Governors Island To Bring Back Glamping, Exhibitions and The Jazz Age Lawn Party

Some spring reopening news we can get behind: Mayor de Blasio announced that Governors Island will reopen for visitors starting May 1, and that in addition to the daily ferries from the Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan, weekend ferries will be running from Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Atlantic Basin in Red Hook.

If you don’t want to wait until The Governors Ball, which is being held in September instead of June this year, we’ve got some Governor’s Island activities to tide you over.

• Collective Retreats has brought back its glamping option on the west side of the island, which this year will include culinary events including “The Art of Oyster Shucking” and “Mastering Poaching Lobsters” ($60 each) in addition to yoga and meditation activities. 

• The New York Virtual Volcano Observatory is hosting a pop-up exhibition called “PHREATIC!” by the WetLab of NYU-Gallatin, which will run from May 1 to June 7, and will include interactive activities adapted for Covid-safety regulations.

• The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts has curated MoCADA house on Governors Island, an exhibition that will run from May 1 through October 31 and includes a series of events to be announced.

• The much-beloved Jazz Age Lawn Party will be held on Governors Island from June 12 to June 13 for its 15th year after a Covid-related hiatus in 2020. Tickets are currently being released in small batches to accommodate Covid-19 safety restrictions, and unredeemed 2020 tickets will allow entry into the event, as well.

To encourage equal access to one of the city’s most unique and scenic outdoor spaces, de Blasio announced that ferry rides to Governors Island will be free for NYCHA residents, seniors, children, IDNYC holders, current and former military personnel and select community organizations.

Covid-19 safety regulations are constantly in flux these days, but you can brush up on last summer’s Governors Island safety best practices and plan your visit accordingly.

photo: @governorsisland