By Sophia Astor
The park was mostly deserted one frigid day last January when TikTok creator Jonothon Lyons managed to slip in incognito. Since the 40-year-old performance artist’s videos, or TikToks, from the park went viral a couple of years back, these moments of anonymity have become less frequent.
And they don’t last long. The minute Lyons put on his rat mask and pink squishy tail, a crowd formed, as if from nowhere, cell phones in hand, to witness Lyons’ transformation into “Buddy the Rat.”
“There’s always a bunch of weird people here,” said Lyons, who has 3.1 million followers on TikTok. “I fit in.”
Washington Square Park has always been a Mecca for young people but TikTok has expanded the community by bringing it online. The app is driven by a freakishly accurate algorithm that keeps feeding viewers content that they like the longer they watch, making it a highly addictive experience and the social media app of choice for teenagers and twenty-somethings.
And the park has become the backdrop of choice for many TikTok creators, who use the wildly popular social media app to create and share short videos featuring gags, stunts, songs and dances. The park is especially popular with TikTokers who like to approach strangers with quirky questions or prod people for details about their outfits. The app has transformed the park into a place to see and be seen.
Erick Ronaldo, 22, a TikToker known for his interview-style videos, said that the park makes it easy to find people who want to participate.
“I like going up to people who are energetic and friendly,” Ronaldo said about choosing who to interview. “It’s nice if they’re hot, too.”
Cindy Ji, an 18-year-old college student who hangs out at Washington Square Park “on the regular,” and is often approached by TikTokers, says the phenomenon cuts both ways.
“It’s fun to meet new people, especially when they’re going out of their way to be fun and easy to talk to. I feel like I’m more a part of the community,” but, she added, the presence of social media means that young people now feel pressured to look their best when they come to the park. “I’m sure a lot of people look around wondering if they look good enough.”
Isabella Loeb-Lojko, an 18-year-old TikToker who has starred in videos with millions of views, agrees.
“I can see how there is a sort of tension in the park. People can be kind of intimidating,” she said. “But I do think TikTok has done some great things. People get inspired by the creativity of people at Washington Square Park. They wanna come and be part of it.”
That’s certainly the case with Brandon Ernesto Colleton, 19, better known as Bike Life Danger, and whose TikToks feature him performing daredevil bicycle stunts amid the crowds of college students, vendors, tourists and general chaos that reigns in the park.
“I film here because it’s Washington Square Park,” Colleton said. “It’s cool, it’s live. Everyone wants to come here.”
