Central Park, Oct 10–16: the triathlon finishes in the rain, East Drive goes Wednesday and Thursday, and Open House New York opens Friday

        Saturday is the one good day on the front of this week — 70° and partly sunny — and then Sunday brings a 93% chance of rain onto the triathlon’s final day. Midweek the park is quiet but not clear: an all-day permit holds East Drive until 8 PM on both Wednesday and Thursday. Friday, Open House New York opens at Grand Army Plaza.

Weather this week

Saturday 70° and partly sunny with no rain in it. Sunday 64° with periods of rain at 93%, and 97% overnight. Columbus Day Monday is 69° with a 49% chance. Tuesday warms to 73° before afternoon storms, Wednesday is 66° and mostly sunny, Thursday 63°, and Friday turns wet again at 64° and 43%.

Sat Oct 10 — the good day, and the Great Lawn is in use

The Big Apple Triathlon still holds Cherry Hill, Wagner Cove, Center Drive, the Lower Loop, West Drive and East Drive on an all-day permit. The loop is committed.

Everything else is worth the 70°:

  Pilates in the Park on the Great Lawn, 10 AM–12 PM — the lawn is properly back in use after the festival.
  Birding Basics at Belvedere Castle at 10; Iconic Views tour at 2.
  Model Yacht Racing at Kerbs, 9 AM–3 PM; UnityMarketsNY at Farmers’ Gate, 9–7.
  Connect Outdoors with the Appalachian Mountain Club, East 72nd Street Playground, 11 AM–2 PM.
  Santa’s Knights and Gladiators behind the Met, noon–4 PM — armoured combat.

East Meadow closed, and 38 private ceremony bookings take the scenic spots.

Sun Oct 11 — the triathlon’s last day, in 93% rain

The triathlon permit runs through Sunday and the forecast gives it periods of rain at 93%. The drives stay committed all day either way.

Still on: NYC Indigenous Day of Remembrance at Merchants’ Gate, 1–4 PM. The International Folkdancers hold King Jagiello 11 AM–6 PM, Skate Circle runs at Dead Road 2–7 PM, the Northeast Young Judaea Kickoff takes The Pool 11 AM–2 PM, and Birding Basics meets at Belvedere at 10.

Mon Oct 12 — Columbus Day, and almost nothing booked

69° with a 49% chance of rain. Skate Circle at Dead Road North, 2–7 PM, is the only thing on the board. The triathlon permit has lapsed, so the drives are yours again.

Tue Oct 13 — 73°, nothing scheduled

The warmest day of the week and not one event in the park. Mostly sunny early with a 28% chance of afternoon storms, so go in the morning.

Wed Oct 14 – Thu Oct 15 — an all-day permit holds East Drive

A private event holds Cedar Hill, the Hans Christian Andersen Statue and East Drive from midnight to 8 PM on both days.

It arrives in the permit feed titled only “Party,” which badly undersells it: this is twenty hours of East Drive, twice. Runners and cyclists — plan the east side out of both days, or ride clockwise and work around it. Wednesday is the better weather of the two at 66° and mostly sunny.

Fri Oct 16 — Open House New York

Open House New York Weekend opens at Grand Army Plaza, 10 AM–6 PM — the city’s annual architecture weekend, and the park is one of its sites. 64° with a 43% chance of showers.

Steady all week

  NYC Parks’ 44th Annual Wreath Interpretations Open Call is at the Arsenal all seven days — the submission window for the winter wreath show.
  Bethesda Terrace and Fountain — closed all day, every day. The permits now run to November 9.
  New Dendrology at the Arsenal Gallery, weekdays 9–5, free.
  Bird Watching with Birding Bob — five mornings from Loeb Boathouse. Migration’s last weeks.
  East Meadow closed both weekend days; East 106th Street lawn out Monday–Thursday.
  157 field permits — 82 at North Meadow, 46 at Heckscher, 18 on the tennis courts. North Meadow has now overtaken Heckscher as the busiest venue.

Quick recap

  Saturday is the week’s best day — 70°, partly sunny, and the Great Lawn is hosting pilates.
  Sunday: 93% rain on the triathlon’s final day. Drives committed regardless.
  East Drive is held midnight to 8 PM Wednesday AND Thursday under a permit titled only “Party.”
  Tuesday is 73° with nothing booked — the pick if you want the park empty and warm.
  Open House New York opens Friday at Grand Army Plaza.
  Bethesda Terrace now closed through November 9.

Have a good week in the park,
Central Park Guide