Mayor Eric Adams Skips Weekend Events, Faces Criticism

Mayor Eric Adams took a surprising break last weekend, missing the Harlem African American Day Parade—a notable event he attended in previous years.

Although his absence raised eyebrows, Adams quickly returned to the spotlight with a morning show appearance on Monday. He emphasized, “Well, unlike the other candidates in the race, I do my day’s work,” positioning himself as a committed independent candidate after opting out of the Democratic primary in June.

However, one would expect a sitting New York City mayor to attend community festivities like the African American Day Parade. In fact, Adams has participated in this event every year since taking office, making his absence even more striking.

Ken Friedman, a Democratic political strategist, expressed concern, asking rhetorically if Adams had a better commitment than the parade: “Does the African American mayor just sit there, the second mayor of the city have somewhere better place than the African American Day parade? It looks like he’s been thrown into a towel.”

A Harlem Democrat, wishing to remain anonymous, remarked, “Eric was overlooked.” This sentiment hints at a growing frustration within the community regarding the mayor’s engagement.

In response, campaign spokesman Todd Shapiro defended Adams, claiming he was “fully engaged” over the weekend, balancing mayoral duties with unspecified “private fundraising and campaigning activities.” He insisted that Adams doesn’t participate in events just for appearances.

Adams has hosted numerous receptions at Gracie Mansion and held over 130 flag raids, indicated by his packed schedule. Yet, his relatively low-profile weekend stood in stark contrast to his competitors. Zohran Mamdani, another Democrat, made a notable appearance at the parade, riding a float.

Meanwhile, GOP candidate Curtis Sliwa had a busy weekend, participating in events across all five wards and attending both a five-mile run and two festivals.

Even Andrew Cuomo, who has shifted to an independent stance, filled his weekend with visits to community events. In contrast, Adams concluded his weekend by appearing on Rev. Al Sharpton’s MSNBC show, leaving many to question his choices.

Sharpton commented, “I was confused by that,” reflecting the general sentiment surrounding Adams’ weekend activities. The mayor didn’t emerge in public until Monday, where he addressed rumors regarding his campaign. He remarked that he had already clarified his intentions weeks ago and seemed frustrated by the repetitive questioning.

Ross Warrenstein, a Democratic operative, observed that Adams’ actions don’t align with the idea of a strong campaign strategy. “If he’s dropping, this is how to do it. If the mayor has a winning strategy, then we all seem to be out five weeks from the general and skipping the event isn’t the way to do that,” he noted.