Free overnight camping in NYC parks is allowed - but only on select nights, and only if you win the lottery.
The lottery in question is operated by the Urban Park Rangers and it allows families to bring a tent and other useful urban camping gear to spend a night in Central Park, Fort Greene Park, Van Cortlandt Park, Pelham Bay Park, Marine Park, Alley Pond Park or Wolfe’s Pond Park.
A 24-hour online lottery is held for each camping night with about 30 winning entries per event. The NYC camping and lottery dates for 2011:
Location: Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
Camp night: July 22
Location: Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Camp night: July 22
Location: Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan
Camp night: July 22
Location: Cunningham Park, Queens
Camp night: July 30
24-hour lottery: July 20
Location: Central Park
Camp night: Aug. 5
24-hour lottery: July 27
Location: Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn
Camp night: Aug. 5
24-hour lottery: July 27
Location: Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx
Camp night: Aug. 5
24-hour lottery: July 27
Location: Alley Pond Park, Queens
Camp night: Aug. 13
24-hour lottery: Aug. 3
Location: Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Camp night: Aug. 19
24-hour lottery: Aug. 10
Location: Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
Camp night: Aug. 19
24-hour lottery: Aug. 10
Location: Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan
Camp night: Aug. 19
24-hour lottery: Aug. 10
Location: Wolfe’s Pond Park, Staten Island
Camp night: Aug. 19
24-hour lottery: Aug. 10
Location: Wolfe’s Pond Park, Staten Island
Camp night: Aug. 26
24-hour lottery: Aug. 17
Location: Cunningham Park, Queens
Camp night: Aug. 27
24-hour lottery: Aug. 17