Hockey in the Park

Central Park — the site of rock concerts, marathons and protest rallies — uses snow-making machines to cover Sheep Meadow for the first New York City Winter Festival. Youngsters took advantage of the snow to play a version of hockey without skates, Feb. 1, 1979. This image was taken by Barton Silverman, who had a five-decade career at The Times, often covering sporting events. “You have to be quick or you’re dead,” he often said. “You can’t ask ’em to do it again.”

The first festival went off without a hitch and attracted hundreds to the 4.5-acre winter wonderland. The Times said the park looked like a “resort,” as if “someone had placed a great white saucer in the middle of Sheep Meadow.” The event was organized by the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation, with help from Hunter Mountain, which provided the artificial-snow machines. Ski sprint races, ski-fashion shows, a snow-sculpture contest and demonstrations of cross-country skiing techniques were the main events. Gordon J. Davis, the city’s Park Commissioner, was in the cross-country ski area and touted the park festivities. “This is cheap, clean, refreshing and environmentally sound,” said Davis. “I haven’t felt like this since my first day of high school.”

This made-to-order image is printed on giclée archival photo paper and is available framed or unframed. Framed photography comes ready to hang with a removable wire attached to the back. Choose from a lightweight ayous wood or a gold or silver metal frame to customize the frame best suited to your space. The print comes from The New York Times’s extensive archives, known as the “morgue,” which houses more than five million photographic prints that date back to 1905. It is available exclusively from The Times Store.