Events & Things To Do

March 15, 2026

Where to watch the Oscars in NYC

Hollywood's biggest night comes to New York City. For a festive Oscars-viewing experience, hit one of the city's bars, venues, or movie theaters hosting watch parties in honor of the 98th annual Academy Awards this Sunday, March 15. Ahead, find our favorite spots to show off your red-carpet look, place your bets on this year's nominees, and sip a cinema-themed cocktail among fellow film fans.
See the star-studded spots
March 13, 2026

NYC’s first Art House Cinema Week will offer 5,000 free movie tickets and more perks

The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) and Art House New York (AHNY) announced the city's first Art House Cinema Week New York. The week-long celebration of independent cinema runs from March 20-26 at nearly 30 independent local theaters throughout the city. MOME is providing 5,000 free tickets to ensure that all New Yorkers can participate, rediscover their local independent cinemas, and experience the art of filmmaking.
find out more
March 13, 2026

Smorgasburg returns for 16th year this April with 22 new vendors

Smorgasburg has unveiled its lineup of vendors ahead of its return next month, kicking off its 16th season the first weekend in April. The beloved outdoor food market will host 74 vendors, including 22 making their Smorasburg debut. The market opens in Williamsburg’s Marsha P. Johnson State Park on Saturday, April 4, followed by Prospect Park’s Breeze Hill on Sunday.
get the lineup
March 12, 2026

Where to hear traditional Irish music in NYC

With St. Patrick's Day less than a week away, New Yorkers can tap into the city's rich Irish heritage at pubs and cultural institutions across the five boroughs. Beyond just March 17, many spots host weekly traditional Irish music nights, known as "trad" sessions, or seisiún in Irish, where skilled musicians gather to enliven barrooms with tunes. Whether you want to join in on fiddle or guitar, or simply enjoy the music with a Guinness in hand, here are some of the city’s best spots to listen to live traditional Irish music.
our picks here
March 11, 2026

The NYC Half Marathon is Sunday: Here’s what to know

The annual United Airlines New York City Half Marathon returns on Sunday, March 15. The 13.1-mile race will feature more than 30,000 participants with a route that starts near the Brooklyn Museum, moves through Prospect Park, across the East River, along the FDR Drive, up Times Square, and finishes in Central Park. This year also marks the debut of the Half Expo, presented by New Balance at the Jacob K. Javits Center from March 12 to 14, where participants can pick up bibs, attend course strategy sessions, and enjoy sponsor activations. Ahead, here's everything you need to know about this year's event, from the route and start times to the best ways to watch (or avoid) the race.
details here
March 9, 2026

Championship rings and trophies on display at new AMNH exhibit celebrating objects of sports excellence

Natural history might not be the first subject that pops into mind when you think about sports, but a new exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History may change that. On May 15, the museum will open "For the Win: Objects of Sports Excellence," a new exhibition of championship rings, trophies, medals, and jewelry from winning teams and athletes. Opening within the Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals, "For the Win" will feature over 70 objects across more than a dozen sports, showing the evolution of trophies over 150 years, from one of Jesse Owens's 1936 Olympic gold medals to Breanna Stewart's 2024 WNBA Championship ring.
READ MORE
March 6, 2026

These beautiful NYC civic spaces are now available to rent for events

New York City is home to an abundance of stunning event spaces and venues, but there are a few hidden gems you may not know about. The city's Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) on Friday relaunched its "Halls of the City" program, which allows New Yorkers to rent landmarked civic spaces for special occasions. The program includes 13 city properties, from the grand neo-classical Tweed Courthouse in Manhattan to the 180-year-old Brooklyn Borough Hall, the oldest public building in the borough.
explore more
March 2, 2026

Historic Hunterfly Road Houses in Weeksville reopen after $4M renovation

Four wood-frame homes built in the 19th century as part of one of the nation's largest free Black communities before the Civil War have been restored. The Hunterfly Road Houses at the Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn reopened last week after undergoing a $4 million renovation, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Friday. Last month, the center also received $1.2 million in state funding to maintain the historic homes, support staff and daily tours, and expand literacy and community programs.
Find out more
February 27, 2026

MTA revamps music program with themed monthly performances across NYC

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Thursday announced an overhaul of its “Music Under New York” program, which brings live music to subway stations across all five boroughs. Renamed MTA Music, the program marks the 40th anniversary of the MTA’s Arts & Design initiative and features an expanded lineup of performers through 2026 and beyond. The relaunch includes a new monthly Station Series, bringing themed performances to five locations each month, with each showcase celebrating a different musical or cultural heritage alongside the program’s ongoing daily performances.
Discover more
February 24, 2026

The Met to host first show dedicated to Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner

The largest exhibition celebrating abstract expressionist artists and life partners Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner in two decades will open at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this fall. On view from October 4 through January 31, 2027, "Krasner and Pollock: Past Continuous" traces the full arc of both artists' careers, highlights their impact on modern art, and introduces their work to a new generation. The exhibition—the first at the Met to feature both artists—will display over 120 works borrowed from more than 80 U.S. and international lenders.
Discover more
February 24, 2026

Tin Building food hall closes, to be replaced by ‘Balloon Museum’

Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s market and food hall at the Seaport's Tin Building closed its doors on Monday, not even four years after opening. The Seaport Entertainment Group (SEG) announced the high-end culinary hub will be replaced by "Balloon Museum," an interactive art installation expected to open this summer. The move marks the end of the $200 million venture, which transformed the landmark into a 58,000-square-foot food emporium following a multi-year relocation and restoration.
Find out more
February 19, 2026

Alexander Wang’s Asian arts hub to open in Chinatown landmark

The Beaux Arts building at 58 Bowery has been an anchor of Chinatown for a century, owned for most of that time by the Citizens Savings Bank. Designer Alexander Wang and his mother, Ying Wang, purchased the landmarked building in 2025; this month, the pair will launch their dream of a hub for Asian and Asian-American creativity in the neighborhood with the opening of The Wang Contemporary (TWC). The center's inaugural exhibition, "20,000 Variations On A Paper Plane In Flight," by Asian-American art collective MSCHF, will be on view from February 20-22.
find out more
February 13, 2026

New Underground Railroad stop discovered at Merchant’s House Museum in Manhattan

A previously unknown site connected to the Underground Railroad was discovered in Manhattan this week. The Merchant's House Museum, a well-preserved 19th-century home-turned-museum on East 4th Street in Noho, unveiled a narrow passageway hidden beneath a built-in chest of drawers on the second floor that descends 15 feet to the ground floor. As NY1 first reported, the link to the Underground Railroad is the first uncovered in the city in over a century.
READ MORE
February 13, 2026

8 spots to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics in NYC

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy are underway, with top athletes from around the world competing for gold. While the competition has already begun, sports bars across New York City are hosting watch parties and serving Olympic-themed specials. From screenings at AMC movie theaters to fondue at a cozy, ski-lodge-themed rooftop in Times Square, here are some of the best spots to catch the 2026 Winter Olympics in NYC.
ways to watch the games ahead
February 11, 2026

MetroCard artwork on view at new Grand Central exhibition

While you can no longer swipe them to ride, New York City’s iconic MetroCard will once again be in the spotlight as part of a new exhibition at Grand Central Terminal next month. Opening March 16 at the New York Transit Museum's Grand Central Gallery and Store, "Inspired by MetroCard" shows how artists and designers have transformed the retired transit card into an artistic medium over its three-decade history. Drawing from the museum’s collections and contemporary works, the exhibition features fashion, sculpture, painting, and collage, along with limited-edition collector cards decorated with original artwork.
Learn more
February 9, 2026

Lunar New Year 2026: How to celebrate the Year of the Horse in NYC

New York City’s vibrant Lunar New Year celebrations return to the five boroughs for a two-week run from February 17 through March 3. This year marks the Year of the Horse, the seventh animal in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle, which is said to embody enthusiasm, speed, and fieriness—ushering in a year of ambition and exploration. Across the city, there are plenty of ways to take part in the festivities, from museum-hosted festivals to parades and firecracker ceremonies.
Find ways to celebrate ahead
February 3, 2026

Schomburg Center releases special list of 100 books by Black authors

Marking the start of Black History Month and its centennial, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has released a curated list of 100 Black-authored books from the past century. The "100 Black Voices: Schomburg Centennial Reading List" is now available at the New York Public Library’s circulating and research branches, with instant e-book and audiobook access to select recommendations and book giveaways at participating locations. The selections were curated by the Schomburg Center’s reference division and feature recommendations from leading figures in Black history, literature, scholarship, and art.
see the list
February 2, 2026

Manhattan Municipal Building to open rooftop for free tours

One of New York City's first skyscrapers will open its rooftop to the public for the first time this summer. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday announced that the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, the grand Beaux-Arts government building at 1 Centre Street, will offer free guided tours of its 36th-floor cupola starting in June. The mayor also announced a $6 million renovation of the building to prepare for its new public observation deck.
details here
January 30, 2026

Shuttered Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s becomes pulsing light installation

The shuttered Macy’s in Downtown Brooklyn now hosts an interactive light installation that pulses along to the soundtrack of Fulton Street. Unveiled on Friday, "In Every Transition, A Pattern" illuminates the windows of the former department store with rhythmic patterns and kaleidoscopic displays that respond to the energy of the streetscape. On view through March 16, the installation brings new life to the now-empty Macy's, which closed along with four other NYC locations in January 2025.
see it here
January 29, 2026

Rare Sistine Chapel drawing on display in NYC ahead of auction

New Yorkers can view a recently discovered Michelangelo draft, later reflected in the Sistine Chapel, during a free exhibition ahead of its auction next week. On view through February 5 at Christie’s New York at 20 Rockefeller Plaza, the newly identified drawing—a study for the right foot of the Libyan Sibyl—is the first unrecorded study for the famed ceiling ever to come to auction and one of only about 10 Michelangelo drawings known to be in private hands. The work will be auctioned off as part of Christie’s Old Master Drawings sale, with an estimated price tag of $1.5 million to $2 million.
Learn more
January 27, 2026

NYC’s Museum of Jewish Heritage to light facade, host events for Holocaust Remembrance Day

For International Holocaust Remembrance Day, commemorated on January 27 to mark the liberation of Auschwitz, the Museum of Jewish Heritage will illuminate its facade in vibrant yellow and host a weeklong series of programs. The Battery Park City museum will be symbolically lit on Tuesday, anchoring exhibitions and events running from Sunday, January 25, through Thursday, January 29. The museum has honored the day annually since 1997, and this year’s programming reflects the urgency of preserving the stories of Holocaust survivors as their generation continues to dwindle.
Learn more
January 20, 2026

The 15 best free and cheap winter activities in NYC

Winter came early to New York City this year, and jacket season is in full swing across the five boroughs. The long stretch until spring and summer’s outdoor activities can feel discouraging, but there are still plenty of free and affordable ways to enjoy the city in the meantime. Ahead, here's a list of the best affordable and free activities NYC has to offer during the winter months, from getting your fitness on during Zumba classes in public parks to dining for cheap at over 600 restaurants during winter Restaurant Week.
Cheap ways to enjoy nyc WINTER, ahead
January 15, 2026

‘Mr Pink’ is lurking around Flatiron and Nomad’s rooftops

You’re not seeing things—there is, in fact, a rosy-colored man lurking around Flatiron and Nomad. Known as Mr. Pink, the quirky character is part of Flatiron NoMad Glows Pink, a public art trail composed of 10 illuminated inflatable and resin sculptures perched on rooftops and in public spaces. Part of the Flatiron Nomad Partnership’s annual Winter Glow public art program, “Mr. Pink” is a “cuteism” sculpture by French artist Philippe Katerine, and Thursday marks the character’s first installation in New York City—it’s also the first time the sculptures will be illuminated.
wave hello to mr. pink!
January 14, 2026

Trucks of Art returns: DSNY invites artists to decorate NYC garbage trucks

Back for the first time since 2022, New York City's Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is inviting artists to paint vibrant murals on its garbage trucks. As part of the "Trucks of Art" zero-waste initiative, the agency adorns the sides of its 46,000-pound garbage trucks with traveling works of art using leftover household paints that would otherwise end up in landfills. Applications are being accepted until February 8 at 11:59 p.m., with the trucks expected to be painted in April.
Find out more
January 12, 2026

NYC Restaurant Week returns with special prix-fixe menus at nearly 600 spots

Escape the bitter New York City cold with a cheap, delicious meal. Reservations are now open for winter’s NYC Restaurant Week, the city’s beloved semi-annual dining program that lets New Yorkers enjoy special, prix-fixe menus at nearly 600 participating establishments across the five boroughs. Running from January 20 through February 12, this year’s program offers two-course lunches and three-course dinners priced at $30, $45, and $60.
A great bite ahead