Due to ongoing maintenance at Pier 102, weekend NYC Ferry will run to and from Yankee Pier via shuttle from Pier 11/Wall Street. Visit ferry.nyc for more info.
After a long and thoughtful deliberation, the names of our two female kid goats (one of two shown above) have been decided! Welcome Salt 'n Peppa, who will be making themselves at home on Governors Island's Urban Farm this summer! Originally from Goodale Farms in Riverhead, Long Island, they will be cared for by our friends at Earth Matter until the end of the season.
Besides the fact that our fury friends are adorable and super soft, they have joined the NYC Compost Learning Center in the Urban Farm to help the composting process. Their diet will consist of NY resident vegetable scraps in addition to leaves, weeds, and branches. This will allow them to produce lots ofmanure. In fact, goat manure has a 2.4% nitrogen content- that's higher than cow (0.6%) and horse manure (0.7%)! The high level of nitrogen makes goat droppings a great addition to the compost.
The Compost Learning Center is located in Governors Island’s Urban Farm, near the Oval and by the entrance to the Hills. It's open to the public Saturdays and Sundays from 12PM-4PM during the season with special activities at 2:30PM.
Governors Island is now open on Saturday nights, brought to you by Grey Goose.
Visitors can now enjoy stunning sunsets overlooking New York Harbor, take leisurely bike rides around the Hills and visit Island Oyster for a Grey Goose Fair Winds Fizz specialty cocktail.
Late Saturdays starts July 7 and will run through September 1. All ferries to Governors Island will be free after 6 PM for Late Saturdays. The last ferry from Governors Island is 11 PM.
The Trust for Governors Island and the Mayors Office of the Chief Technology Officer announced today the launch of free, high-speed public Wi-Fi on Governors Island. The next generation, 5G-enabled service will be provided by Fiberless Networks, also announced today as the winner of the Governors Island Connectivity Challenge, the first citywide ‘Moonshot Challenge’ through the NYCx program. Public Wi-Fi service will be available on Governors Island beginning July 1.
Fiberless Networks’s winning solution will bring an important amenity to Governors Island’s growing audience of hundreds of thousands of seasonal visitors, vendors, arts and cultural programming partners and tenants. The technology delivered on Governors Island, the first of its kind in any New York City open space, will serve as a test case for advancing broadband, Wi-Fi and 5G cellular service throughout the City.
“Governors Island is an increasingly important place for creativity and innovation in New York City,” said Michael Samuelian, President and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “As a unique destination with expansive open space, unparalleled flexibility and an engaged audience, there is no better place to test, deploy and accelerate innovative technologies in the city than Governors Island. We’re excited to deliver ultra-fast and affordable Wi-Fi to the diverse set of New Yorkers who visit us each year, and for our current and future tenants who are part of our growing community.”
Today’s announcement marks the culmination of the Governors Island Connectivity Challenge announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio in October 2017. The first of several ‘Moonshot Challenges’ unveiled by the city’s NYCx program, the Connectivity Challenge showcased Governors Island as an ideal testbed for the latest in connectivity solutions. Global entrepreneurs were invited to propose and deliver bold solutions to deliver hi-speed broadband and 5G cellular service on Governors Island, providing a platform for the City to acquire new insights to advance connectivity for all New Yorkers.
“The NYCx program was anchored in the Connectivty Moonshot Challenge, and we’re thrilled to see the launch of pervasive Wi-Fi across a cherished New York City destination,” said Jeremy M. Goldberg, Deputy CTO, NYCx, Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer. “Wi-Fi is an essential part of participating in today’s world, and we hope that the positive outcomes of this challenge will roll-out to other locations in the City and benefit all New Yorkers.”
Council Member Peter Koo, Chair of the Technology Committee, stated, “We’re kicking off the summer season on Governors Island in the best way possible by bringing free Wi-Fi service to its visitors. This effort shows that no matter how spread out our landscapes may be, New York City is dedicated to ensuring our communities are connected to high-speed networks. Thank you to the Mayor’s Office of the CTO, the Trust for Governors Island and Fiberless Networks for making this project a reality.”
"I am thrilled that free, high speed connectivity will finally make its way to Governors Island," said Council Member Margaret S. Chin. "With its lush greenspace and breathtaking views of New York harbor, Governors Island has long been recognized as an organic oasis, a center for culture and recreation and - thanks to the Moonshot challenge - a hub of tech innovation. I look forward to future partnerships and opportunities that will bring even more resources to the thousands of visitors, workers and vendors that utilize the Island every year."
Over the past six months, finalists for the Governors Island Connectivty Challenge worked with the Trust and the Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer to build and test solutions on Governors Island. Fiberless Networks, based in Quincy, MA will deliver the service on Governors Island for the public season and for the next several years.
“We are both honored and excited to have been chosen by the Trust of Governors Island to participate in providing next generation ultrafast and affordable wireless communications to the island,” said Louis Slaughter, CEO of Fiberless Networks Corporation. “Through history the Island has been an important part of New York City’s heritage having witnessed the first public flight in the United States by Wilbur Wright around the island.Wireless communications of the flight was personally telegraphed from the Island by Guglielmo Marconi, Inventor of the wireless telegraph.We are pleased to be yet another milestone for Governors Island albeit not as momentous as the flight of Wilbur Wright but significantly faster than the communications provided by Signore Marconi”.
NYCX seeks to further Mayor Bill de Blasio’s goal of ensuring every New York City resident and business will have access to affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband service by 2025.
A popular seasonal destination for recreation, arts, culture and education, Governors Island is undergoing a transformation into a year-round community with new commercial, cultural and educational activity. The Island is open to the public seven days a week from May 1 through October 31 from 10 AM to 6 PM weekdays, from 10AM-10 PM on Fridays between May 25-September 14 and from 10 AM to 7 PM weekends.
About NYCx
Launched in October, 2017, NYCx is the world’s first municipal program to transform urban spaces into hubs for tech collaboration, research, testing and development. New York City’s diverse population, economy and landscape offer a unique opportunity for technology companies to develop tools that improve the world. NYCx is a program in the Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer. Learn more at www.nyc.gov/nycx
Shandaken: Governors Island will award one year of free studio space on Governors Island to five residents at a time. Studios for the upcoming season are available October 15, 2018 through September 30, 2019.
Although the main focus of this collaboration is residents' studio practice, participants will also be invited to explore, study, and learn about the island. These on-site experiences will result in public programming that residents will present to the island’s hundreds of thousands of visitors in summer 2019.
Located in the heart of New York Harbor between Lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn waterfront, Governors Island is an unparalleled place for cultural practitioners to work. An eight-minute ferry ride away from Lower Manhattan, the island boasts 172 acres of public parkland, historic architecture, and wide-open views. It holds a uniquely important place in the history of New York, and is currently home to a robust cultural program.
Independence Day is right around the corner and Governors Island will be open for the public to spend the day away from the bustling city life! Celebrate with an Island getaway and enjoy free history, art and culture and more with some of the best views of Lady Liberty, New York Harbor and city skyline.
The Island will be open all day from 10AM-7PM. Ferries will run on a weekend schedule from Manhattan and Brooklyn, until the island closes at 7PM. The NYC Runs Firecracker 5K & 10K is taking place from 9AM–10:45AM.
Food vendors at Soissons Landing and Liggett Terrace will be open on July 4.
Despite the traditional means of celebrating this holiday, fireworks will not be viewable from Governors Island.
Did you know Governors Island now has two Welcome Centers? Memorial Day Weekend we opened a second Welcome Center near the Brooklyn Ferry Landing. Located at Yankee Pier, the new Yankee Welcome Center will be open on weekends from 10AM-5PM to greet our Brooklyn visitors. Stop by to get the latest updates on what’s happening on the Island, ask directions and stock up on snacks, drinks and souvenirs! You can also pick up Island essentials like sunblock, picnic blankets, hats, sweatshirts and sunglasses! Our original Welcome Center, located at the top of the staircase at Soissons Landing, is open Wednesday-Sunday, from 10am-5pm.
Both Welcome Centers are staffed by our friendly Visitor Services team, which includes high school interns from our Harbor Internship Program, as well as our Island Ambassador volunteers.
The Harbor Internship program offers students from Governors Island’s own New York Harbor School and the School for Green Careers formative paid work experience and career development in an idyllic setting. These bright, motivated young people work alongside our staff to provide general information, manage sales and offer their personal recommendations to visitors. Stop by to say hello! They’ll help orient you and tell you all about the fun activities happening on the Island, including special programming and events of the day.
The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) is pleased to announce the organization’s first off-site exhibition, Close Quarters, featuring eight NADA Member galleries on Governors Island. Open July 1–29, artwork will be displayed across two floors of a historic turn-of-the-century Colonial Revival house on Governors Island, and will be on view every weekend in July, Friday through Sunday, 11am–5pm.
There will be a special opening preview held on Thursday, June 28th from 1–5pm.
Close Quarters July 1–29, 2018 Governors Island Colonel Row, 403 Organized by New Art Dealers Alliance
Featured artists and galleries include:
Michael Mahalchick (CANADA) Asif Mian (False Flag) Rainer Ganahl (Kai Matsumiya) Fabienne Lasserre (Safe Gallery) Jerry the Marble Faun (SITUATIONS) Hayley Martell and Devin Morris (Signal) Johanna Unzueta (Proyectos Ultravioleta) Jeff Williams (Jack Hanley Gallery)
Open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 11am–5pm
Previously occupied by the Coast Guard, House 403 has a storied history on Governors Island, serving as the site of many of President Ronald Reagan’s meetings with world leaders, including Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. The house is located within the Governors Island Historic District, designated by the New York City Landmarks and Preservation Commission.
Visit
Close Quarters July 1–29, 2018 Governors Island Colonel Row, 403 Organized by New Art Dealers Alliance
Open to the public Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 11am–5pm, starting July 1st.
The Trust for Governors Island today announced the opening of a new summertime skating rink along Governors Island’s Western shore. Made from a synthetic material designed for metal ice skates, Mel’s Rink Governors Island will give New Yorkers the rare opportunity to skate during the summer months and is the first outdoor skating opportunity on Governors Island. Skate rentals will be available for ages, with free skating every weekday from 10AM-12PM. The rink officially opens to the public on Saturday, May 26.
“Governors Island is already a beloved recreational destination, but what could be more fun than summertime ice skating in view of the Statue of Liberty?” said Michael Samuelian, President of the Trust for Governors Island. “Whether you’re an amateur skater or seasoned-pro, we can’t wait to see New Yorkers turning ice skating upside down on our new rink that allows for skating in the summer sun.”
One of the only places in New York City to skate during the summer months, Governors Island’s 8,000 square-foot skating rink is built in partnership with Mel’s Rink Foundation, a Maryland-based non-profit that provides mentally and physically challenged children and adults with skating and hockey lessons, sports skills and spaces to play. Originally located on the rooftop of the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., Mel’s Rink moves to Governors Island this season, the organization’s first venture in New York City.
“Governors Island is a place to discover the unexpected, and we're thrilled to bring an unexpected recreational opportunity to New Yorkers for the first time - summertime ice skating!" said Karen Brooks Hopkins, Trust for Governors Island Board Member and Senior Advisor, the Onassis Foundation. "When I first discovered Mel's Rink on the roof of the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., I immediately pictured a larger version for New York City skaters on Governors Island, right in view of Lady Liberty. We invite visitors of all ages and abilities to enjoy a one of a kind skating experience this summer."
“The Mel's Rink Foundation is thrilled to be partnering with Governors Island on such a unique and exciting opportunity,” said Marc Kohn, Founder of Mel’s Rink Foundation. “To bring the immense joy of skating fun to the NYC community during the summer is exhilarating!”
Located along the Island’s Western Promenade near historic Castle Williams and in view of the Statue of Liberty, Mel’s Rink Governors Island will be open daily from 10AM-5PM on weekdays and from 10AM-6PM weekends beginning Saturday, May 26. The rink will remain open during Governors Island’s Late Fridays until 9PM beginning Friday, June 1. Free skating is available on weekdays for the first hour from 10AM-12PM.
For Skate Rentals + Rink Access, the rates are as follows:
$20 for adults
$15 for children
If you bring your own skates, rink access is:
$10 for adults
$5 for children
Mel's Rink utilizes state-of-the art synthetic technology to provide skaters with an "ice like" feel unmatched in the industry. The synthetic ice is high density plastic polymer that mimics the properties of real ice, designed for use with traditional ice skates with sharp metal blades. Mel's Rink performs skate sharpening throughout the day, so every skater has an exceptional experience. Skate sharpening demonstrations are open to the public whenever the rink is open.
Governors Island and Mel’s Rink will announce special programming, on-site food and beverage and special guest skaters at the rink throughout the summer.
Governors Island is open to the public seven days a week from May 1 through October 31 from
10 AM to 6 PM weekdays, from 10AM-10 PM on Fridays between May 25-September 14 and from 10 AM to 7 PM weekends.
About Mel’s Rink Foundation
The Mel's Rink Foundation was formed after the untimely passing of founder, Marc Kohn's step-daughter, Melanie. Mel was a huge hockey fan and the original Mel's Rink was built in her honor. The Mel's Rink Foundation is committed to building synthetic rinks open to the public, but with a focus on teaching kids with different needs and those from disadvantaged families, how to skate and play the great game of hockey.
Governors Island is thrilled to welcome the latest member to our team of Working Dogs. Chip is a 5 month old Border Collie, and like Quinn and Max, he comes to us from the wonderful folks at Mid Atlantic Border Collie Rescue. Max turned 8 this month (Happy Birthday, Max!) and we expect Chip to be hitting his stride as a goose dog in three years just as Max may be more inclined to enjoy the hammocks and flowers and Adirondack Chairs here on Governors Island.
Why does Governors Island need working dogs?
While Canada geese can be lovely to look at, they leave a mess (they eat up to four pounds of grass a day and leave over a pound of waste per goose!), and can be aggressive toward people when they are nesting. To ensure the enjoyment and safety of visitors, as well as the safety of the geese, our working dogs work to keep the geese off our lawns. Reducing the goose population helps our overall efforts to create wildlife habitats and increase ecological diversity on the Island in the form of terns, owls, kestrels, peregrine falcons, song birds etc., as well as a variety of flourishing plant life.
Border Collies are trained to herd and discourage the geese from hanging out, but they will never harm the animals. In fact, Border Collies are recommended by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Humane Society due to their highly evolved herding instincts.
Follow our working dogs' adventures on Governors Island on Instagram @GIWorkingDogs, and be sure to follow @GovernorsIsland for the latest updates on what’s happening this season.
The Trust for Governors Island, in partnership with the Film Society of Lincoln Center, today announced a new outdoor film series: ‘Escape in New York: Outdoor Films on Governors Island’. The first ever film series produced on Governors Islandwill feature four free screenings throughout the season, inspired by the city we all call home. For its inaugural year, the outdoor film series will take place on the Island’s newly restored Parade Ground, an eight-acre lawn with expansive open views of Lower Manhattan. The series will be produced by Rooftop Films.
“Thanks to expanded late summer Fridays and some of the best skyline views, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our city than bringing New Yorkers together under the stars for a New York City-themed film series,” said Michael Samuelian, President and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “Our inaugural partnership with the Film Society of Lincoln Center is sure to become a signature summer event on Governors Island that New Yorkers look forward to for years to come.”
The Film Society of Lincoln Center has partnered with the Trust to curate film selections this summer, its first outdoor series in decades. The theme for Escape in New York draws inspiration from the Island’s iconic views and the sense of escape visitors enjoy when boarding the ferry or watching a film on the big screen. The series will kick off with a screening of John Carpenter’s cult classic Escape from New York on June 8. Other films to be showcased throughout the season include The Last Dragon, Ghostbusters, and Desperately Seeking Susan, each paired with an independent short film by a local New York filmmaker. Rooftop Films will lead the technical production on the series, bringing more than two decades of experience producing outdoor movie screenings in New York City.
“In the 1970s and 80s, before we had our own theaters, the Film Society of Lincoln Center presented outdoor screenings across New York,” said Lesli Klainberg, Executive Director of the Film Society. “We are returning to our roots, in a sense, by partnering with Governors Island on a free public film series, and we are thrilled to celebrate the city’s history by screening these NYC classics while also looking forward with contemporary shorts by local filmmakers.”
Kicking off on June 8, the Escape in New York series will take place during Governors Island’s Late Fridays and will occur on the second Friday of every month between June and September. Screenings will be free and open to the public with pre-show entertainment kicking off at 7:00 PM and the films beginning at dusk.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Film Society of Lincoln Center on a cultural program never before presented at this scale on the Island,” added Meredith Johnson, VP of Arts and Culture at the Trust of Governors Island. “Working with Rooftop Films on the production of this groundbreaking series will be an example of art and public space coming together to shape quintessential summer memories for tens of thousands of New Yorkers.”
Ferries during Late Fridays will run from the Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan, located at 10 South Street. On film nights, they will depart Lower Manhattan at 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 PM. Ferries will return to Lower Manhattan from Soissons Landing at 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00PM.
Full Schedule
June 8: ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (John Carpenter, 1981, 99m), with THE ROAD TO MAGNASANTI (John Wilson, 2017, 15m)
July 13: DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN (Susan Seidelman, 1985, 104m), with MY LAST FILM (Zia Anger, 2015, 9m)
August 10: GHOSTBUSTERS (Ivan Reitman, 1984, 107m), with REVIEW (Dustin Guy Defa, 2015, 4m)
September 14: THE LAST DRAGON (Michael Shultz, 1985, 109m), with HERNIA (Jay Giampietro, 2015, 12m)
Governors Island is open daily through October 31. The Island is open to the public from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM weekdays, weekends from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM and Fridays between May 25 and September 14 until 10:00 PM. Ferries will be free during opening week, May 1-May 6. For more information, visit www.govisland.org.
About the Film Society of Lincoln Center
The Film Society of Lincoln Center is devoted to supporting the art and elevating the craft of cinema. The only branch of the world-renowned arts complex Lincoln Center to shine a light on the everlasting yet evolving importance of the moving image, this nonprofit organization was founded in 1969 to celebrate American and international film. Via year-round programming and discussions; its annual New York Film Festival; and its publications, including Film Comment,the U.S.’s premier magazine about films and film culture, the Film Society endeavors to make the discussion and appreciation of cinema accessible to a broader audience, as well as to ensure that it will remain an essential art form for years to come.
