By Tracy Zwick
April 17th through 19th
Opening Celebration: The Green at The Davis Center at Harlem Meer in Central Park: Saturday, April 18th from noon to 4 p.m.; 106-51 East Drive in Central Park; free (no registration required)
After wrapping up Gottesman Ice Rink’s inaugural skating season, the Central Park Conservancy is celebrating the re-opening of The Green at the Davis Center. Enjoy lawn games, art workshops, yoga sessions, and music this Saturday. Food will be available for purchase from Harlem’s own Settepani on the Meer.
West Harlem Forest Community Kick-Off Event: Saturday, April 18th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Camel Playground (Take the 1 train to 145th Street and walk west towards Riverside Drive until you reach 142nd Street); free
Over the next few years, in partnership with NYC Parks and the Natural Areas Conservancy, Riverside Park Conservancy will restore 7.5 acres of parkland in West Harlem. It all starts with a celebration this Saturday! Visitors can join elected officials and community members for tours of the site, and information sessions about the restoration process. There’ll be activities for kids, chats with conservation experts, and a special appearance by the Riverside Park goats.
Columbia Men’s Tennis v. Harvard: Saturday, April 18th at 1 p.m.; The Milstein Family Tennis Center at 603 West 218th Street; free
The No. 34-ranked Division 1 Men’s Tennis team at Columbia finished last weekend with two Ivy Conference wins against ranked opponents. They’ll face Harvard at home this Saturday at 1 p.m. The Lions beat No. 39 Penn last Friday, and No. 37 Princeton 4-0 last Saturday. Columbia tennis standout Michael Zheng, who competed in the 2026 Australian Open and won back-to-back NCAA Singles Championships, recently won a $100,000 Hurd Award to help him launch his pro career. You can pay big bucks to see Zheng compete at the U.S. Open again this summer, or see him, and a top team, for free, a quick subway ride up from the UWS.
Warsaw Ghetto Memorial Commemoration: Sunday, April 19th at 1 p.m.; Riverside Park between West 83rd and 84th streets; free
A ceremony in honor of the 83rd anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising will feature speakers, readings, and an arts program. Dating to 1947, this solemn Riverside Park Memorial is a tribute to the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, an early episode of Jewish resistance to the Holocaust, and the six million Jews who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during World War II (1939-1945). It honors those who engaged in resistance, and recognizes the courage of their fight against tyranny and genocide.
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Thank you, West Side Rag, for publicizing the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial Commemoration so thoroughly, with links to such fascinating information. Please note that this commemoration has been held for over 40 continuous years, rain or shine. So, if the rain prediction holds, I’ll be there with my umbrella.