Events & Things To Do

July 19, 2023

Alamo Cube returns to Astor Place in full spinning glory

Astor Place's beloved Alamo Cube has returned to its rightful place and is ready to be spun once again. After removing the sculpture to repair its spinning mechanisms in May, the city reinstalled the public art sculpture in the East Village this week. Officially called "Alamo," the 1,800-pound cube was sculpted by artist Tony Rosenthal and first installed at Astor Plaza Place in 1967. Rosenthal's estate paid for the sculpture's repair bill, estimated to be $100,000, according to EV Grieve.
See more here
July 18, 2023

NYC approves design for Shirley Chisholm monument in Prospect Park

New York City this week approved the design for a monument to Shirley Chisholm, a Brooklyn native who became the first Black woman to serve in the United States Congress. The city's Public Design Commission on Monday unanimously approved plans for the monument: a 32-foot-tall sculpture depicting the congresswoman designed by artists Amanda Williams and Olalekan B. Jeyifous installed at the southeast entrance of Prospect Park. The artists were selected for the monument's design in 2019, but the process was delayed because of the pandemic.
Take a look
July 17, 2023

NYC Restaurant Week returns this summer with nearly 500 restaurants

Hungry New Yorkers will be thrilled to hear New York City's Restaurant Week is back this summer. NYC Tourism + Conventions, the city's tourism agency, announced that the program, which allows patrons to eat at hundreds of the city's best restaurants with discounted, prix-fixe menus, would return to the five boroughs this summer with nearly 500 participating establishments. The four-week program will run from Monday, July 24 through Sunday, August 20.
Plan your Restaurant Week rendezvous
July 14, 2023

Brooklyn Public Library opens surprise installation honoring Jay-Z

The Brooklyn Public Library on Friday opened a new installation celebrating the life and legacy of Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, from his beginnings in Bed-Stuy's Marcy Projects to worldwide fame. Located at the library's Central Branch next to Prospect Park, the exhibition, titled "The Book of HOV," features art, images, ephemera, and memorabilia from the rapper's archives that pay tribute to his incredible life and career and highlight the ways he helped redefine hip-hop, music, and culture on a global scale. The experience is free and open to the public for a limited time starting July 14.
See more here
July 14, 2023

Rise Up NYC returns to the five boroughs with 8 free concerts

"Rise up NYC," a series of free concert events, is returning to New York City after debuting last summer. Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday announced the second year of the event series, which will bring eight easily-accessible live performances to all of the five boroughs. This year's Rise Up NYC will kick off on Wednesday, July 19, and run through Sunday, August 20, featuring critically acclaimed artists like K. Michelle, Stokley, Farmer Nappy, and Hot 97 Disc Jockey Funk Flex, with more performers to be announced.
Find out more
July 11, 2023

Global Citizen reveals lineup for its 2023 festival in Central Park

The lineup for the 11th annual Global Citizen Festival in New York City has been revealed. Taking place on Central Park's Great Lawn on Saturday, September 23, this year's event includes headliners the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ms. Lauryn Hill, with Megan Thee Stallion, Conan Gray, and the Stray Kids also set to perform. The free ticketed event connects music and activism, with a focus on tackling issues related to extreme poverty around the world, including empowering women and girls, fighting climate action, and alleviating the hunger crisis.
See the lineup
July 10, 2023

NYC libraries celebrate 50 years of hip-hop with special edition library cards

The New York Public Library (NYPL) and Queens Public Library (QPL) are releasing new limited-edition library cards in celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. The new cards honor the genre and commemorate New York City's integral role in its rise to global fame. The cards will be available at branches across the NYPL and QPL systems starting on Friday, July 14.
See more here
July 7, 2023

How to celebrate Bastille Day 2023 in NYC

Bastille Day is a celebration of the day French revolutionaries stormed the Bastille prison in Paris, a pivotal moment in the French Revolution. Taking place on July 14, Bastille Day, or La Fête Nationale, is France's national holiday, and many of New York City's French businesses and institutions host exciting celebrations to honor the day. Ahead, find a round-up of Bastille Day celebrations across the five boroughs, from street fairs and concerts to French automobile parades and specials at French restaurants throughout the city.
See more here
July 6, 2023

A crew of weed-eating goats returns to Riverside Park this week

A voracious crew of goats will return to the Upper West Side on Friday to help clear out hard-to-reach weeds in Riverside Park. Known as "Goatham," the event marks the fourth consecutive year that the Riverside Park Conservancy has welcomed in a team of goats to clear out invasive species. This year's celebration has been made more grandiose with the first-ever Goatham Festival on Friday, July 7 at 11 a.m., which will host four esteemed goats as guests for a "ribbon chewing" ceremony for the opening of the new Compost Compound on 95th Street.
See more here
July 5, 2023

New Louis Armstrong Center opens in Corona

A new center dedicated to jazz legend Louis Armstrong has opened in Queens. Located at 34-40 107th Street in Corona, the Louis Armstrong Center will feature a 60,000-piece permanent collection of historical items relating to Louis and Lucille Armstrong, a rotating exhibition space, and a 75-seat venue for performances, lectures, films, and educational experiences. Part of the existing Louis Armstrong House Museum, the new building opened on Thursday, July 6.
See more here
July 3, 2023

Where to find free outdoor fitness classes in NYC

"New York City has different changes and energies throughout the seasons," says Robert Atterbury, executive vice president of relationships and programs for the Hudson River Park Trust. And the summer season is the time when parks and outdoor public spaces come alive. New Yorkers come out from apartments, offices, and coffee shops to run, stroll, picnic, hang out — and work out for free — in the city's beautiful outdoor spaces. "It's part of what makes New York New York — the outdoor gathering. It is important, and I think it shows off the diversity that NYC offers," Atterbury said.
Where to get fit for free
June 30, 2023

Manhattan Park’s annual Pop-Up Pool Party gets new art that imagines a bright and sustainable future

Roosevelt Island luxury rental community Manhattan Park has unveiled its ninth annual outdoor pool art transformation. Colorful, transformative art has graced the community’s Pop-Up Pool Party each summer, beginning on Memorial Day. This year's artist, James Gortner, was selected for his artistic and colorful vision; Gortner's themes for this year's art are the joy of existence and sustainability.
See more of the pool's colorful murals
June 30, 2023

NYC’s best spots to watch the Macy’s 4th of July fireworks for free

America's biggest and boldest Independence Day celebration returns to New York City for its 47th year. Macy's annual fireworks show will ring in the Fourth of July with 60,000 shells launched from five barges in the East River from East 26th Street to East 40th Street. There are plenty of firework watch parties being hosted across the city, but Macy's has announced seven official viewing locations where you can enjoy the show for free, including spots in Midtown, Long Island City, Greenpoint, and Williamsburg with unobstructed views.
Where to watch
June 29, 2023

18 best places to see 4th of July fireworks in NYC

On the Fourth of July, Americans all across the nation will be celebrating the country's independence alongside friends and family with good food, cold drinks, and of course, fireworks. Luckily enough for New Yorkers, New York City offers the country's most awe-inspiring Independence Day celebrations, featuring the 47th annual Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Show over the East River and Jersey City's display over the Hudson River. Ahead, find a selection of some of the best-ticketed events across the five boroughs to enjoy this year's July 4th fireworks celebrations, from the top of observation decks soaring 1,000 feet above Manhattan to luxury yachts parked in the East River.
See the list
June 28, 2023

Hypnotizing flower-themed sculptural exhibit coming to Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is hosting a new sculptural exhibition in three of its most well-known garden spaces this summer. Created by French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel, "The Flowers of Hypnosis" consists of six separate flower-like sculptures inspired by Othoniel's passion and observations of nature and work on a landscape scale. The sculpture series, Othoniel's largest exhibition in the United States since 2012, will be on view at the BBG from July 18 through October 22, 2023.
See more here
June 20, 2023

Kick off summer with hundreds of free concerts across NYC

In celebration of the summer solstice, the streets of New York City will be filled with the sounds of live music on June 21. Make Music Day returns to the five boroughs for its 17th year on Wednesday, bringing with it hundreds of free outdoor concerts taking place on corners, stoops, sidewalks, and in public spaces all across NYC on the longest day of the year.
See more here
June 19, 2023

NYC’s first-ever Chinese food festival debuts this weekend

New York City's first-ever outdoor Chinese food and culture festival kicks off this week. Dragon Fest will take place over four days throughout the summer, with the debut event happening in Washington Square Park on Saturday, June 24. The festival will offer a selection of cuisine, art, and cultural traditions from China. Festival attendees can indulge in over 100 varieties of Chinese food from top local vendors like MáLà Project, Pecking House, and Nom Wah, and browse through Han-style clothing and Miao embroidery and jewelry.
Get the details here
June 16, 2023

Williamsburg’s City Reliquary to host yard sale with unusual antiques and oddities from local collectors

The City Reliquary museum is hosting a yard sale next month with a variety of antiques, oddities, and ephemera as part of a Pride celebration. Located at 370 Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg, the sale will take place on Saturday, July 29 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the museum's backyard. Local artists and collectors will sell a diverse selection of unique vintage items, unusual collectibles, and one-of-a-kind arts and crafts. The event includes live music provided by Kyle Supley and DJ Yestergay, resident DJ at Julius’ Bar, and refreshments and pastries from Yardsale Cafe.
Find out more
June 15, 2023

New York City’s best spots for bird watching

With hundreds of parks and over 500 miles of waterfront, New York City is an excellent place for bird watching. The five boroughs serve as a temporary and permanent home to over 400 species of bird, thanks to both habitat diversity and location on the Atlantic Flyway, the route birds follow during migrations. From Pelham Bay Park in the northeast Bronx down to Great Kills Park on the South Shore of Staten Island, there is no shortage of birding activities in New York. We've rounded up the best places to find feathered friends throughout the city, most of which are accessible via public transportation. For guided bird-watching tours and walks, check out events from NYC Parks, NYC Audubon, and the Linnaean Society of New York.
Full list ahead
June 15, 2023

World Trade Center’s new cube-shaped arts center reveals inaugural season ahead of opening

A new arts center at the World Trade Center was included in the 2003 master plan for Lower Manhattan after September 11. Two decades later, the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC) is opening this fall. On Wednesday, the center announced the lineup for its augural season, including wide-ranging programs across theater, dance, music, film, and more. Located at 251 Fulton Street, PAC is a unique, cube-shaped building with a glowing marble facade and flexible performance spaces within. The center kicks off its season on September 19 with a five-night pay-what-you-wish event, "Refuge: A Concert Series to Welcome the World," which will include performances from musicians from around the world.
Find out more
June 13, 2023

23 ways to celebrate Juneteenth in NYC

For over 150 years, Black Americans have celebrated Juneteenth, the day President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation order reached the people of Galveston, Texas, ending slavery. While Juneteenth became an official federal and state holiday only in recent years, Black Americans in New York City and nationwide have long been commemorating the holiday. New Yorkers have many opportunities to celebrate Juneteenth this year, from musical performances and panel discussions to comedy shows and food festivals.
Juneteenth celebrations and events, this way
June 13, 2023

Met Museum will open a 3,500-square-foot science and art play space for young visitors

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced it will open the 81st Street Studio, a free science and art play space for the museum's youngest visitors, on September 9. The newly-designed space will occupy a 3,500-square-foot area in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education at the Upper East Side museum; children aged 3 to 11 can enjoy interactive play to create new experiences and inspire exploration of the museum's vast collection.
More cool stuff for kids at the Met, this way
June 12, 2023

‘Summer Streets’ coming to all five boroughs this year

The "Summer Streets" program will expand to all five boroughs for the first time ever. The annual event, which began in 2008, closes several miles of Manhattan streets to cars for outdoor recreation and activities. This year, the popular program will also come to Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island over five Saturdays between July and August, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday.
Details this way
June 12, 2023

Visit NYC’s finest museums for free during annual Museum Mile Festival

This week "New York City's biggest block party" is returning to a 28-block stretch of Fifth Avenue for the 45th year. During the Museum Mile Festival, attendees can walk along Fifth Avenue between 82nd Street and 110th Street and visit eight of the city's finest institutions for free. Participating museums include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, the Jewish Museum, Neue Galerie New York, El Museo del Barrio, the Africa Center, and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. The iconic thoroughfare will close to cars during the festival, which takes place on June 13 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., allowing the museums to host art activities, musical performances, and other attractions outdoors.
Find out more
June 9, 2023

50+ best Father’s Day gifts for every type of dad

Dads are so unassuming – they do so much for others and expect so little in return. Whether they are fathers, grandfathers, uncles, big brothers, godfathers, or other father figures, Father’s Day is the one day of the year when we can show our gratitude and celebrate them. So why not choose a Father’s Day gift they might actually like and decide to use? We’ve rounded up – and categorized - an assortment of gift ideas that are sure to be appreciated and bring a smile this Father’s Day.
See our guide