Suit, tie and dress up: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revives pool tradition in full formal wear — Video
mayor of new york city Zoran Mamdani Dressed in full suits and ties, people jumped into a public pool in East Harlem on Saturday to celebrate the opening of the city’s 2026 outdoor pool season, reviving a long-dormant City Hall tradition.Mamdani kicked off New York City’s summer pool season by diving in a suit, which violated the pool’s dress code.The mayor joined Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura in jumping into the Thomas Jefferson Pool on East 114th Street, becoming the first New York City mayor to take part in a ceremonial plunge in more than a decade. The New York Post noted that Mamdani entered the water in formal attire, technically violating pool rules. The mayor later retweeted the tabloid’s report on X, along with a video of his dive, joking: “When they said ‘wear a suit,’ I just thought…”This annual tradition was skipped during the tenures of Eric Adams and Bill de Blasio. Michael Bloomberg was the last mayor to take the plunge in 2013. When asked about it by City reporter Katie Honan in March, Mamdani said he would “probably commit” to reinstating the ceremony.After emerging from waist-deep water, Mamdani greeted residents gathered at the pool, marking another milestone for the city. “We are very excited to celebrate 90 years of public swimming in our city,” Mamdani, wearing a soaked suit, told reporters. “This is a time for people across the five boroughs of New York to celebrate.”The anniversary dates back to 1936, when then-Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia (who Mamdani often describes as New York City’s greatest leader) oversaw a massive expansion of the city’s public swimming facilities. Supported by then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration, the project opened 11 new public pools across the city. Known for their unique architecture and advanced chlorination and filtration systems, the pools are considered landmark public works and continue to serve New Yorkers nearly nine decades later.
