The Great DUMBO Drop 2026: The Complete Guide

"The Great DUMBO Drop is an annual block party created for DUMBO locals. If you're in the area during the event, expect to be entertained with live performances, a variety of food stalls, and the famous "DUMBO Drop", after which the street festival was named. Even though it all sounds like great fun, there's more behind the street festival: a fundraiser. The collected proceeds from the DUMBO Drop will benefit local schools, which are actively participating in the festival."

"When the clock strikes 6 pm, the long-anticipated DUMBO Drop kicks off. Thousands of tiny toy elephants will fly onto Washington Street - one of the most photographed streets in New York City. The elephants, however, don't expand their ears to fly like Dumbo the elephant himself. Instead, the toy elephants are equipped with little parachutes that let them glide onto the cobblestone street."

Since 2017 the DUMBO neighborhood holds an annual block party celebrating the local community and raising funds for neighborhood schools. The free festival features live performances, varied food stalls, and a central spectacle called the DUMBO Drop that begins at 6 pm. Thousands of tiny toy elephants fitted with artist-designed parachutes glide down onto Washington Street over about ten minutes. Attendees can donate to adopt an elephant for $25 and enter a competition whose winner is the elephant landing closest to a preset target. Proceeds from donations support local schools participating in the event.

Read at Loving New York