2025 June Newsletter
Warming Up in Pelham Bay Park
Summer fun is coming (despite the drizzle)!
Join us at these upcoming events in Pelham Bay Park.
June Events
Natural Areas Conservancy Urban Forest Plan Community Walk-shop
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Meet near the Orchard Beach Bus Terminal
Join the Natural Area Conservancy for the Urban Forest Plan Community Walkshop at Pelham Bay Park!
This session will take place outdoors as we walk the park’s trails together, reflect on key insights from our Urban Forest Plan workshop, and continue the conversation about the role of forests in our communities.
You do not need to have attended a previous workshop to participate—everyone is welcome to join and share their ideas for the future of the urban forest!
🌱 What to Expect:
A guided walk through the park’s trails
Light discussion and reflection from previous workshops
Space to share ideas, concerns, and opportunities about the Urban Forest Plan
Community-building and connection in the fresh air
Whether or not you joined the first workshop, this is a chance to contribute to the future of our urban forest.
🎒 Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather!
🍎 Light refreshments provided
RSVP
Bronx Arts Ensemble: Global Glow Up! with Jenn Jade 6
Saturday, June 21, 2025
6 pm
Middletown Lawn (behind the bleachers near Stadium Ave & Middletown Rd), Pelham Bay Park
Join us for a vibrant journey through popular world rhythms and melodies. Bring your friends and family and put on your dancing shoes. Get ready to embark on a musical adventure that spans continents and cultures! Free.
More Info
Movies Under the Stars: Transformers One (2024)
Thursday, June 26, 2025
Movie begins at dusk, around 8:30 pm
Middletown Lawn (behind the bleachers near Stadium Ave & Middletown Rd), Pelham Bay Park
Before they came to Earth, the Transformers were citizens of their home planet Cybertron. This origin story explores the backstory to Optimus Prime and Megatron’s intense relationship. Rated PG.
Bring a blanket and a chair! This event is free.
All dogs must be on a leash at all times.
Summer Events: Save the Dates!
Movies Under the Stars
Thursday, June 26 - Transformers One
Friday, July 11 (Orchard Beach) - TBA
Thursday, July 24 - TBA
Thursday, August 14 - TBA
Join us for family-friendly films alfresco! With the exception of July 11, all movies take place on the Middletown Lawn (behind the bleachers near Stadium Ave. & Middletown Rd.)
Look out for the final lineup!
Bring a blanket or a chair! These events are free.
All dogs must be on a leash at all times.
Family Fun Day
Saturday, July 12, 2025
12 pm - 3 pm
Playground for All Children, Pelham Bay Park
Join NYC Parks, WSZIO, and the Friends of Pelham Bay Park for an afternoon of family fun in Pelham Bay Park, starting at 12 pm!
12 pm - John the Magnificent Magician of Simply Magic
2 pm - WonderSpark Puppets
Free!
Kids Shows
Wednesdays
July 16
July 23
July 30
August 6
This series of fun, free shows aimed at children will return this summer! Please More information to come.
Beach Days | Riviera Nights
Saturday August 2
Saturday, August 9
Saturday, August 16
Friday, August 22: Drive In Movie
Orchard Beach
Beach Days | Rivera Nights, our summer event series, returns this August! More information to come.
Viva La Sound
Saturday, September 13, 2025
10 am - 3 pm
Ambrosini Field, City Island
City Island Oyster Reef is holding their annual Viva La Sound Festival! Come by for environmental organizations, live demonstrations, and more!
More Info
Bronx Native American Festival
Sunday, September 28
12 pm - 4 pm
South Picnic Area, Pelham Bay Park
This event celebrating the indigenous peoples of the Bronx, New York City, and beyond returns this year!
More Info
Updates
Reconstruction work on the landmarked Orchard Beach Pavilion continues. The building will not reopen this summer.
NYC Parks has completed work on a new maintenance and operations (M&O) building at Orchard Beach. The new building consolidates and improves M&O support for the beach and Pelham Bay Park area, allowing the properties to be better served.
The original double allée of elm trees lining the mall leading to the main entrance and pavilion building has been restored.
Orchard Beach is open for swimming! Lifeguards are on duty from 10 am - 6 pm daily. Remember to only swim when and where lifeguards are on duty.
Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue has stepped down. Former Bronx Borough Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa has been named our new Parks Commissioner.
Long-time Pelham Bay Park Administrator Marianne Anderson has retired after 40 years of service to NYC Parks. A new administrator has not been selected yet, but in the meantime, please call the Pelham Bay Park Administrator’s Office at 718-430-1891 or email pbadministration@parks.nyc.gov with any questions or concerns.
Know Your Neighbor
Did you know that there's actually no animal just called a seagull? What we call seagulls are a variety of different gull species that just live in and around coastal areas. Here in New York, we’re likely to see ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis), North American herring gulls (Larus smithsonianus or Larus argentatus smithsonianus) and great black-beaked gulls (Larus marinus). While these birds are enjoyed recreationally by bird watchers and the general public, they are often seen as a nuisance due to the size of the colonies.
Ring-billed gulls forage for their food, also commonly stealing food from other birds. They have been seen eating insects, fish, grains, eggs, earthworms and rodents. They will also happily take food from people that isn’t being guarded or observed. (You may have experienced this at Orchard Beach!)
North American herring gulls are scavengers, and have an incredibly varied diet, Including marine invertebrates, insects, fish and even other birds.
Great black-beaked gulls are an apex predator and opportunistic in feeding, happily eating anything it can swallow. They will swoop down and take fish from the surface of the water. Unlike other Larus gulls they are highly predatory, frequently hunting prey smaller than themselves.
Generally, when breeding season comes, gulls will pair up in early spring, and build a nest from grasses, seaweed and feathers. Some gulls build nests high up where they can spot dangers coming, and, in urban environments, will even reuse the same nest from the previous year.
If you’d like to support our programming you can donate here: https://www.pelhambaypark.org/membership
Thank you so much for all that you do. We couldn’t do any of this without you.
See you in the park!
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