Events & Things To Do

10 picture-perfect farms near NYC for pumpkin and apple picking

Photo courtesy of Lyman Orchards

September 17, 2025

10 picture-perfect farms near NYC for pumpkin and apple picking

Several surveys show that fall is by far Americans’ favorite season. And anecdotally, a scroll through Instagram certainly backs this up. Entire accounts are devoted to fall foliage views and autumnal decor, while influencers started posting seasonal recipes and DIY projects long before summer was over. But you don’t need a social media account to enjoy all the season has to offer. There are plenty of places within a short drive or train ride of New York City to enjoy apple picking, pumpkin picking, and so much more, in real life. Read on for our 10 favorite fall farms.
fall farms we love

Events & Things To Do

Ai Weiwei unveils new Roosevelt Island installation, ‘Camouflage’

Ai Weiwei, “Camouflage,” 2025. Exterior view of installation. FDR Four Freedoms State Park. Image Credit: Andy Romer Photography. Courtesy of Four Freedoms Park Conservancy

September 11, 2025

Ai Weiwei unveils new Roosevelt Island installation, ‘Camouflage’

By Devin Gannon

An installation by renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei opened on Roosevelt Island this week. "Camouflage" takes over all 3.5 acres of FDR Four Freedoms State Park and includes an open architectural structure draped with camouflage netting, creating a shelter over the bust of Franklin D. Roosevelt. The work, Ai's first in New York City since 2017, coincides with the 80th session of the U.N. General Assembly and the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The artwork is free to visit, but timed-entry tickets are recommended.
see it here

New York Public Library acquires archive of never-before-shared 9/11 footage

Courtesy of The CameraPlanet Archive

September 10, 2025

New York Public Library acquires archive of never-before-shared 9/11 footage

By Aaron Ginsburg

More than 1,200 hours of video documenting September 11, 2001, its aftermath, and the creation of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum will be made public. The New York Public Library on Wednesday announced it acquired The CameraPlanet Archive, the largest contemporaneous video collection of 9/11. Recorded by more than 130 New Yorkers with camcorders, the footage captures both the attacks and the city’s resilience in one of its darkest moments.
more here

Events & Things To Do

8 best hiking trails near NYC to see beautiful fall foliage

All photos © AllTrails

September 9, 2025

8 best hiking trails near NYC to see beautiful fall foliage

By Dana Schulz

Sad that summer is over and you won’t have the beach as an excuse to get out of the city for the day? Fear not: Fall is just as beautiful a time to rent a car, hop on a train, or catch a ferry out of town to enjoy the crisp air, mild temperatures, and stunning fall foliage. To help you plan your autumnal itinerary, we consulted the experts at AllTrails to compile a list of the best hikes near NYC for leaf peeping.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC’s first curbside restaurant week celebrates outdoor dining

Photos courtesy of Angel Mendoza/Open Plans

September 4, 2025

NYC’s first curbside restaurant week celebrates outdoor dining

By Aaron Ginsburg

A weeklong celebration of outdoor dining in NYC kicks off Friday, offering discounts and specials at participating restaurants while also renewing calls for reforms to New York City’s al fresco dining program. Running from September 5 to 12, Curbside Dining Restaurant Week features deals at more than 35 restaurants across the five boroughs. The event aims to support local businesses while also pushing for changes to Dining Out NYC, the city’s outdoor dining program, like making the program year-round.
time to dine

New audio artworks at NYC subway stations seek to break routine and connect commuters

Photo credit: Ally Caple

September 4, 2025

New audio artworks at NYC subway stations seek to break routine and connect commuters

By Aaron Ginsburg

New audio artworks on the New York City subway aim to add connections to the daily rhythm of commutes. Conceived by conceptual artist and New Yorker Chloë Bass, "If you hear something, free something" is a play on the familiar announcement and reconsiders the role of public address, providing riders a fleeting moment of connection. Through October 5, riders at 14 subway stations will hear 24 poetic announcements in six languages—the first time the MTA has turned over its broadcast system to an artist.
hear it here

Erewhon is coming to NYC, but you’ll need $36K to get in

Credit: KITH

September 2, 2025

Erewhon is coming to NYC, but you’ll need $36K to get in

By Aaron Ginsburg

Erewhon, the cult-favorite upscale Los Angeles grocery chain, is coming to New York City. But the market, known for celebrity-endorsed smoothies and $30 ice cubes, will be harder to access than the West Coast locations. As first spotted by Emily Sundberg's Feed Me newsletter, Erewhon will open within a private padel club being developed in the West Village by Kith founder Ronnie Fieg. On Monday, Fieg shared an Instagram post showing a blueprint for the club, dubbed Kith Ivy, on the 9th floor of 120 Leroy Street, revealing plans for padel courts, a restaurant, spa amenities, and a mini Erewhon. Access to the shop will be limited to members of the club; membership will cost $36,000 in initiation fees and $7,000 in annual dues, according to Feed Me.
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18 fun ways to spend Labor Day weekend in NYC

West Indian American Day Parade in 2024. Photo by Theklan on Wikimedia

August 28, 2025

18 fun ways to spend Labor Day weekend in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

On the first Monday in September, Americans celebrate Labor Day to honor the vital contributions of workers throughout the nation’s history and their fight for safer working conditions. New York City’s history is closely tied to Labor Day—the city was a hub for unions and labor movements throughout the 19th century and hosted the nation’s first Labor Day Parade in 1882. Ahead, find some great ways to celebrate the long weekend in NYC, from Brooklyn's colorful West Indian Day Parade to the citywide unicycle festival.
your long weekend, ahead

Events & Things To Do

NYPL to display rare Declaration of Independence draft for America’s 250th anniversary

Photos courtesy of Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library

August 25, 2025

NYPL to display rare Declaration of Independence draft for America’s 250th anniversary

By Aaron Ginsburg

To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary next year, the New York Public Library will publicly display its rare copy of the Declaration of Independence. On view at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building from July 1 to July 3, 2026, the draft is one of the few surviving "fair copies" handwritten by Thomas Jefferson. As part of a systemwide commemoration of the nation’s semiquincentennial, the display of the document joins the library's exhibition "Revolution: 1776 and Beyond," which will explore New York's role in the American Revolution and its impact on global revolutions that followed.
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Events & Things To Do

Step into 1776 during a Battle of Brooklyn commemoration this weekend

All photos courtesy of The Green-Wood Cemetery

August 21, 2025

Step into 1776 during a Battle of Brooklyn commemoration this weekend

By Devin Gannon

The first, and the biggest, battle of the American Revolution took place in Brooklyn. In August 1776, just weeks after declaring independence from Britain, the first armed campaign for the colonies took place across the borough, through present-day Prospect Park, Fulton Ferry Landing, Fort Greene Park, and Green-Wood Cemetery. While the British soundly defeated the colonies, the historic battle led George Washington to develop a new strategy vital to the eventual win for independence. This weekend, the Green-Wood Cemetery will commemorate the Battle of Brooklyn with historical demonstrations, costumed interpreters, music, and a parade march up Battle Hill.
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Tennis in NYC: What to know, where to play

By Aaron Ginsburg

With the U.S. Open here, New Yorkers are ready for the excitement that the prestigious tennis tournament brings, including the chance to watch some of the world’s best players go head-to-head. But you don’t have to be a Grand Slam contender to enjoy the game in the city. There are courts across the five boroughs where players of all ages and skill levels can get their serve on.
get your serve on

Events & Things To Do

‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ light exhibit returns to New York Botanical Garden

All photos courtesy of Avery Brunkus

August 19, 2025

‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ light exhibit returns to New York Botanical Garden

By Lidia Ryan

Halloween, let alone Christmas, may not be top of mind yet, but the New York Botanical Garden is celebrating early with the return of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" immersive exhibit running September 25 through November 30. This year, the nighttime light trail, inspired by the 1993 Tim Burton film, features 8,300 square feet of light installation and new scenes and music, according to a release.
enter halloween town

Events & Things To Do

Prospect Park launches first formal nature trail system

The Midwood Loop. Photos courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance unless otherwise noted.

August 13, 2025

Prospect Park launches first formal nature trail system

By Devin Gannon

The Prospect Park Alliance this week unveiled the first formal nature trail system through the park's bucolic waterways and woodlands. The five routes are marked by signage and blazes on trees, guiding visitors through 250 acres of the park's most scenic natural areas while protecting its fragile wildlife habitats.
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New MCNY exhibit traces a century of NYC housing activism

A rent strike in Harlem, September 1919. Photo via WikiCommons

August 12, 2025

New MCNY exhibit traces a century of NYC housing activism

By Aaron Ginsburg

While New York City's current housing crisis has pushed rents to all-time highs and the vacancy rate to an all-time low, it's not a new problem. New Yorkers have been rallying for more affordable housing and tenant protections for over a century. A new installation at the Museum of the City of New York, "Housing Activism: Rent Strikes and Tenant Mobilizations, 1908-1939," explores the rich history and lasting impact of tenant organizing in the early 20th century through photographs, drawings, flyers, and other artifacts. The installation covers a period of immense housing pressure, harsh winters, overcrowded tenements, and soaring rents—and the grassroots movements that helped win many of the tenant protections still in place today.
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NYC’s Dominican Day Parade: What you need to know

Photo by S Pakhrin on Wikimedia

August 8, 2025

NYC’s Dominican Day Parade: What you need to know

By Aaron Ginsburg

Colorful parade floats, vibrant costumes, and lively music will return to Midtown this Sunday for the 43rd annual National Dominican Day Parade. Celebrating New York City’s Dominican community—the largest in the country—the event features a festive procession with beautiful costumes, traditional food, dance, and more. Taking place on August 10, this year's theme is "Unidos en Cultura y Tradicion (United in Culture and Tradition)," honoring Dominican heritage in the Dominican Republic, the United States, and abroad, with Dominican-American baseball player Nelson Cruz serving as the grand marshal.
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Events & Things To Do

Restored Richmond Barthé frieze returns to the Kingsborough Houses in Crown Heights

Photos courtesy of the Public Housing Community Fund

August 7, 2025

Restored Richmond Barthé frieze returns to the Kingsborough Houses in Crown Heights

By Devin Gannon

A monumental artwork that has been a fixture of a Crown Heights public housing complex for 80 years has been restored. Created by Harlem Renaissance artist Richmond Barthé, "Exodus and Dance" is an 80-foot cast-stone frieze depicting biblical scenes and Black figures dancing that has been on display at the city's Kingsborough Houses since 1941. Eight decades of exposure to the elements caused the stone to crack and crumble, requiring a major restoration to preserve the public artwork. After an 18-month conservation project, officials on Thursday cut the ribbon on the rehabilitated "Exodus and Dance" sculpture, which once again stands as a community landmark.
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July 30, 2025

Millennial nostalgia culminates in a Kel Mitchell burger fest in NYC

By Lidia Ryan

It’s no secret millennials love a throwback. From “I Know What You Did Last Summer” to “Freakier Friday” and “Devil Wears Prada 2,” movie reboots of late ‘90s and early aughts classics abound. But those who miss the 1997 Nickelodeon slapstick comedy “Good Burger” can go a step further than just hoping for a remake — they can share a burger with Kel Mitchell. Kel’s Burger Fest, hosted by Bucketlisters, is coming to Williamsburg on August 30.
can I take your order?

Take your cat to see the Brooklyn Cyclones play

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

July 25, 2025

Take your cat to see the Brooklyn Cyclones play

By Aaron Ginsburg

We may be in the dog days of summer, but next Tuesday will be for the cats. The Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball team will host its first-ever "PURRRRfect Game" on Tuesday, July 29, allowing fans to bring their feline friends to Maimonides Park to watch the team take on the Jersey Shore BlueClaws. The event follows the success of "Bark in the Park," which welcomes dogs to the ballpark.
catter up!

Events & Things To Do

Tour a hidden rooftop meadow in Greenpoint this weekend

Photos courtesy of Kingsland Wildflowers unless otherwise noted.

July 23, 2025

Tour a hidden rooftop meadow in Greenpoint this weekend

By Devin Gannon

In the heart of industrial Greenpoint is a hidden green surprise. Kingsland Wildflowers is a 24,000-square-foot pollinator garden, planted with native grasses and flowers, on top of Broadway Stages, a working soundstage. On Saturday, July 26, the rooftop meadow will open to the public as part of its annual Kingsland Wildflowers Festival, for an afternoon of guided tours, performances, and food and drinks from local vendors.
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Events & Things To Do

New Yorkers with SNAP benefits to get free Museum of Natural History membership

Image via WikiCommons

July 18, 2025

New Yorkers with SNAP benefits to get free Museum of Natural History membership

By Aaron Ginsburg

The American Museum of Natural History on Friday announced a free membership for New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The new "Discoverer" membership level includes free general admission plus entry to one ticketed exhibition during every visit. The initiative is a joint effort by the city's Department of Cultural Affairs, Human Resources Administration, and Department of Social Services.
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Reservations open for summer 2025 NYC Restaurant Week

Union Square Cafe. Credit: Peter Garritano.

July 17, 2025

Reservations open for summer 2025 NYC Restaurant Week

By Aaron Ginsburg

Prepare your taste buds: reservations are now open for summer 2025 NYC Restaurant Week, the New York City Tourism + Conventions announced Tuesday. Founded in 1992, the beloved culinary tradition returns from July 21 through August 17, offering discounted meals at nearly 600 restaurants in 70 neighborhoods. Participating eateries will serve two-course lunches and three-course dinners at prix-fixe prices of $30, $45, or $60.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

Southern Lesser Galago. All photos courtesy of the Bronx Zoo

July 14, 2025

World of Darkness exhibit showcasing nocturnal animals reopens at the Bronx Zoo after 16 years

By Devin Gannon

The Bronx Zoo is shining a light on animals that thrive in the dark. After closing in 2009, the World of Darkness exhibit reopened this past weekend, showcasing 25 species of nocturnal creatures, from pygmy slow lorises and blind cave fish to blood pythons and Egyptian fruit bats. The exhibit employs a reverse light cycle, allowing visitors to observe these night-dwellers during the day.
step into the dark

Events & Things To Do

July 11, 2025

Life-size Edward Hopper paintings pop up in the Meatpacking District

By Lidia Ryan

In a fluorescent-lit diner on a dark city street, film noir-type characters look aloof at the counter while a waiter tends to them. It’s 1942, and the scene is called "Nighthawks." This painting by artist Edward Hopper is regarded as one of the most famous American paintings. Although it depicts a fictional street corner, the artwork was inspired "by a restaurant Hopper had seen on Greenwich Avenue in New York," according to the Art Institute of Chicago, where the painting resides. The largest collection of Hopper’s works, including "A Woman in the Sun," however, can be found at the Whitney Museum. If you have your hearts set on seeing "Nighthawks," though, the Whitney and the Meatpacking District have leveled up the experience by allowing art lovers to step inside the iconic painting.
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Events & Things To Do

July 10, 2025

Central Park’s new public pool is now open

By Devin Gannon

Swimming is back in Central Park. The Gottesman Pool opened last month as part of the new $160 million Davis Center at the Harlem Meer. Located on the northern end of the park, the elongated oval pool measures 285 feet by 120 feet, making it bigger than an Olympic-size pool and one of the largest public pools in New York City.
dive in

Largest fleet of tall ships to sail into NYC next summer to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary

Credit: OpSail 2000

July 3, 2025

Largest fleet of tall ships to sail into NYC next summer to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary

By Aaron Ginsburg

Next year, the largest fleet of tall ships ever to sail into New York Harbor will arrive to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. From July 3 through July 8, 2026, the once-in-a-generation "Sail4th 250" will bring six days of festivities across the five boroughs, including the arrival of 30 tall ships and 40 gray-hull vessels from around the world on July 4. The celebration is expected to draw more than eight million visitors to the city and generate a record-breaking $2.85 billion in economic impact. Highlights include a special U.S. Navy Fleet Week, a Blue Angels air show, displays of rare historical documents, and more.
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