Holiday Season Open Streets Returns to Midtown Manhattan This Weekend

Pedestrianized space provides a safer and more enjoyable experience near popular holiday destinations on Fifth Avenue. Credit: NYC DOT

Fifth Avenue and Adjacent Side Streets will be Open to Pedestrians and Car-Free on Sunday December 14 from 12pm to 6pm.

Holiday Open Streets Give New Yorkers a Rare Chance to Enjoy the Holiday Magic of Midtown Manhattan Car-Free.

Holiday Open Streets will be returning to Midtown Manhattan this weekend on Sunday, December 14, from 12pm to 6pm. Fifth Avenue will be car-free and open to pedestrians from 48th to 57th streets. Additionally, cross streets from 49th street to 56th street will be open to pedestrians only between fifth and sixth avenues. Motorists are strongly encouraged to plan alternate routes through midtown between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm on December 14.

Additionally, through the remainder of 2025 until January 4, 2026, both West 49th Street and West 50th Street will be open to pedestrians only between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. each day. 

Over the last four years, NYC DOT has pedestrianized a record 1.5 million square feet of space on roadways across the five boroughs to improve safety for pedestrians and to give public space back to the communities that need it most. NYC DOT works with community-based organizations, educational institutions, and business groups to execute Open Streets citywide. Applications are now open to participate in the 2026 Open Streets Program. More information about NYC DOT’s Open Streets program is available online.