4  Conclusion

Our exploration shows that NYC park events exhibit strong seasonal patterns, and the COVID-19 pandemic substantially reshaped how these patterns were expressed over time and space. While event counts recovered in later years, total attendance remained lower than pre-pandemic levels, reflecting a shift toward smaller, more decentralized activities rather than a return to large gatherings. Changes in event composition further suggest structural adaptation, particularly among mobile unit programs, which turned from entertainment-focused uses to more flexible public service roles and did not revert after the pandemic. Spatial analysis reinforces this finding, showing that post-pandemic recovery produced a more distributed pattern of park usage instead of restoring pre-2020 concentration.

This analysis is limited by estimated attendance values, incomplete classifications during pandemic years, and a focus on public trends rather than individual behavior.

Future work could incorporate demographic, weather, or other kinds of event data to better explain uneven recovery across categories.

Overall, the project demonstrates that city rhythms are not fixed but adaptive, and that major disruptions can lead to lasting changes in how public spaces are used.