Open House New York (OHNY) is hosting a citywide scavenger hunt focused on the city’s waterways, open to participants with an interest in puzzles and urban exploration. Scheduled for Saturday and titled "Over, Under, Around Renew," this event aims to immerse participants in the story of New York's water framework through an active exploration of more than 50 water-related sites around the city, as detailed by Brooklyn Eagle.
Registration for the water-focused scavenger hunt is $30 per participant, whether competing individually or in teams of up to six. Clues will be distributed across New York City, including locations such as rain gardens and historic industrial areas like the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., during which participants will interpret clues and navigate the city. Use of cars is not permitted for those seeking 50 bonus points, and the city’s ferry system may be used to travel between boroughs, according to a hunt description obtained by Gothamist.
The Gowanus neighborhood will host Powerhouse Arts Community Day on May 31. The event, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., will include building tours, interactions with artists and fabricators, and hands-on activities for all ages at the Powerhouse Arts facility, per details from Brooklyn Eagle.
OHNY's scavenger hunt, now in its seventh year, challenges participants with urban trivia while highlighting the important "Water Works" initiative, which explores the systems that shape New York City’s water flow and filtration, as noted by Gothamist. This year, the event is recovering from a $25,000 funding reduction from the National Endowment for the Arts, having raised over $5,000 in small donations within the first day of its dedicated fundraising campaign.
Participants who successfully navigate the urban waterscape will be awarded a grand prize: a "golden ticket" that provides priority access to any site during OHNY's weekend event, which opens previously restricted city spaces for public exploration, as explained by OHNY Executive Director Kristin LaBuz to Gothamist. LaBuz also highlighted that the experience is about more than just solving the puzzles; it is about exploring the connections across New York's five boroughs.
