Randall's Island

Team RIVER Volunteers
2025-04-09 09:30 - 12:30, 2025-04-02 09:30 - 12:30, 2025-03-26 09:30 - 12:30, 2025-03-19 09:30 - 12:30 UTC
Volunteer with Team RIVER (Randall’s Island Volunteer Ecological Restorers) and help keep Randall’s Island Park beautiful! Team RIVER Volunteers regularly work with the Natural Areas team twice a month to take care of and restore our natural spaces on the island. With our Horticulture team, volunteers care for the many gardens, green streets and meadows, every second Wednesday of each month. Team RIVER also works with our Sports Field and Operations teams, keeping our park clean and maintained. If you are only able to volunteer on a limited basis, you are still very much welcome!
This volunteer opportunity is open to individuals from the community. Groups of more than 5 people must contact: Volunteers@RandallsIsland.org
Volunteers must be at least 11 years old. Anyone under the age of 18 must have a waiver signed by their legal guardian before starting any work. Children under 16 must also have an adult with them while volunteering. A downloadable volunteer waiver can be found at this link: General Volunteer – Randall’s Island
Registration is required here.
Location: Volunteers will be notified after registration.
For inquiries about accessibility, to request an accommodation, or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

2025 USATF New York Youth Challenge Series
2025-04-06 10:00 - 16:00 | Icahn Stadium
US Track & Field New York returns its Youth Challenge Series to Randall’s Island Park and Icahn Stadium!
Learn more about USTF New York from their website and come and cheer the next generation of track & field stars!
Location: Icahn Stadium

Urban Farm Volunteers
2025-04-06 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-03-30 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-03-23 10:00 - 13:00 | Urban Farm
Volunteer with our team to manage our one-acre Urban Farm!
Whether you are new to our farm or have been a tried-and-true weekly volunteer, come and join us! Volunteers must be at least 10 years old. Individuals under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult who volunteers with them. Individuals ages 16 & 17 can volunteer if a parent or guardian has signed a waiver. Please find a downloadable waiver here: Waiver for unaccompanied 16 & 17 year olds
Registration is not required but we ask that you commit at least two hours of volunteering.
This volunteer event is for individuals from the community and not open to groups larger than 5 people. If you wish to bring more than 5 people, you must first contact us at volunteers@randallsisland.org.
Location: Urban Farm
For inquiries about accessibility, to request accommodation, or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

2025 Jesse Owens Track & Field Youth Program - Spring
2025-04-05 10:00 - 12:00 | Thomas Jefferson Park
Join the Randall’s Island Park Alliance and City Parks Foundation for the Jesse Owens Track & Field Youth Program! This free weekly program is available to youth ages 8-16 and enables participants to learn the fundamentals of the sport and stay active. Activities will focus on running techniques for springs and relays and will introduce other track and field activities like the long jump, hurdles, and long-distance running.
Registration is required on LeagueApps with City Parks Foundation!
Location: Thomas Jefferson Park (Harlem)
For inquiries about accessibility, to request an accommodation, or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

2025 Metropolitan Championship (Outdoor)
2025-04-04 11:00 - 19:00 | Icahn Stadium
Spend April 4th here at Icahn Stadium at the 2025 Metropolitan Championship (Outdoor) where some of the region’s best collegiate track & field programs square off for titles and bragging rights!
You can find last year’s results here, and we’re looking forward to another day at the track filled with competition and sportsmanship!
Location: Icahn Stadium

Let’s Go Birding Together (LGBT) with NYC Bird Alliance
2025-03-29 10:00 - 11:30
Join an experienced bird guide from NYC Bird Alliance for a free tour of Randall’s Island Park in search of fleeting, feathered friends at the beginning of spring! Let’s Go Birding Together tours are for anyone who loves birds, likes birds, is vaguely interested in birds, or just wants something fun and different to do outdoors.
We welcome those who identify as LGBTQIA+, allies, families, and anyone who wants to enjoy an outdoor experience that is inclusive and informative. Participants can borrow binoculars!
RSVP through NYC Bird Alliance here!
Location: Icahn Stadium, East Entrance
For inquiries about accessibility, to request an accommodation or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

Waterfront Data: Bridging Science & Community on Randall’s Island
2025-03-27 15:00 - 16:00 | Icahn Stadium
Join Randall’s Island Park Alliance and New York Sea Grant for a discussion on data sharing in the environmental field. Olivia Smith, Park-as-Lab Coordinator, will present on ongoing environmental monitoring projects on Randall’s Island, focusing on waterfront stewardship. The Park-as-lab website will be used as a model for sharing long-term datasets. Catherine Prunella, Water Quality Extension Specialist, will highlight community datasets on flooding and marine debris through the New York Sea Grant interactive dashboard. The event emphasizes the importance of community engagement in collecting environmental data and fostering collaboration among community members, non-profits, and academics.
After the discussion, join a brief guided tour of the Little Hell Gate Salt Marsh to see a restored ecosystem and participate in a microplastic sampling demo. All those interested in environmental science, community data collection, and ecological restoration are welcome!
Registration is required here.
Location: Icahn Stadium
For inquiries about accessibility, to request accommodation, or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

Wake Up the Farm Volunteer Day
2025-03-16 10:00 - 13:00 | Urban Farm
At this special volunteer event, you will help us clear the straw-covered garden beds to prepare for planting!
Let’s celebrate a new season and welcome back our farm volunteers. Volunteers will work for two hours and then we will get together to celebrate a new season with:

Hot cocoa
A fire pit
Live Lyall karaoke/sing alongs, and more

Registration is required here.
Rain Date: Sunday, March 23
Location: Urban Farm
For inquiries about accessibility, to request an accommodation, or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

Winter Composting hosted by Big Reuse
2025-03-08 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-03-01 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-02-22 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-02-15 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-02-08 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-02-01 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-01-25 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-01-18 10:00 - 13:00 and 1 more date | Urban Farm
Join the NYC Compost Project hosted by Big Reuse as we manage the 3-bin compost system at Randall’s Island Urban Farm!
We will be processing food scraps, yard waste, turning piles, and sifting finished compost.
Your volunteer work with us helps divert food scraps and organic waste away from landfills, which decreases greenhouse gas emissions and creates a soil amendment that goes back into parks, gardens, and public green spaces. Help us work towards a more ecologically sustainable community!
Registration is required here.
Location: Urban Farm
For inquiries about accessibility, to request an accommodation, or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

Volunteer Enrichment: Bridges of Randall's Island Bike Tour
2025-03-08 09:30 - 12:30 | Icahn Stadium
Join us to examine the bridges that surround Randall’s Island Park! This tour will start with a presentation of the history behind and specifics of the bridges on Randall’s Island. We will look at:

Important people behind these bridges
Bridge design
Bridges on the island

After, we will take a ride around the island, examining the bridges and their distinctive features.
Registration is required here.
Citi bikes will be available for those who need them. To reserve a Citi Bike please send an email to Volunteers@RandallsIslandPark.org.
Location: Icahn Stadium
For inquiries about accessibility, to request an accommodation, or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

Volunteer Enrichment: Controlling Emerging Invasives through Education and Eradication (RESCHEDULED to MARCH 1)
2025-03-01 09:30 - 12:30 | Icahn Stadium
Our Natural Areas Manager, Doug Kenney, will present an informative workshop on four invasive species RIPA is targeting for removal as part of a DEC-awarded grant, followed by a hands-on activity removing one of the species (Italian Arum) in the Water’s Edge Garden/Forest Pathway area.
We will gather in Icahn Stadium for the presentation, enjoy some snacks, and hot cocoa. Following the presentation attendees will go in the field and directly identify and remove some of these and these potential future invasive plants.
Due to weather conditions, this event will now be held on Saturday, March 1!
Registration is required here.
Location: Icahn Stadium
For inquiries about accessibility, to request an accommodation, or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

Celebrating Black History Month
2025-02-20 15:00 - 17:00 | East Harlem Neighborhood Health Action Center, 158 E 115th Street, New York, NY, 10029, United States
Join RIPA in this celebration of Black History Month as we uplift the stories and work of our local Black community. We’ll gather at the East Harlem Neighborhood Health Action Center for some nature and community-based activities and an Afro-Brazilian Samba class. Enjoy music, games, and snacks! This program is free and accessible to all ages—geared toward families with opportunities for engagement for all.
Location: East Harlem Neighborhood Health Action Center
For inquiries about accessibility, to request an accommodation, or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

MLK Day of Service - Afternoon
2025-01-18 12:30 - 14:30 | Icahn Stadium
Volunteers will assist our Urban Farm team to create these seed packets by placing seeds into packages and clearly labelling each. Seed-saving has a long and rich history, and we’re proud to take a small part in this tradition and pass on our seeds to others in the community to grow. Hot chocolate and light snacks will be provided.
Each growing season, the Urban Farm gives away hundreds of seed packets at its welcome table during the farm’s weekend Open Hours. Seed packets are extremely popular with our visitors — so much so that it is hard to keep the table stocked.
We maintain a wide range of seeds for giveaway! At any given time, you might find rice, lotus, carrot, or lettuce seeds in our library. Some of the seeds we share with the public are extra seeds that we purchased and no longer use. Others are seeds that we save ourselves from the plants growing on the Urban Farm.
Registration is required here. Please arrive early to sign in.

Location: East Entrance of Icahn Stadium
For inquiries about accessibility, to request an accommodation, or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

MLK Day of Service - Morning
2025-01-18 09:30 - 11:30 | Icahn Stadium

Team RIVER Volunteers
2024-12-18 09:30 - 12:30 | Icahn Stadium
Volunteer with Team RIVER (Randall’s Island Volunteer Ecological Restorers) and help keep Randall’s Island Park beautiful! Team RIVER Volunteers regularly work with the Natural Areas team twice a month to take care of and restore our natural spaces on the island. With our Horticulture team, volunteers care for the many gardens, green streets and meadows here at the park, every second Wednesday of each month. We also work with volunteers to help with park maintenance and public events. If you are only able to volunteer on a limited basis, you are still very much welcome!
Volunteers must be at least 11 years old. Anyone under the age of 18 must have a waiver signed by their legal guardian before starting any work. Children under 16 must also have an adult with them while volunteering (please contact volunteers@randallsisland.org for a copy of the waiver).
Registration is required here.
Location: East Entrance of Icahn Stadium
For inquiries about accessibility, to request an accommodation, or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

Christmas Bird Count
2024-12-15 09:00 - 14:00 | Icahn Stadium
The 125th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count—the nation’s longest-running Community-Science bird project—will soon be underway nationwide, and in all five boroughs of New York City – including here at Randall’s Island Park!
Anyone can participate, even beginner birders! The data collected over the past century by volunteer observers, ranging from experienced ornithologists to casual nature enthusiasts, allow researchers to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America.
This family-friendly activity is a great way to explore our City’s natural areas while contributing to valuable scientific research, and we encourage all to participate!
Registration is required here.
Location: Icahn Stadium
For inquiries about accessibility, to request an accommodation, or for event information, please email publicprograms@randallsisland.org.

Team RIVER Saturday
2024-12-14 09:30 - 12:30 | Icahn Stadium
