Annual Events
New York City is the place to see and do everything, including taking part in some of the world’s most famous events. There’s always something going on—plan ahead to make your next trip one to remember.
The list below will help you find what’s happening during your stay—or give you some inspiration for when you might to time your visit—along with details on what each major event is all about. Within each month, events are listed in the rough chronological order in which they occur (though the dates for certain events vary from year to year). We suggest checking both the event website and directly with the venue ahead of time if you are looking to attend.
January
Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year’s Day Plunge
On the first day of each new year, members of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club (and anyone else bold enough) venture into the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean in the name of bravery as well as charity. Participation is free, but those who plunge are encouraged to donate to community organizations.
NYC Hotel Week℠ (into February)
This annual offering of discounted hotel rates runs for more than a month and overlaps with other winter programs (see below). Plan ahead—booking begins late the previous year, and hotels maintain different policies (though the same discount applies across the board) and can fill up fast.
Three Kings Day Parade. Photo: Tagger Yancey IV
El Museo del Barrio’s Three Kings Day Parade dates back more than four decades. The celebration always features a variety of family-friendly performances.
Winter Jazzfest. Photo: Anna Yatskevitch
A dazzling array of musical talent joins is on display for Winter Jazzfest, both a forum of discovery and a guaranteed blast. More than 100 sets take place at venues like the Le Poisson Rouge, City Winery and Public Records. Dee Dee Bridgewater, Colin Stetson and Abraham Reunion are among past performers.
Courtesy, New York Jewish Film Festival
A collaboration between the Jewish Museum and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, this festival aims to record, investigate and celebrate the Jewish experience during two weeks of shorts, documentaries and feature-length narratives. Films screened during previous years have gone on to national acclaim, like Nowhere in Africa, Beaufort, Ajami and Empty Nest.
Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Brooklyn Academy of Music hosts the City’s biggest public commemoration of King’s legacy, with a keynote speaker, music and other performances. The event can be livestreamed or attended in person (queue up early that day for free tickets—they’re first come first served).
Broadway Marquees. Lucía Vázquez
NYC Broadway Week℠ (into February)
Twice a year, NYC Broadway Week provides audiences with the chance to purchase two-for-one tickets to exciting Broadway shows. The hugely popular program includes both new productions and long-running hits like The Lion King and Wicked.
New York City Ballet. Photo: Paul Kolnik
New York City Ballet Winter Repertory Season
The company’s six-week winter repertory season includes world premieres, classics like The Sleeping Beauty and tributes to legendary choreographers like George Balanchine—all at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.
The Clocktower. Photo: Lanna Apisukh
NYC Restaurant Week® (into February)
The celebrated program, which takes place each winter and summer, serves diners two- or three-course prix fixe lunches and dinners at hundreds of world-class restaurants. Each season some of the City’s top chefs prepare a range of fare.
Central Park. Photo: Tagger Yancey IV
NYC Must-See Week℠ (into February)
NYC Must-See Week participants get two-for-one admission to attractions, museums, tours and performing arts venues across all five boroughs. In previous years, experiences have included iconic NYC attractions, skyline views, historic sites and world-class institutions.
The Winter Show. Courtesy, The Winter Show
Formerly known as the Winter Antiques Show, the most prestigious antiques display in America fills the Park Avenue Armory with pieces from ancient times through the art deco movement and beyond. It is also a benefit for the East Side House Settlement.
New York Boat Show. Courtesy, NYBS
Don’t miss the boat! Yachts, fishing boats, kayaks—you’ll find them all at the New York Boat Show, an institution for more than a century. Thousands of attendees sail into the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to check out the latest in boats and fishing equipment. Visitors can also attend a full slate of daily seminars with fishing and boating pros.
New York Fashion Week. Photo: Molly Flores
February
New York Fashion Week (Fall-Winter)
Fashion Week promises star-studded soirees that show off the newest styles for the next fall season. The world’s top designers debut their collections on the runway, as style-conscious celebrities and industry insiders look on. Land on a guest list and you can be right there with them.
Lunar New Year Parade & Festival in Chinatown. Photo: Walter Wlodarczyk
Lunar New Year Parade and Festival
This beloved celebration takes place in Manhattan’s Chinatown, as well as in Flushing, Queens, and in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Dynamic dragon dance troupes wend their way through the streets, drawing crowds of hundreds of thousands, who also come to see elaborate floats, marching bands, martial artists, musicians, magicians, acrobats and processions by local organizations. Other commemorations for the New Year include the Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival (firecrackers are detonated to ward off evil spirits), the Lantern Festival and assorted family events at cultural institutions.
Westminster Dog Show. Photo: Jen Davis
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Dog lovers flock to the Javits Center and Madison Square Garden for a multitude of events, including which pooch will be dubbed best in show by the Westminster Kennel Club, America’s oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs. Crowd and judge favorites, including terriers, retrievers, dachshunds and the ever stylish poodles, vie for top-dog honors throughout the competition.
Gazillion Bubble Show. Photo: Nathan Johnson
NYC Off-Broadway Week℠ (into March)
The popular biannual program offers two-for-one tickets to compelling Off-Broadway productions. Popular shows like A Perfect Crime and The Play That Goes Wrong are among those often available.
The Orchid Show. Photo: Brittany Petronella
Orchid Show (through April)
Each year the New York Botanical Garden displays a themed exhibition of thousands of unique orchids in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Marvel at the beauty of these flowers in lush surroundings depicting their natural habitat.
Photo: Shahar Azran
Amateur Night at the Apollo (through June)
Since 1934 Amateur Night at the Apollo has been a golden ticket to a big break for many performers. Each season (there are two during the calendar year) a new slate of musicians, comedians and artists from all backgrounds look to win over the capricious crowd on Wednesday nights. Ella Fitzgerald, Lauryn Hill and Stevie Wonder are among the many who launched their careers here.
New York International Children’s Film Festival (through mid-March)
Helping to redefine the kids’ movie genre, the New York International Children’s Film Festival shines a light on some of the most engaging and thought-provoking youth-oriented films made outside the Hollywood system. From obscure animated shorts to full-length live-action dramas, this festival covers nearly every style, age group and cultural background, making it an ideal event for the whole family.
March
Outsider Art Fair (sometimes late February)
The Outsider Art Fair, begun in 1993, was one of the first events to give a voice to artists outside the mainstream. It continues to champion those whose work it describes as “visionary, intuitive, primitive and self-taught in nature.” Each year the fair grows in size, with many of its original dealers still going strong.
New York City Football Club and New York Red Bulls Season Openers (sometimes late February)
Soccer fans can head to Yankee Stadium and Red Bull Arena to catch the on-field action for both of these winning major league teams. The NYCFC scored the MLS Cup in 2021, and the Red Bulls have captured the Supporters’ Shield (best regular-season record) three times.
Courtesy, Big East Conference
The men’s basketball tournament for the Big East conference has called Madison Square Garden home for more than 30 years. Eleven schools compete for the title and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament (games for that are occasionally held in the City too).
Asia Week New York. Courtesy, Bachmann Eckenstein
For just over a week, Asian art and culture take over New York City. Galleries and cultural organizations like the Met Fifth Avenue and China Institute exhibit works, show films, host talks and much more.
St. Patrick's Day Parade. Photo: Joe Buglewicz
You don’t have to be Irish to get a kiss at New York City’s famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade, which was first held in 1762, is the City’s oldest and largest. Officiated by rotating grand marshals, the celebration of Irish culture and the Catholic faith sets off at 11am. Led by members of the National Guard’s 69th Infantry Regiment, known as the Fighting 69th, it runs along Fifth Avenue between 44th and 79th streets.
Macys Flower Show. Photo: Kent Miller
This Macy’s tradition is one of the largest of its kind. The show arranges blooms from around the world—the rare, the exotic and the simply beautiful. Visitors can also enjoy specially created garden environments and guided tours.
Yankee Stadium. Courtesy, New York Yankees
New York Mets and New York Yankees Season Openers (sometimes early April)
Take a trip to Queens or the Bronx (or both!) to watch these two teams kick off their seasons—usually one has a home opener . Enjoy the outdoors and delicious stadium snacks while taking in America’s favorite pastime. Both ballparks are easily accessible by subway, making an outing all the more appealing. The season goes through September—or into October if a team makes the playoffs.
Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival. Photo: Elizabeth Bick
April
Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival
Every Easter, which falls anywhere from late March to late April, festive New Yorkers flaunt their best bonnets while sauntering along Fifth Avenue. The parade travels north on the thoroughfare, starting at 49th Street, but the best place to watch the procession is around St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Cherry blossoms, Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Photo: Tagger Yancey IV
Each spring more than 200 cherry trees at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden come into full bloom. The garden usually has some events related to it, but it’s nice to just walk among the stand; note too that you can see cherry blossoms at other spots in the City, including Central Park and Roosevelt Island.
New York International Auto Show. Photo: Jen Davis
New York International Auto Show
See tomorrow’s hottest cars before they hit the streets at the New York International Auto Show, held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. This high-octane event is North America’s oldest auto show and features the most innovative automotive technology, the trendiest exotics and the latest in green initiatives.
Celebrate the greenest time of the year in New York City by attending one of many events that encourage locals and visitors alike to be Earth friendly in every part of their lives. A number of art exhibitions, educational forums, and outdoor events orbit around the theme.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Roof Garden Commission (through fall)
Each year the Met Fifth Avenue commissions a new artist to fill its Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Rooftop Garden with site-specific works. The installation remains open for approximately six months. Among the recent exhibitors are Lauren Halsey and Petrit Halilaj.
May
Created in 1985 by the Off-Broadway League, the Lucille Lortel Awards celebrate the contribution of Off-Broadway artists to the NYC theater community. In addition to awards for best play, musical, revival, director and actor, the show bestows honorary awards, including a playwrights sidewalk inductee.
In a city of islands the Bronx stands out as NYC’s emissary to the mainland. Perhaps that attachment to the rest of the continent gives the Bronx its distinctive charisma. No matter the origins of the borough’s charms, the City comes together every year—a tradition that dates back to the 1970s—to celebrate the Bronx with a parade, festivals, live music, a trolley tour and the induction of the latest additions to the Bronx Walk of Fame.
TD Five Boro Bike Tour. Photo: Jacob Slaton
The road race attracts 32,000 cyclists of all ages and abilities. The terrain along the 40-mile ride is mostly flat (and totally carless), so you don’t have to be an expert cyclist to join. Take your time pedaling over five interborough bridges—including the Ed Koch Queensboro and the Verrazzano-Narrows—and enjoy breathtaking views of the City from every angle.
Courtesy, Frieze. Photo: Alex Staniloff
Launched in 2012, the Frieze New York art fair is held at The Shed in Hudson Yards. Art buyers and viewers gather to see the latest contemporary works and attend talks by artists and curators.
Photo: Jenna Bascom. Courtesy, NYCxDESIGN
Though New York City celebrates design year-round, creativity reigns during the annual NYCxDESIGN, the City’s official appreciation of global design. Among the multifaceted exhibitions, installations, talks, trade shows and open studios: BKLYN Designs, Collective Design, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair and Wanted Design.
Ninth Avenue International Food Festival. Photo: Joe Orecchio
Ninth Avenue International Food Festival
At his Hell’s Kitchen culinary celebration, held on Ninth Avenue between 42nd and 57th streets, restaurants and vendors unite for a weekend of feasting and fun.
New York Liberty Season Opener
Head to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center to watch New York’s WNBA team compete. The Liberty have qualified for the playoffs nearly 20 times (including six appearances in the finals), garnered multiple conference championships and won the league title in 2024.
Fleet Week. Photo Gabby Jones
A series of events starts before Memorial Day weekend and runs all the way through it, honoring those who serve in the US Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. There is a parade of ships, ship tours and various demonstrations that take place at piers in Manhattan and Staten Island.
The National Dance Company of Ghana for DanceAfrica. Photo: Nir Arieli
The Brooklyn Academy of Music’s longest-running program (since 1977), DanceAfrica is a celebration of African and African American dance, music and culture—and Brooklyn’s unofficial kickoff to summer. Each year DanceAfrica pairs up with a visiting company from Africa or its diaspora for several days of performances over Memorial Day weekend. Expect an outdoor bazaar, traditional dance and music, workshops, films and parties.
Summer on the Hudson. Courtesy, Hudson River Park
Summer on the Hudson (through September)
This free Parks Department festival takes place up and down Riverside Park. The celebration includes concerts, dance performances, wellness activities, movies and kids’ shows. Karaoke nights, a kite-flying festival and life-size chess tournaments are among the special events.
June
The most prestigious prize on Broadway, the Tony Awards celebrate NYC theater in all its glory. Trophies are given for live Broadway performances and productions, along with special honors like the regional theater award and lifetime achievement award. The star-studded event, put on by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing at Radio City Music Hall, is aired live on network television.
Midsummer Night Swing. Courtesy, Lincoln Center
Throughout the summer Lincoln Center organizes a number of programs, each with a different focus. First up is Social Dance, which allows you to take dance lessons and try out your moves to live music under the stars. The outdoor film series and BAAND Together Dance Festival include film, dance, spoken word, family shows and specially commissioned works—all for free. Finally, Mostly Mozart is made up of performances of works by the acclaimed composer.
Summer Stage. Photo: Emily Goncalves
SummerStage (usually through September/October)
Since 1986 SummerStage in Central Park has been a sure bet for great live music in a picturesque setting—for free. Though it started (and still takes place) at Rumsey Playfield, the action now extends to around a dozen neighborhood parks across the five boroughs from June through October. The almost 100 performances span genres, with renowned artists and rising stars from around the world playing distinctly New York styles like salsa, jazz and hip-hop alongside indie, reggae, Afrobeat, soul and modern dance.
Shakespeare in the Park. Photo: Joseph Moran
Shakespeare in the Park (through August)
Attending a staging of Shakespeare in the Park is a consummate New York City summer activity, one enjoyed by more than 5 million people since the first show at Central Park’s Delacorte Theater in 1962—a venue reopening this summer after a renovation in the past year. The free outdoor productions of the Bard’s plays often star well-known actors.
Celebrate Brooklyn. Photo: Joe Buglewicz
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! (through August)
This program of free music, dance, theater, film and specially commissioned projects has entertained audiences for four decades, making it one of the City’s longest-running outdoor arts festivals. It has featured such acts as They Might Be Giants and Maceo Parker.
Tribeca Festival. Photo: Brian Willette
Robert De Niro’s Tribeca Festival is a leading player on the entertainment scene. Founded in the wake of 9/11 to help revitalize Lower Manhattan, the fest celebrates film, music and culture, and transforms the downtown neighborhood into a hub for glamorous red carpets and gala affairs. The festival screens more than 100 films from around the world, and its free outdoor “drive-in” screenings are no-car required.
National Puerto Rican Day Parade. Photo: David Dee Delgado
National Puerto Rican Day Parade
In celebration of the Puerto Rican community and culture, more than 80,000 marchers travel up Fifth Avenue from 44th to 79th streets to show their pride. Lively doesn’t even begin to describe this event, which welcomes around 1.5 million spectators every year, plus energetic musical performances, floats and a host of Puerto Rican celebrities.
Museum Mile. Photo: Joe Buglewicz
Some of the City’s finest museums have free admission during this car-free Upper East Side block party, with live music, street performers and activities for kids. Strolling Fifth Avenue between the Metropolitan Museum of Art and El Museo del Barrio gives you a bargain crash course in New York City culture—rain or shine.
River to River Festival. Photo: Stephanie Berger
Head downtown for the River to River fest’s free dance performances, concerts and events. Highlights from years past have included Night at the Museums, site-specific pieces by Twyla Tharp and shows by the Bang on a Can All-Stars and Superchunk.
NY Philharmonic, Central Park. Photo: Chris Lee
New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks
The orchestra’s annual weeklong tour of the City’s parks brings free classical music to all five boroughs, with performances at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, Central Park in Manhattan, Cunningham Park in Queens and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. An indoor concert at Staten Island’s Music Hall at Snug Harbor ends the celebration.
Photo: Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
To mark the historic day in 1865 when Union troops arrived at Galveston Bay in Texas with word of emancipation, the East New York and Brownsville communities in Brooklyn gather thousands of participants for a three-day-long fest. Events include a virtual summit, an awards ceremony for influential Black leaders and a grand finale packed full with a concert, a parade, more than 60 vendors and food trucks, and a fashion show. Various parks and cultural venues across the boroughs also put on activities to celebrate the day.
Photo: Jonah Rosenberg
A Coney Island staple since 1983, the brilliantly costumed, weird and wonderful Mermaid Parade harks back to Mardi Gras celebrations and is staged close to the official start of summer. Watch the floats, marching bands, dance groups and the crowning of King Neptune and Queen Mermaid that make up the official event, then cap it off with a foray into the ocean.
Pride Parade. Photo: Walter Wlodarczyk
New York City is home to one of the world’s most vibrant, thriving LGBTQ+ communities. The City embraces its incredible diversity as a source of strength, and that’s never more clear than during Pride, when the five boroughs celebrate the progress made in NYC and beyond since the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. Events typically take place throughout the month, with most of the big happenings during the last week in June—culminating with the famous parade down Fifth Avenue on the last Sunday of the month.
Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks. Photo: Julienne Schaer
July
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks
Celebrate America’s independence with the nation’s most dazzling pyrotechnics display. Fireworks light up the skyline with musical accompaniment, and you can take it all in from any number of prime waterfront viewing locations around the City.
Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. Photo: Julienne Schaer
Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest
With a combination of steely grit and highly expandable stomachs, competitors consume vast quantities of the boardwalk staple to the delight of throngs of screaming fans. A select group of skilled eaters take their marks at high noon, eating Nathan’s dogs for 10 minutes straight, stopping for nothing—not even mustard.
MoMA PS1 Warm Up. Photo: Molly Flores
MoMA PS1 Warm Up (through September)
A rollicking outdoor concert housed in an installation created by the winner of PS1 and MoMA’s Young Architects Program, Warm Up is an immersive multimedia experience. In addition to enjoying live music, DJs and dancing, visitors can explore everything PS1 has on view—admission to Warm Up includes access to all exhibitions.
French Louie. Photo: Amy Lombard
NYC Restaurant Week® (into August)
The celebrated program, which takes place each winter and summer, serves diners two- or three-course prix fixe lunches and dinners at hundreds of world-class restaurants. Each season some of the City’s top chefs prepare a range of fare.
Harlem Week. Photo: Michelle Rick
August
Don’t let the name fool you—Harlem Week lasts almost twice that long. It makes sense, as seven days is hardly enough time to capture all the history and cultural cachet of this vibrant neighborhood. The celebration is full of performances, vendors and tributes at assorted venues. Most of the festivities are free, which cements it as a must-do.
Broadway in Bryant Park. Courtesy, BPC
Broadway in Bryant Park (sometimes late July)
Pack (or pick up) your lunch and head to Bryant Park for these hour-long midday concerts by cast members from Broadway’s most popular musicals. Nab one of the chairs on the lawn or bring your own blanket and catch the show from the grass.
Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival. Photo: Julienne Schaer
Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival
In celebration of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, which actually occurs well before this event, 200 dragon boat teams converge on Meadow Lake in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens to compete in one of America’s largest dragon boat festivals. Take in the spectacle on the water alongside a wide array of international music, martial arts, crafts, dance and cuisine.
Summer Streets. Photo: Alexander Thompson
Summer Streets (sometimes from late July)
Between 7am and 1pm on select Saturdays, large sections of Park Avenue and connecting streets are closed to vehicles and open to the public for anything from biking to strolling to dancing. Who wouldn’t want to walk (or slide or zip line) smack down the middle of the famed thoroughfare, free from honking horns and two-way traffic?
Charlie Parker Jazz Festival. Photo: Jack Vartoogian
In the early 1950s Charlie Parker made his home in Alphabet City. Though Bird has been gone a long time now, the neighborhood hasn’t forgotten him. The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival made its 1993 debut in Tompkins Square Park, across the street from the block the saxophonist called home. Events are still held there, but some performances take place uptown, in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park.
US Open. Photo: Getty Images
US Open Tennis (through September)
It’s the final Grand Slam tournament of the year—the one that makes or breaks seasons, and sometimes careers. The US Open is an iconic event in American sports, up there with the Masters, the World Series and the Super Bowl. No matter how the tournament nets out, it’s always fun to watch it unfold in person. The matches take place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens.
Richmond County Fair. Courtesy, Staten Island Historical Society
September
There’s fun for the whole family at the Richmond County Fair, an old-time Staten Island tradition that was revived in 1979. Kids can enjoy circus performers, a petting zoo and even a visit from cartoon characters, while parents groove to live music on two stages. Rides, food and county fair standbys like a pie-eating contest round out the Labor Day weekend event.
Wicked. Photo: Joan Marcus
In January and September, NYC Broadway Week provides audiences with the chance to purchase two-for-one tickets to exciting Broadway shows. The hugely popular program includes both new productions and long-running hits like The Lion King and Wicked.
The Armory Show. Photo: Christopher Postlewaite
The world’s leading contemporary art fair has been a destination for art enthusiasts, collectors and gallerists since its inception as the Gramercy International Art Fair in 1994. It was renamed and moved (to the westside piers) in 1999, and in 2021 it found another new location—this time at the Javits Center.
New York Fashion Week. Photo: Marley White
New York Fashion Week (Spring-Summer)
Fashion Week promises star-studded soirees showing off the newest styles for the next spring season. The world’s top designers debut their collections on the runway, as style-conscious celebrities and industry insiders look on. Land on a guest list and you can be right there with them.
National September 11 Memorial. Photo: Brittany Petronella
Each September, New York City remembers and honors the victims of the World Trade Center attacks. Churches, temples and synagogues throughout the City hold a variety of events, and memorial concerts and fundraisers continue all month long. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center stands as a permanent tribute to those who lost their lives on both September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993. Its public plaza with two large memorial pools and exhibitions and artifacts tell the story of the day.
Feast of San Gennaro. Photo: Elizabeth Bick
Manhattan’s Little Italy is bustling year-round, but the excitement hits its peak at this salute to the patron saint of Naples. Banners and lights adorn the streets, and crowds pack every block. Join the revelers for over a week of parades, entertainment, Italian food and a cannoli-eating contest.
New York City Ballet Fall Repertory Season
The company’s fall season typically includes favorites from the likes of Balanchine, Robbins and Tchaikovsky, all performed at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater. The season kicks off with the fall gala and culminates with performances of The Nutcracker, a Christmastime treasure.
Courtesy, The Theater Center
NYC Off-Broadway Week℠ (sometimes early October)
The popular biannual program, which takes place in winter and fall, offers two-for-one tickets to compelling Off-Broadway productions. Popular shows like A Perfect Crime and The Play That Goes Wrong are among those often available.
Met Opera House. Photo: Kate Glicksberg
The Metropolitan Opera Season (through the following May)
The Metropolitan Opera always promises a sensational lineup, with world premieres, new sets and exciting revivals. Notable performances include Julie Taymor’s production of The Magic Flute, John Adams’ Nixon in China and Gioachino Rossini’s rarely staged Le Comte Ory, under the direction of Bartlett Sher.
New York Film Festival (through October)
Since 1962, this festival has been the forum for some of the world’s most inventive cinema. This is the place to see cutting-edge films before they hit it big—past festivals have featured the likes of Jean-Luc Godard, Pedro Almodóvar and Martin Scorsese.
Courtesy, Queens County Farm Museum
Fall at the Queens County Farm Museum (through October)
Each autumn the Queens County Farm Museum runs a series of family-friendly, harvest-themed events, including the Queens County Fair, with blue-ribbon competitions in livestock, produce, and arts and crafts, not to mention pie-eating contests, hayrides and live music. On weekends through October, navigate the Amazing Maize Maze, pick pumpkins and sample New York apples. The series finishes with the Children’s Fall Festival, with its array of kids’ games, bounce houses, pig races and a petting zoo.
The oldest and largest street festival in Brooklyn, the Atlantic Antic spans 10 blocks along Atlantic Avenue, crossing through the Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill neighborhoods. The one-day fete has music, entertainment (including kid-friendly activities) and vendors selling clothing, jewelry, gifts, food and drinks. In short, there’s something for everyone.
BAM Next Wave Festival. Photo: Jack Vartoogian
BAM Next Wave Festival (September/October through December/January)
Consistently on the vanguard, the Brooklyn Academy of Music spotlights dance, theater, film and literature from around the world. Past iterations have included the Philip Glass opera Kepler (of planetary motion fame), Isabelle Huppert starring in Phaedra(s) and Ivo van Hove’s staging of The Fountainhead.
Hunters Point. Courtesy, Center for Architecture
October
To New York City’s architects and building buffs, October is Archtober, or Architecture and Design Month. For 31 days, the City’s design community opens its doors for more than 100 tours, lectures and films, giving behind-the-scenes peeks into the buildings that characterize this metropolis. Participants include big-name institutions like the Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim, Central Park Conservancy and 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
Premier talents and top minds from politics, the arts, journalism, television and everything in between convene at The New Yorker Festival. Past panels and special guests have included Ta-Nehisi Coates, Sleater-Kinney, Mindy Kaling, Elmore Leonard, Matt Groening, Sherman Alexie and Zaha Hadid. The schedule, a mix of in-person and virtual events, is unveiled in September.
Photo: Cinthya Santos Briones
Hop across the river to Randall’s Island and enjoy music, dance and spoken performances that honor Native peoples from around the globe.
New York Rangers Season Opener
Fans of the Blueshirts, as the Rangers are affectionately known, pack Madison Square Garden even when the team is having a down year and create one of the more intense atmospheres in New York City sports. To see the stands particularly charged, come to a game when the Rangers face their regional rivals, the Islanders. The season usually begins in mid-October and runs through the spring.
New York Comic Con. Photo: Christopher Postlewaite
With geek culture having established an undeniable influence over mainstream entertainment, Comic Con at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center gains more and more ground. Expect to see lots of cosplayers, who provide plenty to gawk at, even if you don’t hit the fest’s many booths, panels and screenings.
Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival
Four food-and-beverage-filled days feature Food Network personalities like Rachael Ray and Ted Allen as well as a deep squad of local all-star chefs, restaurateurs and purveyors. Past events have included the competitive Blue Moon Burger Bash, a trivia-oriented food fight with Guy Fieri, bagel making with Black Seed Bagels and dinner with Alain Ducasse—just some of the hundred or so happenings at venues all around the City.
Courtesy, Brooklyn Nets
New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets Season Openers
The Knicks boast a rich history that includes a pair of NBA titles, stretches of futility and plenty of rekindled hope. The rabid fan base always makes a game at Madison Square Garden feel like an event, with celebrities frequently seated courtside. The Brooklyn Nets debuted at Barclays Center in 2012 and are a team on the rise. Their black-and-white gear has become a staple on the borough’s streets. The season begins in October and runs through the spring.
New York’s towering skyscrapers and charming brownstones provide much of the City’s character. A celebration of that architecture and design, Open House New York weekend includes free tours of buildings and sites—many of which are normally closed to the public.
Ice-Skating at Bryant Park. Photo: Brittany Petronella
Outdoor Ice-Skating Rinks Open (varies, through mid-March)
New York City’s many outdoor ice-skating rinks are the very picture of a classic winter scene, and their openings give the first glimpse of the holiday season. If you prefer your skating with a killer view, take a spin amid the spectacular surroundings of the seasonal rink at Rockefeller Center (in December, the famous tree is there, too). The rink at the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, which is typically open from late October to early March, and Roebling Rink in Brooklyn Bridge Park are other fine options.
Halloween Parade. Photo: Paola Chapdelaine
Far from its humble beginnings in 1974, when neighborhood children walked from house to house with their friends, the Village Halloween Parade has become a massive party, with wildly costumed characters, puppets, bands, dancers and plenty of excited spectators.
November
The Art Show (sometimes late October)
The Art Dealers Association of America’s annual show presents carefully curated group shows and solo projects at the Park Avenue Armory. Special events take place each year, including panel discussions and a preview gala to benefit the Henry Street Settlement, a Lower East Side social services, arts and health care organization.
New York City Marathon. Photo: Julienne Schaer
This is the big one—a sporting event that often proves to be a life-changing experience as much as a physical challenge. Like all marathons, the New York City race covers 26.2 miles from start to finish, but no other city treats competitors to the sights, sounds and sheer excitement along NYC’s five-borough course, which extends from Staten Island to Central Park.
Radio City Rockettes. Courtesy, MSG
Radio City Christmas Spectacular (through early January)
New York City’s most famous holiday production, which originated back in 1933, has adapted over time to incorporate original scenes, Rockettes numbers and show-stopping special effects like fireworks, flying snowflakes and animated projections. The traditional parts of the show—such as “The Living Nativity” and “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers”—remain crowd favorites.
Nearly every big name in comedy could grace a New York City stage during the New York Comedy Festival. Past performers have included Bridget Everett, Ricky Gervais, Hannibal Buress, Judd Apatow and Iliza Shlesinger. Professionally minded panels share the schedule with over-the-top improv nights at small clubs up to large-scale shows at venues like Madison Square Garden and the Town Hall.
NYBG Holiday Train Show. Photo: Christopher Postlewaite
Holiday Train Show (through January)
A family favorite, the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden assembles toy trains chugging between some 190 replicas of City landmarks made from bark, seed and other plant materials. Highlights include renderings of Yankee Stadium, assorted Midtown skyscrapers, famous Coney Island rides and a George Washington Bridge that spans the exhibition’s entrance, as well as a sound-and-light show.
Union Square Holiday Market. Photo: Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet
Holiday Markets (most through December 24)
Make a dent on your shopping list and get in the holiday spirit at one of the many outdoor holiday markets that pop up all around the City. In Union Square, Grand Central Terminal, Bryant Park and Columbus Circle—as well as at the Brooklyn Flea, Chelsea Flea and Upper West Side’s Grand Holiday Bazaar, among others—hundreds of merchants set up shop with wares such as clothing, trinkets, food and crafts. In addition to helping local merchants, perhaps you’ll find a little something for yourself.
Origami Holiday Tree (through January)
Holiday decor gets a naturalistic makeover on the American Museum of Natural History’s Origami Holiday Tree. The museum draws inspiration from its own collection for the roughly 1,000 folded-paper works, constructed by volunteers throughout the year. Explore the permanent exhibitions, current shows and expansive collections to see which pieces made their way onto the 13-foot tree.
Courtesy, Macy’s, Inc.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Marching bands, celebrity guests and notable performers bring excitement to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but they take a back seat to the real stars of the show—the balloons. SpongeBob, Snoopy, Hello Kitty and other giant helium-filled characters float along what is typically a 2.5-mile route, from the Upper West Side down to Macy’s Herald Square.
The Nutcracker. Courtesy, American Ballet Theatre
December
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (through January)
For more than 50 years the New York City Ballet has brought visions of the Sugarplum Fairy, toy soldiers and the Mouse King to life with its Lincoln Center production of The Nutcracker. The performance is distinguished by old-fashioned costumes, an onstage snowstorm, magical sets including a 1-ton Christmas tree and, of course, Tchaikovsky’s timeless music.
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Courtesy, Diane Bondareff/Invision for Tishman Speyer/AP Images
Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting (sometimes late November)
The Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, which takes place the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving, heralds the holiday season in New York City. Brave the cold in the weeks afterward to see the giant tree adorned with tens of thousands of multicolored lights. It remains lit through the first week of the New Year.of thousands of multicolored lights. The tree remains lit through the first week of the New Year.
Grand Army Plaza. Photo: Billy Hickey
The World’s Largest Hanukkah Menorah Lighting
Celebrate Hanukkah with the lighting of the world’s largest menorah at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street (in front of the Plaza Hotel). This 32-foot-high, gold-colored, 4,000-pound steel holiday icon is a sight to behold. A similarly massive menorah sits across the river, in Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza (at the head of Prospect Park). A candle is lit on each menorah every evening of the holiday.
Kwanzaa
This celebration of African American heritage from December 26 to January 1 culminates in a feast and gift-giving ritual. The City’s largest Kwanzaa events usually take place at the American Museum of Natural History—which hosts a one-day fete of African dance, live music and traditional crafts—and Harlem’s Apollo Theater, where you’ll typically find dance, music and various family-friendly activities.
New Year's Eve Ball Drop. Photo: Julienne Schaer
It wouldn’t be New Year’s Eve without the crystal ball dropping in Times Square. Throngs gather in the surrounding streets to watch the celebrity commentators and performances before counting down to midnight.
New York Road Runners Midnight Run
This annual race through Central Park is as an active alternative to the Times Square New Year’s Eve ritual.
For many more happenings throughout the year, check out our Events and Festivals Guide
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