May 21, 2021 Little Island NYC opened up. This was a project that had been developed since 2013 as a way of revitalizing Pier 54. Pier 54 carries interesting history.
“The Hudson River waterfront was an important port of entry in the 19th and 20th centuries. … In 1912, survivors from Titanic arrived at Pier 54. In 1915 RMS Lusitania departed the same pier just to be sunk by German U-boat later. In the 1970s member of the LGBTQ community found the pier to be a safe-haven from discrimination. In 1986 the pier became the spot for the annual Dance on the Pier event. During the Hurricane Sandy in 2012 a lot of the pier was damaged. And in 2013 the idea for Little Island came about” (loosely quoted from https://littleisland.org/history)
It’s free to visit the island during opening hours from 6 am to 1 am. From 12:00 pm you need an entry ticket to avoid overcrowding. To keep up with the social distancing requirements this will be the process at least up until September 30th.
You can book your ticket here: https://littleisland.org/timed-entry-reservations – but be quick or be early. As I’m writing this the earliest available entry is June 7.
You’ll get access to the Island by West Side Highway and 13. and 14. street.
You. can read more about the project and what they offer of art, food, performances here: https://littleisland.org/
