Back and bigger than ever, SUBMERGE Marine Science Festival invites scientists of all ages and experience levels to Hudson River Park’s Pier 84. At this two-day festival, Hudson River Park’s River Project and dozens of partner organizations offer hands-on opportunities to discover our local waterways. Combining laughter and learning, SUBMERGE brings marine science to life with interactive tours, wildlife meet-and-greets, science showcases and so much more!
The first day of the festival on Friday, October 14 offers no-cost field trip opportunities for NYC students, and on Saturday, October 15, we welcome the public to learn and explore with us.
Featuring educational experiments, puppet performances and more, our Science Stage is the place to be for science learning! To kick off the festivities, science extraordinaire Al Leszczynski will dive into the importance of water and the beauty of Planet Earth. Afterward, our good friends over at WonderSpark Puppets will dedicate a special performance to the shell-ebration of oysters. Jacqueline Means, the “STEM Queen” will conduct a series of experiments that are sure to amaze. Then, the talon-ted handlers from the Wildlife Institute of Eastern NY will teach us all about birds of prey like owls, hawks and more!
Science Stage Lineup
11:00 AM & 1:30 PM — Al Leszczynski
11:30 AM & 2:00 PM — WonderSpark Puppets
12:00 PM & 2:30 PM — Jacqueline Means
12:30 PM — Birds of Prey with the Wildlife Institute of Eastern NY
If hands-on learning is more your speed, be sure to stop by Science Stations throughout the event, where partner groups from all over NYC will be sharing dynamic demonstrations and activities connected to our local waterways. We have over 30 groups joining us throughout the two-day festival, including some crowd favorites like the New York Aquarium, Billion Oyster Project and many more.
And be sure to check out Hudson River Park’s Critter Corner where you can meet real residents of HRPK’s Estuary, including oyster toadfish, crabs and our many, many marine friends! Or, have them visit you on the River Project’s Roving River tricycle — a kid-friendly touch tank housing Hudson River wildlife on wheels. You can also hop aboard Monmouth University’s Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe to see equipment demonstrations and learn about the research that happens on board.
A Park favorite from the summer, Big City Fishing returns! Join local anglers in catch-and-release fishing on the Hudson River as you learn about local ecology. We provide the rods, reels, bait and instruction, so all you need to bring is an eagerness to learn! All day long, the Manhattan Kayak Company will offer free paddling lessons to learn how to kayak in our local waters. Both are great activities that the whole family can enjoy!
Ready to dive into all things marine science? Mark your calendars — we can’t wait to celebrate our local waterways with you at this year’s SUBMERGE.
Thank you to our 2022 Festival Sustainability Partners:
NYU WetLab; Village Community Boathouse; Killer Snails
