Voting for NYC Council District 3’s Participatory Budgeting Projects Through Saturday, April 14, Online & In-Person | New York City Council Member Erik Bottcher has once again allocated $1 million from this year’s capital discretionary budget to be spent on capital improvement projects (schools, parks, libraries, streets, etc.) throughout the District 3 coverage area. The eight projects on this year’s ballot are: Air Conditioning for the P.S.11 Auditorium; a Chair Lift at P.S. 212; a Hydroponics Lab at P.S. 111; Broadway Pedestrian Plaza; Madison Square Park Fence Upgrades; James J. Walker Park Improvements; Arthur W. Strickler Triangle Green Space Enhancements; and a Teen Multi-Media Center at Chelsea Rec Center. The project with the most votes will be fully funded—and. If there’s anything left out of that one million dollars (there always is), remaining funds will be distributed to the second place project, and so on. If you have any questions and/or would like more info, call Council Member Bottcher’s District Office at 212-564-7757 or click here to visit the NYC Participatory Budgeting website. Click here to vote online. For In-person voting opportunities, see the below flyer.

Friends of Chelsea Green Park Fundraising Auction and Mixer | The volunteer group responsible for bringing fun, free programming to the mighty West 20th Street micropark, Chelsea Green, begins their fundraising auction just a few hours after the eclipse (aka 6pm on Monday, April 8) and concludes it on Sunday, April 14, with a 6-9pm 21+ mixer celebration at another Chelsea icon, the nearby Peter McManus Cafe (152 Seventh Ave. at W. 19th St.). “Help us ring in the 5th Summer at the park,” say the Friends, adding, “This Auction allows us to continue bringing fun events and entertainment to Chelsea Green Park. To bid on items, click here.

Return of the Red Umbrellas: A Day of Free Programming on Saturday, April 13, 9:30am-5pm at Gansevoort Plaza | Having made its debut last year, 2024’s Return of the Red Umbrellas has the distinction of establishing the event as an annual happening. But what, exactly, is happening? Well for starters, warmer weather is back—and with it, more of us apt to meet, eat, chat, and otherwise gather on Gansevoort Plaza. Courtesy of the Meatpacking’s District’s BID (Business Improvement District), you’ll find on the plaza a plentiful supply of tables and chairs, with shade provided by none other than the giant red umbrellas that are the centerpiece of April 14’s celebration. Those red umbrellas, a Meatpacking rep told us in an email, made their first appearance on the Plaza in 2016. This current generation of umbrellas were brought on in 2019. Each one of the stand-alone units (and they do stand) weighs 300 lbs., is nine feet tall and, when opened up, 11 feet wide. As for what’s offered on April 14, activities include: From 9:30am to12pm, fuel your experience with Complimentary coffee from Terremoto Coffee (while supplies last). From 12 – 4 pm, don’t miss giveaways from the Whitney including tickets to the Museum and 2024 Biennial. This season’s must-see exhibition is now on view through August 11. For more info on the day’s activities, click here.