spots are gone.

Sun Sep 20, 7 AM — 18 miles in the rain

The TCS New York City Marathon Training Series 18M goes off at 7 AM, running East Drive and the 102nd Street Cross Drive, with the permit held until 1:30 PM. The field will be out there for five hours under an 89% chance of rain.

The loop is committed all morning. Cyclists: take the day, or go after 1:30. Runners not in the field: the bridle path and Reservoir are your options. Anyone running it — this is the last long build before the marathon, and it is going to be a wet one.

The afternoon is the family window, weather permitting: Justin Lees Jazz Group at the Bandshell 1–4, Chess & Checkers Community Play from 1, Pinocchio in the Park at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre 2–3 PM, International Folkdancers at King Jagiello 11–6, and a Society Strong workout social 3:30–6. The Marionette Theatre is indoors, which on this particular Sunday is the point.

Mon Sep 21 — nothing at all

Not a single one-off event in the park. 67°, mostly cloudy. If you want the place to yourself, this is the day.

Tue Sep 22 – Thu Sep 24 — Climate Week comes to the park

Music for Action, a Climate Week concert with Young the Giant and St. Lucia, takes Rumsey Tuesday 7–10 PM — raising awareness of climate change and tick-borne disease. Thursday the Building Cross-Sector Ecosystems for Climate Action panel runs at the Arsenal 6–8 PM.

In between, Of Monsters and Men play Rumsey Wednesday 7–10 PM, and Kate Farms Yoga takes East Meadow Wednesday 5–6 PM. A financial-planning workshop sits at Dana Discovery Center Tuesday evening.

Fri Sep 25 — salsa at the Bandshell

Carlos Konig Salsa plays Bandshell Plaza 5–7:30 PM, and the Iconic Views tour goes at 2. 66°, showers possible.

Steady all week

  Bethesda Terrace and Fountain — closed all day, every day, as it has been for weeks. The permits still run to October 13.
  New Dendrology at the Arsenal Gallery, weekdays 9 AM–5 PM, free — a good rainy-week option.
  Bird Watching with Birding Bob — five mornings from Loeb Boathouse, 7:30 and 8:30. Fall migration is at its peak.
  East Meadow closed both weekend days; East 106th Street lawn out Monday–Thursday.
  208 field permits — 103 at Heckscher, 75 at North Meadow, and only 14 on the Great Lawn.

Quick recap

  Saturday is the only dry day this week. Use it.
  Chess-in-the-Park Rapid Open, Saturday 11–5 at the Bandshell, 25th year.
  Sunday: 89% rain over an 18-mile training run, 7 AM–1:30 PM on East Drive.
  Monday has no events at all — an empty park at 67°.
  Climate Week: Young the Giant Tuesday, climate panel Thursday. Of Monsters and Men Wednesday.
  Only two SummerStage shows left after this week; the season closes Oct 1.

Have a good week in the park,
Central Park Guide