March 21, 2007
RITE OF SPRING
It may seem like the most unnatural sight in the world, but watching elephants emerge from the Queens-Midtown Tunnel and march down 34th St. signifies the arrival of spring to me in a manner that Punxatawney Phil can only dream of. The elephants are accompanied by all sorts of other exotic animals belonging to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. When the circus comes to town, the elephants are too large to be brought into the city by rail, so the city shuts down the Queens-Midtown tunnel one night a year and marches the elephants through it into Manhattan. The crowds very with the weather and there's always a significant number of animal rights protestors, but it's worth staying up late for. Gothamist got its hands on the schedule for the event, which occurs next Tuesday, March 27th.
Unload Stock Cars: 11:30 PM (Tuesday, March 27)
The Walk Begins: 11:59 PM
Time At Tunnel: Approx 12:20 AM (Wednesday morning)
In Manhattan, the elephants will emerge from the north tube of the Queens Midtown Tunnel and proceed along 34th Street to The Garden.
I've found that the elephants usually emerge from the tunnel in Manhattan around 12:45 am to 1:00 am.
Tagged: circus, elephants, march, tunnelPosted by Lexiphane at March 21, 2007 10:15 AM
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Comments
Holy Cow! This is so cool. Are you going to be in the city to watch it? We need more large animals roaming the streets of Philadelphia.
Posted by: calvinofan ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.lexiphane.com/mt/nav-commenters.gif)
at March 21, 2007 11:33 AM
I don't know if I'll be watching it this year. I've been the last several times.
Posted by: Lexiphane at March 21, 2007 4:31 PM