We camp to create lasting memories, connect with the natural world, and bond with our families. The Urban Park Rangers celebrate the tradition of camping and we look forward to welcoming your family. Families are chosen by lottery. Lottery registration ends on 8/27/2026.
Free but Registration is required
Join the Urban Park Rangers at Inwood Hill Park for The Secret Lives of Insects, a deep dive into the extraordinary world of insects — the tiny creatures that quietly run our ecosystems. On this adventure, we’ll uncover the surprising lives of pollinators, predators, decomposers, and parasites, and learn how each plays a critical role in keeping New York City’s natural areas thriving.
West 218th Street and Indian Road in Inwood Hill Park
Registration not required.
We camp to create lasting memories, connect with the natural world, and bond with our families. The Urban Park Rangers celebrate the tradition of camping and we look forward to welcoming your family. Families are chosen by lottery. Lottery registration ends on 8/20/2026.
Free but Registration is required
Master Class
Before It Was JAZZ: The African Foundations Of An American Art Form
Inwood Hill Park Nature Center
Facilitator: Aaron Scott | Acclaimed jazz drummer, composer, founder and artistic director of the Inwood Jazz Festival
Featuring Master Musicians:
Abdou Mboup | Senegalese master percussionist and griot, preserving the ancient heartbeat of West African rhythm.
Frank Lacy | Powerhouse trombonist and vocalist whose soulful expression spans avant-garde jazz and deep post-bop lineage.
Sharp Radway | Virtuoso pianist, composer, and author dedicated to the profound spiritual and historical roots of the music.
Alex Blake | Legendary bassist renowned for his revolutionary, percussive acoustic technique and global jazz history.
Through performance, discussion, and demonstration, these internationally acclaimed artists, explore the rich, cultural traditions that gave rise to an American indigenous art form. Together, they illuminate the enduring connection between the musical traditions of West Africa and the evolution of jazz, revealing how those traditions continue to shape and inspire.
Date & Time: Wednesday, August 19th – 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Inwood Hill Park Nature Center
Admission: Free
Join the Urban Park Rangers on an exploration of the forest from fungal networks that live out of sight in the soil to towering canopies that are hundreds of years old. Learn how wildlife, plants, and all the micro ecosystems of the forest collaborate to persevere through major climactic change and join in on a discussion considering the wisdom that these woodlands hold in the future of New York City’s green spaces.
Registration not required.
