Happy Park(ing) Day 2009 Everybody!

It's Park(ing) Day, the most wonderful day of the year for people who like sitting in the street. Did you get everything you wanted under the Park(ing) tree? Here are the first photos from the day's festivities, which involve the imaginative transformation of over 50 drab, lifeless parking spots throughout NYC into spontaneous "park" installations.

We'll have even more photos later in the day, so check back in the afternoon for an expansive look at all the Park(ing) celebrations. [Send us your photos to tips(at)gothamist(dot)com or tag them "Gothamist" on Flickr!] For those who want to park it in person, here are all the locations that have been liberated from motorists' oppression.

One must-see is the double-wide Park(ing) space in SoHo that's being turned into a giant ball pit (see below) which passers-by can jump into and be photographed in "from high up above." The organizers, Shootbooth, say they'll be making prints for free until 6 p.m., on the corner of West Broadway and Prince Street.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in Arts & Entertainment on September 18, 2009 12:50 PM

Comments [rss]

sunshine7

FYI- Some of the people who designed the pop-up park(ing)spaces are professional artist, and those who are not, are hard-working people with jobs who took a vacation day to create something fun and interesting for the public to enjoy.

Many of the people who took a moment to stop by the parks, where either on lunch break from work, students, retired, or otherwise open-minded individuals who stoped for a brief moment while running errands etc...

We breath exhaust fumes whether we are walking, jogging, driving,or sitting at an outdoor cafe...One main goal of park(ing)day is to get us all to began thinking about alternative ways to use our environment. Anyone who has expressed anger or nasty comments regarding this event might want to take a look in the mirror, and ask themselves why?...Love to All- Sunshine7

lacey

Oh for goodness sakes. We had a park(ing) day spot on Bedford yesterday, and not a single one of the organizers was a trust funder. Some people were there for the place they work, which sponsored the space, and the rest of us have nontraditional work hours at jobs where we bust our asses to get by to afford to live in this city. I am so sick and tired of this argument. I live in Williamsburg and I don't know a single person with a trust fund. All my friends work hard has shit all the time. Can this discussion just be OVER PLEASE? It's so boring.

NannyState

I don't want to kill them, that would be too easy. I want them to live so they can stand trial.

JMH

The people in the fourth picture are actually working. But, you know, don't let that get in the way of your desire to label everyone who does something you don't like as a "trust fund hipster".

ozik

Yeah, but they're still in the wrong. Either they wasted time farting around setting up their little street thing when they should've been mashing down buttons on a keyboard OR they are working the entire time and ruthlessly exploiting an otherwise spotless holiday with their horrible self-promotion via that banner.

Take your pick.

ozik

Okay, I hate trust funded folks more than any of you people. These are the same people that cut real workers out certain jobs: art, film, for profit poetry composin', etc.

But...

Don't fault them when they actually do something interesting. This is NYC, it's supposed to be interesting all the time.

virgilstarkwell

so self-righteous. i'm really tempted to go get my car and run this annoying pricks down.

jibbly

Paging Mr. Kettle, paging Mr. Kettle...Mr. Pot on line 1...

JenChungsBaby

I think these hipster losers should be drawn and quartered and their parts shipped back to their families in Dubuque via UPS Ground! Snarl!

Kojak

Word.

Wza

The guy in stripes looks like the dude from Superbad.

JacqueMehoff

I'm going to bike to a couple of these,

I like the workplace outdoor group, I mean it's a Friday and a beautiful day so far.

and I got to break in the new baseball glove I just bought.

gonna play catch.

BongoBoy

Was that the spot I let my mastiff piss in early this morning?

I do believe so.

grizzzly

ball pits > work.

drewo

The public using their public space. Which part of that don't folks understand?

Einstein083

I wouldn't try to understand this if I was one of you narrow-minded cubicle-dwellers.

Its not about sitting and breathing fumes. This is too complicated for you to comprehend, but they are making a statement. NYC needs less cars and more parks. I am sure this is blowing your mind by now. It's okay just lay down for a while if you are feeling light-headed.

Rocknrope

Wow, those are some real hipsters.

emilydickinson

Oh no! Fun? Is someone trying to have fun? This is what makes NYC interesting to live in. I'm all for it.

jibbly

Agreed. Judging from the negative comments they're hating on the "trust fund hipster" more than the actual parking day event. Whatever.

BTW, the giant ball pit looks really fun, but all I can think of are the childhood warnings of getting pinkeye at the McDonald's ball pit.