What’s Open, Closed For Labor Day In NYC During Coronavirus

NEW YORK CITY — New York City is nearing the end of its first — and hopefully last — summer under the shadow of coronavirus. Prepare for a Labor Day weekend that’s both unlike any other and strangely familiar after months of lockdown.

Closures that were part of past Labor Days are now part of daily life in a pandemic. Cleared-out spaces once from people fleeing the city for the holiday weekend are now from social distancing and a coronavirus exodus.

Beaches will be open but wear a mask as you tote your beach bag on the subway or bus. Some holiday celebrations will go virtual.

And if you travel out of state, there’s a good chance you’ll have to quarantine upon your return.

In short, everything will have a 2020 twist.

Celebrations

New York’s official Carnival celebrations pack the streets of Brooklyn this year with colorful costumes and dance — too much risk of spreading COVID-19.

But the celebration will carry on.

"Here in Central Brooklyn we remain committed to carnival at heart," U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke said Thursday. "We should all be proud of the contributions of the Caribbean community to the city of New York, but we are in the midst of this pandemic. While tradition has dictated in the past that we gather together, this is not the time."

The J'Ouvert festival — usually a thousands-strong pre-dawn Labor Day event that kicks off the West Indian Day Parade — will be small event honoring essential workers.

The West Indian Day Parade itself will go online for two virtual events Friday and Sunday. Find out more on the West Indian Carnival Association website.

Clarke and Mayor Bill de Blasio urged Central Brooklyn communities to hold off their usual celebrations. Various groups will pass out “No Large Gatherings” across neighborhoods.

Extra cops will also patrol neighborhoods in Central Brooklyn and citywide to discourage a holiday surge in violence.

Travel

Scores of New Yorkers usually leave the city during Labor Day weekend to soak up extra sun, spend time outdoors or visit family.

But this is 2020 and, yet again, there’s a twist.

There are currently 33 states and territories with high COVID-19 infection rates on New York’s quarantine list. People who visit or travel from those states must quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival in New York.

De Blasio urged New Yorkers to avoid traveling to those states.

“If you must, then you must respect the quarantine upon your return,” he said.

The full travel advisory list is:

• Alaska
• Alabama
• Arkansas
• California
• Florida
• Georgia
• Guam
• Hawaii
• Iowa
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Mississippi
• Montana
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• Oklahoma
• Puerto Rico
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Virgin Islands
• Wisconsin

The city’s Open Restaurants on Open Streets program will treat Labor Day as a weekend day, de Blasio said.

“And hopefully it's going to be a great day of business for our restaurants,” he said.

More information about Open Streets locations and restaurants can be found here.

• City, state and federal government offices, including courts and post offices, are closed.
• New York City public schools don't reopen for classes until Sept. 21. The free Meal Hubs are open Monday through Friday and won’t be affected by the holiday.
• Regular mail will not be delivered.
• Many banks will be closed, as Labor Day is a federal holiday.
• Libraries across the city have been closed to the public for the pandemic, but many have recently returned to grab-and-go service. New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library locations will be closed for the entire holiday weekend (Saturday through Monday).

Transportation

• New York City subways, buses and the Staten Island Railway will run on a Sunday schedule on Labor Day. That means lines that don't normally run on weekends won't run for an extra day.
• There will be significant service changes scheduled on the 5, 6, C, D, E, F and L lines through Monday that may affect travel.
• Subways will continue to be closed for coronavirus cleaning from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.
• Long Island Rail Road will run a weekend schedule Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It also will run extra trains to get New Yorkers out of the city Friday afternoon.
• Metro-North will run a regular weekend schedule on Saturday and Sunday, with a holiday schedule for its West of Hudson service on Monday. Its East of Hudson service will run a regular weekday schedule on Monday. Metro-North will also run getaway trains on Friday.
• Click here for more details on holiday schedules.

Parking

• Alternate side parking rules will be suspended.

Trash pickup

• Trash won’t be picked up Monday as usual. Instead, the department asks residents whose trash is usually collected on Monday to place trash out after 4 p.m. on Sept. 7 for pickup the following day.
• Those whose recycling is usually collected on Mondays will have to wait a week and are asked to place recycling out after 4 p.m. on Sept. 14 for next-day pickup.