Events &amp; Things To Do

The first permanent museum dedicated to Broadway has an official opening date. The Museum of Broadway will open its doors at 145 West 45th Street in Times Square on November 15. Along with an opening date, new renderings of the space were released on Tuesday, showing off the museum's immersive experiences and "behind-the-curtain" look at the history of Broadway.
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Events & Things To Do

Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc / NYPL

June 13, 2022

NYPL is giving away 500,000 free books to New York kids and teens this summer

The New York Public Library will give away half a million brand new books to families, part of a series of programs aimed at keeping kids and teens engaged while school is out for the summer. The free books are available at all branches in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, as well as during select outdoor programs. In addition to distributing 500,000 free books, NYPL's "Summer at the Library" program includes outdoor pop-up storytime, writing and reading challenges, and hundreds of free programs for readers of all ages.
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The Coney Island Mermaid Parade turns 40, returns to the boardwalk this year

Photo credit: © Norman Blake

June 10, 2022

The Coney Island Mermaid Parade turns 40, returns to the boardwalk this year

Even a pandemic can't sink the zany spirit of the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. The event, now in its 40th year, is the nation's biggest art parade and the largest annual event in Coney Island. After a two-year hiatus, the parade will return "fin-person" this year to welcome summer, co-presented by Coney Island USA and Coney Island Brewery, on Saturday, June 18, rain or shine.
Details here

Events & Things To Do

The Morgan Library unveils $13M exterior restoration and new garden with public access

The Morgan Garden, view looking north. Courtesy of the Morgan Library & Museum, New York. © Brett Beyer, 2022.

June 9, 2022

The Morgan Library unveils $13M exterior restoration and new garden with public access

The Morgan Library and Museum will unveil the recently restored exterior of the Morgan Library and the new Morgan Garden to the public this month. The six-year-long, $13 million project marks the first-ever comprehensive restoration of the historic 115-year-old library’s exterior. Designed by architect Charles Follen McKim for J.Pierpont Morgan, the library was completed in 1906 and later became a public institution. The project restores one of the nation's finest examples of Neoclassical architecture, enhances the surrounding grounds, improves the building's lighting, and enables public access to the grounds of the 36th street site for the first time ever.
Stroll the garden, this way

Hochul signs law that unlocks New York’s underused hotel space for use as affordable housing

Governor Kathy Hochul signs hotel conversion bill; photo credit: Darren McGee–Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

June 8, 2022

Hochul signs law that unlocks New York’s underused hotel space for use as affordable housing

Gov. Kathy Hochul today signed a long-awaited bill that will relax the current rules for converting underutilized hotels into permanent housing. The new legislation allows for Class B hotels within–or within 400 feet of–residentially-zoned districts to operate as permanent residences. It also allows hotels which meet those criteria to be used for permanent housing if they enter into an agreement with the city or receive State financing, through the Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act (HONDA).
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Jersey City announces annual 4th of July fireworks celebration with concert headlined by Flo Rida

Jersey City’s 2019 fireworks display; Photo by Jennifer Brown/City of Jersey City

June 8, 2022

Jersey City announces annual 4th of July fireworks celebration with concert headlined by Flo Rida

New Jersey's largest Fourth of July fireworks display is returning to the Jersey City waterfront this year. Mayor Steven Fulop on Wednesday announced this year's Freedom and Fireworks all-day event will include a concert headlined by Flo Rida, with special guests Shaquille O'Neal aka DJ Diesel and Fun Flex, a massive fireworks show by Grucci, food trucks, and family fun.
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Manhattan Park’s annual Pop-Up Pool Party gets a new mural, inspired by an ocean wonderland

Photo by Max Touhey.

June 8, 2022

Manhattan Park’s annual Pop-Up Pool Party gets a new mural, inspired by an ocean wonderland

Roosevelt Island luxury rental community Manhattan Park has just unveiled the mural that will highlight its outdoor pool this summer. Now in its eighth year, the art transformation has graced the community's Pop-Up Pool Party each summer starting on Memorial Day. This year's mural, created by Syrian-Armenian artist Hratch Arbach, "reflects imaginary scenes inspired by the ocean wonderland.”
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Events & Things To Do

Photo by Steven Pisano

June 8, 2022

New York’s largest Pride flag returns to Roosevelt Island’s Four Freedoms Park

New York's largest Pride Month flag is back and better than ever this year. Found in Roosevelt Island's Four Freedoms Park, the 2022 Progress Pride Flag measures more than 100 feet long by 30 feet wide and features added colors to be more inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community. The installation, which will be featured on the park's monumental staircase throughout the month of June, first debuted in 2019, the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, and is back for Pride Month 2022.
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Events & Things To Do

L.E.A.F. festival blooms again this year with a three-day flower-filled affair in the Meatpacking District

Flower Flashes by Lewis Miller Design / Photo credit: Leatal Cohen, Pic and Petal for L.E.A.F

June 7, 2022

L.E.A.F. festival blooms again this year with a three-day flower-filled affair in the Meatpacking District

L.E.A.F, New York's budding contemporary flower show, returns to Manhattan’s Meatpacking District for its second year this month, inviting all to celebrate the renewal of New York City and its continued resilience. The three-day festival highlighting world-class floral design will feature a European-style flower market, large-scale floral installations and displays, and retail and hospitality events around the neighborhood.
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Events & Things To Do

See NYC’s largest outdoor dance floor and its 10-foot disco ball at Lincoln Center

New York City's largest outdoor dance floor is now open. As part of Lincoln Center's three-month-long festival Summer for the City, "The Oasis" opened this week with a 10-foot, 1,300-pound disco ball hovering above the institution's iconic fountain. Designed by costume and set designer Clint Ramos, The Oasis has transformed Josie Robertson Plaza into a dance floor that will host silent discos, live music, dance lessons, and more free events all summer. Summer for the City, which kicked off last month, will feature over 1,000 artists across 10 stages at the famed campus.
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Events & Things To Do

Enjoy unlimited food and rich history at Brooklyn’s landmarked Lott House

Photo courtesy of Friends of the Lott House, Alyssa Loorya

June 2, 2022

Enjoy unlimited food and rich history at Brooklyn’s landmarked Lott House

Come enjoy unlimited dining from food trucks at the longest continually owned and occupied single-family home in New York City. Located in Marine Park, Brooklyn, the historic Hendrick I. Lott House is a rare surviving Dutch-American farmhouse situated on a parcel of land first purchased in 1719. The non-profit organization that preserves the grounds, Friends of the Lott House, this month will host "Taste the Neighborhood," a special ticketed event that includes unlimited food from local food trucks and encourages exploration of the historic site. The event will be held on June 12 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 1940 East 36th Street.
Details here

Delta’s $4B Terminal C opens this weekend at an all-new LaGuardia Airport

Photo courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

June 2, 2022

Delta’s $4B Terminal C opens this weekend at an all-new LaGuardia Airport

Gov. Kathy Hochul and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced Wednesday that the $4 billion Delta Air Lines Terminal C will open at LaGuardia Airport on June 4. The opening means the all-new $8 billion LaGuardia Airport, the nation's first new major airport in a quarter-century, is nearly complete. At nearly twice the size of the one it replaces, Delta's new terminal boasts up-to-the-minute technology, New York-centric concessions–and an impressive collection of new public artworks by well-known local artists referencing the Queens neighborhood's rich immigrant history and cultural diversity.
This way for takeoff

New street mural promoting peace has been installed on 14th Street in Union Square

All photos courtesy of Jane Kratochvil

May 31, 2022

New street mural promoting peace has been installed on 14th Street in Union Square

A new street mural was unveiled last week along the 14th Street Busway in Union Square. Designed by Brooklyn-based artist Ji Yong Kim, Ripples of Peace and Calm is inspired by traditional East Asian paintings, depicting lotus flowers, floating leaves, and swimming koi fish. The mural's serene qualities are meant to represent the "antithesis of hate" and promote peace and calm, particularly at a time when the city continues to see a spike in violence against Asian New Yorkers. Presented by the city's Department of Transportation and the Union Square Partnership, the mural was installed over the course of five days last week with help from Brooklyn-based urban planning and design firm Street Plans, community groups, and volunteers.
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Events & Things To Do

First permanent museum dedicated to hip hop tops off on the South Bronx waterfront

Rendering: S9 Architecture

May 31, 2022

First permanent museum dedicated to hip hop tops off on the South Bronx waterfront

The country's first permanent museum dedicated to hip hop hit a major construction milestone last week. The Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM) topped out in the South Bronx last week as part of the huge mixed-use project Bronx Point. The museum, located at Exterior Street and East 150th Street, aims to serve as a "living document" that will chronicle the history of the music genre in the borough where it was invented 50 years ago.
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See the new stucco sculpture by Jan Hooss on display in the Upper East Side’s tallest tower

Photo courtesy of Alex Stein

May 26, 2022

See the new stucco sculpture by Jan Hooss on display in the Upper East Side’s tallest tower

World-renowned plaster artist Jan Hooss has installed a custom stucco art installation in the lobby of 180 East 88th Street, a new condo tower designed by Joe McMillan's DDG. Inspired by an architectural style widely used on the Upper East Side at the beginning of the 20th century, the art piece "fuses a rococo design with a whimsically modern aesthetic," according to a press release. The stucco sculpture sits above the vaulted lobby's fireplace, contrasting its flowing, water-like quality with the fire below.
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May 25, 2022

25 ideas for your New York City bucket list

New York City is one of the most visited cities in the world, and for good reason. There is no shortage of attention-worthy landmarks, buildings, and activities to spend time exploring. Ahead, find 25 fun ideas deserving a spot on your NYC bucket list, from secret waterfalls and iconic roller coasters to sky-high observation decks and covert speakeasies. This list is by no means comprehensive but should be a good starting point.
See the full list here

Giant ‘No Quit in New York’ letters pop up across NYC to show support for Rangers playoff run

All photos courtesy of MSG Sports

May 24, 2022

Giant ‘No Quit in New York’ letters pop up across NYC to show support for Rangers playoff run

The New York Rangers are on the hunt for the team's fifth Stanley Cup, facing off this week against the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round. To keep fans excited about the playoff run, the hockey team is painting New York City blue with viewing parties, prizes, giveaways, appearances by alumni, and photo experiences. Giant letters spelling the Rangers' appropriate motto for the season, "No Quit in New York," have popped up across Manhattan, perfect for a pre-game photo op.
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You can pick your own tulips on Park Avenue

Photo courtesy of East Midtown Partnership on Flickr

May 24, 2022

You can pick your own tulips on Park Avenue

Get your trowels ready! The Park Avenue Tulip Dig is back, giving New Yorkers the opportunity to dig up and take home tulip bulbs planted along the famed thoroughfare between the north side of East 54th Street and the south side of East 86th Street. Approximately 60,000 tulips are planted every year in a new color by the non-profit Fund for Park Avenue, as reported by Patch. This year's flowers are a pink tulip known as "Darwin Hybrid Apricot Pride."
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May 23, 2022

New exhibit at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden features dozens of birdhouses made by artists and architects

An outdoor exhibition featuring dozens of artist-made birdhouses will open at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden next month. Debuting on June 11, "For the Birds" highlights the connection between birds, plants, and the importance of protecting plant ecosystems. The installation coincides with the release of "For the Birds: The Birdsong Project," a multi-album collection of original songs and readings inspired by birds compiled by music supervisor Randall Poster.
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May 20, 2022

Judge rules artists’ work won’t stop Manhattan jail demolition

On Wednesday, a judge ruled against halting the demolition of the Manhattan Detention Complex at 124-125 White Street at a hearing in a lawsuit brought by two artists whose works at the site may be moved or destroyed, the New York Times reports. The plaintiffs had requested a preliminary injunction; Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied the request, citing a lack of proof that preserving the artworks outweighed the community value of a newly-constructed jail planned for the site. The artists–with support from Neighbors United Below Canal, a neighborhood group opposed to the new Chinatown jail–had invoked the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 as grounds for the lawsuit.
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People’s Theatre Project will run NYC’s first immigrant research and performing arts center

Photo by kathryn on Flickr

May 20, 2022

People’s Theatre Project will run NYC’s first immigrant research and performing arts center

The Upper Manhattan-based People's Theatre Project (PTP) will run the city's first research and arts center dedicated to immigrants and the immigrant experience in New York. On Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams announced the selection of the PTP Company, an immigrant and women-led nonprofit, to own and manage the Immigrant Research and Performing Arts Center (IRPAC), which is expected to open in Inwood in 2027. The city will grant the company $15 million to put towards the creation of the new 17,000-square-foot center, which will be developed by LMXD, MSquared, and Taconic Partners.
Details here

Events & Things To Do

Teens take over the Met Museum with free art-making, silent dance parties, selfies, and more

Epic Theatre performs in the Velez Blanco Patio at The Met. Teens Take The Met! Fall 2019. Photo credit: Filip Wolak.

May 19, 2022

Teens take over the Met Museum with free art-making, silent dance parties, selfies, and more

Teens will take over the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Friday for an evening full of free creative and educational events. "Teens Take the Met!" takes place at the Upper East Side museum on May 20 and offers a jam-packed schedule of art-making, music and dance, theater, and more, including a silent dance party in the Temple of Dendur and dance lessons from Ballet Hispánico. Welcoming teens aged 13 to 18, the event returns as an on-site experience for the first time since 2019.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC to celebrate Biggie Smalls’ 50th birthday with Empire State Building tribute, special MetroCards

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

May 18, 2022

NYC to celebrate Biggie Smalls’ 50th birthday with Empire State Building tribute, special MetroCards

One of hip-hop's most influential artists will be paid tribute by his hometown this weekend. On May 21, the Empire State Building will turn its lighting to red and white, with a crown spinning atop its mast, in honor of the late rapper Notorious B.I.G., who would have turned 50 on Saturday. In Brooklyn, videos of Biggie Smalls, born Christopher Wallace, will be shown at the Barclays Center entrance and special MetroCards featuring the icon will be sold at three nearby subway stations, Variety reports.
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New public art exhibit in Brooklyn Bridge Park explores ‘hybrid identities’ created by diaspora

Kiyan Williams, “Ruins of Empire,” 2022. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Nicholas Knight, Courtesy of Public Art Fund, NY Kiyan Williams, “Ruins of Empire” was commissioned by Public Art Fund and presented as part of Black Atlantic at Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York City, May 17–November 27, 2022

May 17, 2022

New public art exhibit in Brooklyn Bridge Park explores ‘hybrid identities’ created by diaspora