Hudson Yards is extending its free Backyard programming into the fall, using the Public Square and Gardens for movie nights, sports screenings, family activities and fitness classes through October. The Wells Fargo-presented series follows a summer program that organizers said drew thousands of visitors, with the fall calendar focused on recurring activities and seasonal events, including Halloween programming.
The fall program was announced as free and open to the public across Hudson Yards’ plaza and gardens. ForumDaily New York reported that the schedule combines family events, outdoor films, sports viewings, Halloween activities and fitness classes, building on a summer season it said attracted thousands of visitors. Wells Fargo is presenting the series and offering cardholders selected benefits tied to food, fitness and entertainment.
Movie Nights and Sports on the Big Screen
The fall film schedule gives the Big Screen a Friday role in the program. As reported by ForumDaily New York, the announced lineup is Rent on September 18, Mean Girls on September 25, Chicago on October 2, Hairspray on October 9, a horror film on October 16 and Beetlejuice on October 30. Popcorn and toppings are available from Wells Fargo while supplies last; the report also says Wells Fargo customers can claim exclusive offers by showing a debit card, credit card or the Wells Fargo Mobile app.
The same outdoor screen is also being used for sports watch parties from September through October. ForumDaily New York reported that the schedule spans baseball, football, soccer, tennis, golf, rugby and sailing. Separately, I LOVE NY describes Hudson Yards’ broader 2026 sports-watch-party season as running from May through October on a 30-foot Big Screen. ForumDaily’s account gives a different measurement of roughly 9.1 feet, so this article does not treat the screen’s size as settled.
What to Know Before Visiting
The Big Screen hosts free programming in the Public Square and Gardens. Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects describes the setting as a six-acre public space at the center of Hudson Yards, with the project dating from 2012 to 2019.
Family Day and Storyfest Highlight the Calendar
A full day of free family entertainment kicks off the fall season on September 19, featuring live performances, interactive activities, balloon artists and face painting, per ForumDaily New York. The day's programming includes a Mozart for Munchkins performance, a DJ Kidz Bop dance party and a magic show. Separately, the New-York Historical Society is running an educational and interactive program about the 18th century and the American Revolution, with hands-on workshops and historians appearing in period costumes to walk visitors through the era's life, culture and fashion, the outlet reports.
Storyfest returns to Hudson Yards on September 26 with a live conversation featuring a best-selling author, a book signing and a meet-and-greet, according to the same report. That literary programming sits alongside the ongoing wellness push described by Hudson Yards, which says its Backyard offers free outdoor fitness classes in partnership with wellness brands throughout the season.
Fitness Classes and a Run Club Head Into October
Lululemon is returning to the Backyard every Thursday from September 10 through October 1, offering HIIT workouts designed to strengthen the body and build mental resilience, per ForumDaily New York. Wells Fargo customers get early access to those classes upon registration and early registration for what the outlet describes as Power Hour. Meanwhile, Rhone is launching a weekly Rhone Extra Mile Run Club starting October 7, meeting at Bronx Brewery every Wednesday through the month, with special drink deals offered to participants.
Backyard Bites Keeps Food Trucks Running Through October
The Backyard Bites food lineup continues through October 31, with Dickson's Farmstand serving food and drinks, Xing Fu Tang pouring bubble tea, the Myka truck scooping frozen yogurt, Vive La Crepe serving crepes, and Van Leeuwen offering ice cream, according to ForumDaily New York's rundown. That schedule lines up with the spring announcement from I LOVE NY, which had listed Xing Fu Tang, Vive Le Crepe and Van Leeuwen as running from May 1 through October 31 as part of the season-long Backyard Bites program.
Wells Fargo customers stacking perks at the food trucks can get a free portion increase at Xing Fu Tang, two free refills with a crepe purchase at Vive La Crepe, free ice cream refills at the Van Leeuwen truck, and $5 off purchases of $20 or more at Dickson's Farmstand, per the ForumDaily New York report. Cardholders also get access to Wells Fargo-branded benches on a first-come, first-served basis across the plaza.
Taken together, the fall calendar is less a single festival than a series of free drop-in activities: films and sports on the Big Screen, family and literary events, wellness classes, a run club and food vendors. Wells Fargo’s presenting role adds priority access and other offers for customers, while the core Backyard programming remains open to the public. Visitors should check the relevant Hudson Yards listings before traveling because individual schedules and operating details can vary.
