For three Saturdays every summer, nearly seven miles of traffic-laden New York City streets are closed off for pedestrians to walk, run and bike in an event known as Summer Streets. We look forward to this event as we are able to capture the city sleeping and we enjoy the streets at our leisure. Free rental bikes and rollerblades are available for one hour free of charge and there are exercise classes and live musical performances throughout the route.

Until this year, the most popular attraction was walking through Grand Central, however the new Voice Tunnel took the crown at this Summer Streets this year. The Voice Tunnel is an interactive light and sound installation by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer that transforms the Park Avenue tunnel into a light show based on your vocals. Speaking louder will increase the lights’ brightness. Needless to say, the lines to experience the Voice Tunnel were  long.We advise you to get there extra early if you want to check it out.

For those who can’t make it to NYC to experience the Voice Tunnel, there’s this YouTube video, courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation:

We head into Summer Streets with a very light breakfast or none at all. Why would we deprive ourselves of the most important meal of the day? Simple:  there are  numerous vendors that give out samples of energy bars, cheeses, and detox juices.
There are only two more weekends left of Summer Streets. Where will you be on  August 10 and August 17?

Source: Summer Streets
(Image credits: Bruce Leong/Dapper Guide)

Voice Tunnel exit

Summer Streets route map

Bike and pedestrian sign

City Picnic hosted by Whole Foods