Free Bees: Make Manhattan Your Playground
Tourists Beware: Fun and games in Times Square
When was the last time you had stupid amounts of fun… and there wasn’t a happy hour (or a hangover) involved? When did you last find yourself in a death-defying chase across midtown… and not because you were late for work? When did you last have to persuade complete strangers on the subway to carry secret messages for you…? Ok, so probably never, unless you happen to be that wild-eyed guy on the A train who I always try to avoid.
Point is: now’s your chance. This weekend, the Come Out and Play festival takes over Times Square (and large swathes of Central Park) as part of its mission to bring fun, chaos and a new appreciation of their city to jaded, burnt-out New Yorkers. It runs from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th of June and all the games are free to play – just be sure to sign up on the website, as it sounds like they’re filling up fast. Intrigued, but a little nervous?
Well, there’s no need to fear, but every reason to be intrigued.
Come Out and Play describes itself simply as a “street games festival”, but the games themselves are incredibly diverse. Whether you like solving puzzles, learning fantastical new sports, geeking out with phones, cameras or mp3 players or bringing a board game to life, there’s something to suit you. Here’s just a few that are on offer over the weekend:
Ran Some, Ransom - Decode the secret message and be the fastest team to free the hostage – available to play all weekend.
Neo-Cowgirl Faux Rodeo - Does what it says on the tin. Be a rootin, tootin cowgirl (or even a broncing pony) in this kitsch rodeo remake – Friday, 6-8pm
Circle Rules Football - Who needs straight lines anyway? Head to Heckscher Fields in Central Park (65th St and Central Park West) for some fun in the sun with a giant yoga ball – Saturday, 4pm
Earpiece - Plug in your headphones and wait for the secret instructions. The next twelve minutes may well be the strangest of your life… and are sure to cause much bemusement to Times Square’s tourist hoards – Sunday, 1-3pm
And there’s tons more sleuthing, scheming, treasure-hunting, competitive fun to be had.
Last one to sign up’s a rotten banana.
Tags:
Central Park,
Come Out and Play,
games,
times sqaure,
weekend
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