Pitch a Tent for a Night on a New York City Rooftop

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Rooftop tents sleep up to two people. (Photo: Bivouac NY)

There is something particularly magical about the rooftops of New York City in the fall. Plenty of us have dreamed of breaking free from our tiny, cramped apartments and just setting up a hammock or pitching a tent on the roof to enjoy an evening of sleep without walls.

One artist is making that dream a reality.

Tents are pitched. Food rations are set. Stars fill the sky. Sounds like the perfect setting for a campsite. But this is no ordinary campground. These campers are several stories above the sidewalks of New York City.

Bivouac NY is a pop-up campground and art project that has begun pitching its artist-constructed tents on secret city rooftops for a night of outdoor fun.

“I created this camping experience as part of an art project,” says Thomas Stevenson, artist and creator. “There are two major principles: disconnecting from the world at large and people convening together.”

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Much like a traditional camping experience, you will “rough it” by sleeping in a tent, sharing a meal with fellow campers (often strangers), skipping a shower, and enjoying the incredible views as you disconnect from the world.

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The tents are constructed by local artists. (Photo: Bivouac NY)

“You know you’re not camping, but it has the whole feeling of camping because no cellphones are allowed, and you’re just with people and have that burlap blowing in the wind,” says two-time participant Ariel Abrahams.

“Basically, you show up, and it’s very informal in a good way. You find your way to the base camp, which is a big structure, and you hang out there and just talk. People bring dinner and drink a lot of rum. There’s no formal name games — you just chill out.”

All you need to bring is a sleeping bag and one item of food to share for the communal dinner. Don’t think this is an all-night party, either; this project was set up to help New Yorkers change up their routine and have a new urban experience.

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“The night ends kind of early, usually between 10 and 11, at which point everyone goes into their tents to sleep,” says Stevenson. “Then they get up, have breakfast, and go back to their jobs. The idea is to break up the day and create a different experience.”

The cost for this one-of-a-kind experience? Nothing! “It’s one of my art projects,” Stevenson said. “It’s dealing with social interactions, so there’s no fee.”

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The experience is about disconnecting from your routine and meeting like-minded people. (Photo: Bivouac NY)

Stevenson also suggests that people spend only one night, because like you, he goes back to his normal routine during the day.

There’s a place to go to the bathroom and brush your teeth, but there’s no shower, so you can’t spend multiple days there.

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“You have a camping experience and go back to work the next day,” says Abrahams. “It’s very convenient and has a lot of depth to it."

It’s no surprise that the popularity of rooftop camping, in its third year, is steadily increasing. The demand typically outpaces the supply of tents. With only seven tents and two people per tent, that’s just 14 participants at any time.

"There’s a sign-up on the website, where you can request a spot two to three weeks ahead of time,” says Stevenson. “I try to do as many as I can and be as fair as possible about it, but it’s all about the roof. If I can get a good roof for 10 days straight, I’ll do it for 10 days straight.”

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Campers are encouraged to stay for just one night. (Photo: Bivouac NY)

Despite its popularity, the hardest part of the project is finding rooftops that are willing to host.

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“People are really into the idea,” says Stevenson. “But it is difficult to find rooftops because there is a fear from the owners that something could go wrong or people can get hurt or they’ll have a big party, all of which have never happened.”

Up for sharing your rooftop? “If someone has a location, I’m always looking to try a new city,” Stevenson promises. “This project was designed to travel.”

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