Bryant Park is hosting a giant free reading party on its lawn this summer

"On June 1, Bryant Park, already home to a pretty popular outdoor library of sorts, will host its first-ever “read on the lawn day,” encouraging visitors to enjoy an evening of book discussions, ambient music and simple relaxation on its sprawling green space."

"The event, scheduled to run between 5:30pm and 8pm, will kick off the park's literary lineup of free weekly events for the summer, including lunchtime author panels, poetry readings, writing workshops and more."

"Bryant Park has quietly become one of the city's most underrated celebrations of all things literary (and yoga!). Its open-air Reading Room - a free, outdoor public reading space on the 42nd Street side of the park - runs yearly from April through October and has become a favorite warm-weather destination for anyone who loves a good book and a reason to sit outside."

"The original open-air library first appeared at Bryant Park in 1935, born out of the Great Depression as a way to give New Yorkers a free, dignified public space to spend time during some of the city's hardest years. It closed in 1944 and lay dormant for decades before the Bryant Park Corporation revived it in 2003. Over twenty years later, it's still free, still open to anyone and still one of the best things to do in midtown Manhattan during the summer."

Bryant Park will hold its first “read on the lawn day” on June 1 from 5:30pm to 8pm. The event will encourage visitors to relax on the park’s green space while enjoying book discussions and ambient music. It will launch the park’s free weekly summer programming, including lunchtime author panels, poetry readings, writing workshops, and other activities. Bryant Park’s outdoor Reading Room is a free public reading space on the 42nd Street side, operating from April through October. It provides shaded seating under signature yellow umbrellas and offers a rotating selection of books, magazines, and newspapers to browse and read on site. The open-air library began in 1935, closed in 1944, and was revived in 2003, remaining free and open to everyone.

Read at Time Out New York