Spring Updates in Union Square

It’s officially spring in Union Square! The magnolias are blooming, there’s an extra hour of daylight, and the weather is starting to get warm enough for lunch in the park at our iconic bistro green seating. The Union Square Partnership Clean Team and Operations Team are currently working hard to prep the district for the new season. We’re so excited to welcome back everyone to the district to enjoy the park, Greenmarket, and events in the neighborhood this spring. Here’s everything you can expect in Union Square as we head into warmer weather and new seasons.

AROUND THE DISTRICT

SPRING PARK HOURS + BISTRO SEATING

Starting April 1st, the park hours will be extended to 6AM to 9PM from Mondays to Fridays. On the weekends, the park will be open from 7AM to 7PM on Saturdays and 7AM to 5PM on Sundays. Take advantage of the longer hours and warmer weather now that it’s spring! Your favorite lunch spot is coming back soon this April. You can expect to find our signature lime green bistro tables around our public areas in the Center Lawn, the Broadway Plaza, within Union Square Park, and the Triangle Plaza around mid-April. Tables will be available from 9AM to 7PM around Union Square Park and in our public plazas. Our hardworking Clean Team always does a deep clean of our outdoor furniture before setting them out for the season for our visitors.

PLANTINGS + BLOOMS

You can expect some gorgeous blooms this season, as well as continued maintenance around the park. In November, Target’s team came out to Union Square Park to plant some daffodils with the Union Square Partnership team. Thanks to Target’s team for coming out! We can’t wait to see the daffodils when they start to bloom this spring. Every spring, our dedicated landscaping partners kick off the season with a refresh for our 100+ planters around the district with seasonal flowers such as bluebells, lillies, roses, and more. Our landscaping partners also assist with adding new mulch, pruning the shrubs, and clearing up extra debris around the park. The work continues this spring when our landscapers come back to reseed and aerate the Center Lawn.

POLISHING UP THE DISTRICT

After a long year and rough winter weather this season, the Union Square Partnership Clean Team gives our facilities and resources a much-needed paint job for a quick refresh. Our mailboxes, fire hydrants, lampposts, tree guards, and other street features get a new layer of paint or touching up, if needed. Our Clean Team also gives the pavement along our South Plaza and within the park a hosing down to make sure that everything is fresh and clean.

SAVE THE DATE

GOING GREEN

Union Square is remembered as one of the first sites for an Earth Day protest back in 1970, and our legacy of advocating for sustainability and climate change awareness lives on to this day. This April, come out to Union Square to show your support and love for the Earth through attending various events celebrating Earth Day.

• Earth day initiative (april 14, 2024)

  • Show up, support, and take action against climate change at Earth Day Initiative’s Earth Day 2024 Festival in Union Square Park (East 17th Street and Park Avenue South) on April 14, 2024. Free and open to the public, come out and enjoy exhibits, interactive workshops, live performances, kids’ activities, sustainable foods, and more hosted by dozens of environmental non-profits and climate campaigns.

• Car-free earth day (april 20, 2024)

  • Hosted by the NYC Department of Transportation, Car-Free Earth Day converts certain Manhattan streets into public plaza and car-free areas to celebrate Earth Day for pedestrians, cyclists, and small businesses to enjoy. Stay tuned for more details from NYC DOT when Earth Day gets closer!

Credit: NYC Department of Transportation