Acro-yoga acrobats get a lift working out in Washington Square Park. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)
Photos: Parks and recreation
September 3, 2020
Everynight Charley Crespo has been busy during the days, too, covering all the goings-on in Downtown parks — from acro-yoga, to the Charlie Parker Festival to the demise of the storm-damaged elm tree in Tompkins Square Park and more… .
Getting themselves into a tricky position in Washington Square Park. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)The Eric Paulin Band performing at the Charlie Parker Festival in Tompkins Square Park. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)
For the past 27 years, the City Parks Foundation and SummerStage had presented the Charlie Parker Festival in Tompkins Square Park and other locations on the last weekend of August.
This year, amid the pandemic, SummerStage chose to celebrate the festival virtually and on just one day.
Eric Paulin, who last month celebrated his 10th anniversary of playing in the park several times every week, got a permit, and announced that he was doing his own Charlie Parker Jazz Festival.
Although he announced a two-day festival, Paulin canceled on the planned first day, Saturday, because of the threat of thunderstorms. On Sunday, he moved his band from its usual spot by the Temperance Fountain to where the park’s band shell used to be.
(Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)A poster announcing the festival beforehand. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)The great elm in the southeast corner of Tompkins Square Park after Tropical Storm Isaias tore through, tearing off a major part of the tree. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)Surveying the damage. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)The part of the tree that fell off suffered from rot. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)Parks Department workers progressively cut down what was left of the tree trunk. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)The doomed elm was recently cut down to just a stump. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)During the pandemic lull in park sports, skateboarders have set up ramps and platforms in Tompkins Square Park’s playground for doing jumps and tricks. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)(Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)After getting married, maybe somewhere nearby, these newlyweds took photos in Tompkins Square. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)(Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)Chalking Black Lives Matter and #SayHerName messages in Washington Square Park. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)Going, going…gong! Playing gongs in Washington Square. (Photo by Everynight Charley Crespo)
A group played Chinese gongs in Washington Square Park on Aug. 20. It was not a playful event where anyone would come up and bang a gong, but more of a solemn, spiritual happening.
There was plenty of sweet, thick incense in the air, and around 10 silent people were sitting lotus style in front of the row of gongs. Those who played the prayerful percussion instruments created soft hums rather than the crashes one might expect.
Tompkins Square Park is a treasure to be protected for all New Yorkers.
Thank you for this lovely photo essay.