By Devin Gannon, Fri, June 19, 2020 Photo by Erick Zajac on Unsplash
Juneteenth has been observed by African Americans nationwide for more than 150 years as a celebration of the day enslaved Black people were liberated in the United States. This year, as Black Lives Matter demonstrations continue across New York City, the holiday takes on special significance as a day of action, reflection, and education. New York officials are recognizing the weight of the anniversary by making Juneteenth an official state holiday and a city holiday, set to be observed by public schools next year. Although the festivals and cookouts of the past are on hold this year in light of the coronavirus, there are many virtual and socially distanced events happening across the city, from a digital day of dance to a cyclist-led Freedom Ride.
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By Dana Schulz, Tue, June 16, 2020 Photo via Wikimedia Commons
This year’s 52nd annual U.S. Open will be held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens from August 31st to September 13th without fans, Governor Cuomo announced in his press conference today. The U.S. Tennis Association will “take extraordinary precautions to protect players and staff,” which will include robust testing, increased cleaning, extra space in locker rooms, and dedicated housing and transportation. Last year’s event set an all-time attendance record of 737,872, bringing in $400 million in revenue, 80 percent of the USTA’s annual total.
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By Devin Gannon, Tue, June 16, 2020 Photo by Chun-Hung Eric Cheng on Flickr
While most of New York City’s annual summer activities and celebrations have been canceled or postponed this year because of the coronavirus, one event will still take place. Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest will forge ahead in Coney Island on July 4, but with no fans, fewer eaters, and social distancing measures in place.
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By Dana Schulz, Mon, June 15, 2020 Photo of Gowanus by Steven Pisano via Flickr cc
This week’s roster of virtual events pays attention to our current times, from a look at how the restaurant industry reopens with chef Marcus Samuelsson to a special food-based conversation around Juneteenth. In addition, the 92Y continues its “92Y Confronts Hate” series, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden streams a concert by composer-trombonist Craig Harris, whose music has been focused on the art of breathing since the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in 2014. You can also take virtual tours of Gowanus and the mansions of the Hamptons.
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By Dana Schulz, Thu, June 11, 2020 Image by gagnonm1993 from Pixabay
2020 marks 50 years since the first NYC Pride March was held, one year after the Stonewall riots. Though the LGBTQIA+ and New York City communities aren’t able to celebrate in the big way that NYC Pride had planned, there will still be a special virtual March, along with many other ways to mark this momentous occasion from home, from panel discussions to a virtual 5K run to rallies and conferences.
The full list of events
By Dana Schulz, Tue, June 2, 2020 Photo by Seth Hoffman on Unsplash
After last performing on March 11 and facing revenue losses nearing $100 million, The Met Opera has announced that it’s cancelling its fall season with hopes to resume with a New Year’s Eve gala. The opera’s general manager Peter Gelb told the New York Times that “It’s transparently obvious that social distancing and grand opera cannot go together. It’s not just the audience; it’s the health of the company. You cannot put a symphony orchestra inside a pit, and performers and a chorus in intimate proximity on the stage of the Met.”
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By Devin Gannon, Mon, June 1, 2020 Photo by Howard Brier on Flickr
Starting on Monday, the Brooklyn Museum is temporarily transforming its parking lot into a weekly food bank. The institution announced last week a partnership with The Campaign Against Hunger (TCAH), a Bed-Stuy based nonprofit that has served about one million meals to New Yorkers in need during the coronavirus pandemic. The museum has been closed since March 13.
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By Dana Schulz, Mon, June 1, 2020 Photo by Felix Soage on Unsplash
New York City is finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t remain vigilant in our social distancing efforts. Thankfully, there are plenty of cool online events this week to make staying at home that much easier. There’s good music, from the kick-off concert in a new series from Brandi Carlile to a benefit concert to support Harlem’s The Apollo, as well as some newsy discussions like a talk about life after COVID-19 with Fareed Zakaria and a new virtual open newsroom with THE CITY and the Brooklyn Public Library. You can also go on a virtual dino bone dig with the American Museum of Natural History and watch Puccini’s masterwork Tosca with the Met Opera.
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By Devin Gannon, Fri, May 29, 2020 Photo of last year’s Loisaida Festival by editrixie on Flickr
If you’ve run out of Netflix shows and can’t look at another jigsaw puzzle, there is still plenty of ways to stay entertained this weekend. From a virtual stand-up comedy show and a spring fiesta for dachshunds to guided meditation and a historic discussion on New York City’s Chinatown, we’ve rounded up nine virtual events to keep boredom at bay.
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By Dana Schulz, Wed, May 27, 2020 Photos of the 2019 Spring Fiesta by WSPC photography volunteer Beth Whitman
If quarantine’s got you down, the Washington Square Park Conservancy has just the thing to lift your mood. This Saturday afternoon, along with their partner the Dachshund Friendship Club, the organization is taking its annual Dachshund Spring Fiesta virtual for a full hour of adorableness, including a sing-along to the “Dachsong.”
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