Events & Things To Do

NYC’s West Indian American Day, Mermaid Parades canceled over Covid

Mermaid Parade 2018; Photo Credit: © Norman Blake

August 19, 2021

NYC’s West Indian American Day, Mermaid Parades canceled over Covid

Two of New York City's most vibrant parades won't take place in person this summer for the second year in a row. Due to the spike in coronavirus cases, organizers of both the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island and the West Indian American Day Carnival along Brooklyn's Eastern Parkway have postponed their in-person parades until next year.
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Museum of Broadway to open in Times Square next summer

Rendering by Paul Bennett Architects PC

August 16, 2021

Museum of Broadway to open in Times Square next summer

By Devin Gannon

The first permanent museum dedicated to Broadway will open in Times Square next year. Originally scheduled to debut in 2020 but delayed because of the pandemic, the Museum of Broadway will open at 145 West 45th Street in the summer of 2022, officials announced on Monday. The interactive experience will explore and celebrate the history and legacy of Broadway musicals, plays, and theatres.
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Events & Things To Do

All the places in NYC requiring proof of vaccination

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

August 16, 2021

All the places in NYC requiring proof of vaccination

By Devin Gannon

Starting Tuesday, New Yorkers aged 12 and older must be vaccinated against the coronavirus to partake in indoor dining, fitness, and entertainment. The Key to NYC initiative, which applies to bars, fitness centers, movie theaters, museums, and other indoor venues, requires visitors to show proof of at least one dose of the vaccine. The policy will go into effect on August 17 with enforcement beginning the week of September 13.
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Green-Wood Cemetery honors Battle of Brooklyn’s 245th anniversary with revolutionary event

Battle of Brooklyn reenactment in Green-Wood Cemetery; Photo by Allison Meier on Flickr

August 13, 2021

Green-Wood Cemetery honors Battle of Brooklyn’s 245th anniversary with revolutionary event

By Devin Gannon

The first major battle to take place during the Revolutionary War after the United States declared independence took place in Brooklyn on August 27, 1776. During the Battle of Brooklyn, fighting took place across the borough, including throughout present-day Prospect Park, Fulton Ferry Landing, and Green-Wood Cemetery. To commemorate the 245th anniversary of the historic struggle, Green-Wood Cemetery is hosting a family-friendly event this month with Revolutionary War reenactors, music, demonstrations, and other activities.
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New Roosevelt Island cocktail bar has panoramic views of NYC and the Queensboro Bridge

Photo credit: Noah Fecks

August 12, 2021

New Roosevelt Island cocktail bar has panoramic views of NYC and the Queensboro Bridge

By Devin Gannon

New York City is full of rooftop bars, most offering a sky-high snapshot of the Big Apple's expansive skyline. But a new cocktail lounge on Roosevelt Island is providing an even bigger picture, with 360-degree views of three boroughs and a unique perspective of the Queensboro Bridge. Opening this Friday, the aptly named Panorama Room sits on the 18th-floor of the Graduate Roosevelt Island, the first hotel to open on the island.
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KAWS unveils new 18-foot sculpture at Rockefeller Center

Courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer

August 12, 2021

KAWS unveils new 18-foot sculpture at Rockefeller Center

By Devin Gannon

The distinct art of KAWS is now on display at Rockefeller Center. The 18-foot tall bronze sculpture, dubbed SHARE, features two of the artist's signature cartoon-like figures, Companion and BFF. The installation, which coincides with the current sweeping exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, "KAWS: WHAT PARTY," will be on view at the Center Plaza until October 29.
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Events & Things To Do

Spend the night in ‘Real Housewife’ Dorinda Medley’s infamous Blue Stone Manor in the Berkshires

Exterior photo (L) by Alexandra Arnold; Living room photo (R) by Mick Hales. Courtesy of Airbnb.

August 11, 2021

Spend the night in ‘Real Housewife’ Dorinda Medley’s infamous Blue Stone Manor in the Berkshires

By Dana Schulz

The fish room, the creepy Halloween decorations, "I made it nice!" -- IYKYK. Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New York City" has captured many an iconic moment at Blue Stone Manor, former cast member Dorinda Medley's home in the Berkshires. And now you, too, can live like a reality TV star, as Dorinda has teamed up with Airbnb to offer the 1902 hilltop estate in western Massachusetts for two $100 one-night stays on August 23 and 25.
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1 million daffodils will be planted around NYC to honor victims of 9/11

Photos courtesy of New Yorkers for Parks

August 11, 2021

1 million daffodils will be planted around NYC to honor victims of 9/11

By Devin Gannon

Daffodil bulbs will once again be planted across New York City this fall as part of a living memorial to the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Led by open space advocacy group New Yorkers for Parks, the Daffodil Project launched in the spring after 9/11 and has continued every year since, with more than 8 million daffodil bulbs distributed for free and planted by volunteers. As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, the organization will hand out more than one million daffodil bulbs, double the amount from the year prior. The project's expansion this year will also honor lives lost to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Events & Things To Do

Jon Stewart and Pete Davidson will host 9/11 benefit comedy show at MSG

Photo of Madison Square Garden by ajay_suresh via Flickr cc

August 9, 2021

Jon Stewart and Pete Davidson will host 9/11 benefit comedy show at MSG

By Dana Schulz

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Jon Stewart and Pete Davidson have organized a special benefit comedy show at Madison Square Garden called "NYC Still Rising After 20 Years: A Comedy Celebration." Other big-name comedians who will perform at the September 12 show include Dave Chapelle, Amy Schumer, Jimmy Fallon, Michael Che, and Wanda Sykes, among others.
More details here

Events & Things To Do

August 6, 2021

The best international grocery stores in NYC

By Nicole Mondrus

Not only can you eat nearly every type of cuisine in New York City, but you can also cook it. Thanks to the many specialty grocery stores across the five boroughs, no fare is off the table. Whether you hit popular stores like Kalustyan's selling Middle Eastern and Indian spices in Murray Hill or check out the more obscure shops, like Sri Lankan-supermarket Lanka Grocery on Staten Island, there are endless options when planning an international menu.
Get cooking

Rooftop Films will present 5 free outdoor screenings as part of NYC Homecoming Week

By Dana Schulz

In addition to five free concerts--four hip hop performances in the outer boroughs and one massive show in Central Park--New York City's Homecoming Week will feature five free outdoor film screenings put on by Rooftop Films. Taking place in all five boroughs, the screenings range from documentaries about choreographer Alvin Ailey and Malcolm X/Muhammad Ali to a collection of short films and locally set television episodes. The events will take place from Monday, August 16 through Friday, August 20, and attendees are required to show proof of vaccination.
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Events & Things To Do

Portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama are coming to the Brooklyn Museum this month

(L) “Barack Obama” by Kehinde Wiley, oil on canvas, 2019. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; (R) “Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama” by Amy Sherald, oil on linen, 2018. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

August 5, 2021

Portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama are coming to the Brooklyn Museum this month

By Devin Gannon

The famous portraits of President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are coming to the Brooklyn Museum in Prospect Heights this month. At the beginning of 2020, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery announced a five-city tour for the two popular paintings, which kicked off in June in the Obamas' hometown of Chicago. Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald are the first African American artists selected by the Portrait Gallery for the museum's official portraits of a president or first lady.
Details here

Events & Things To Do

Vibrant new street mural takes over Union Square’s 14th Street

Photo by Liz Ligon

August 3, 2021

Vibrant new street mural takes over Union Square’s 14th Street

By Devin Gannon

A huge nature-themed street mural was installed along the 14th Street Busway in Union Square this week. Titled "Collective Vision," the mural was painted on the pedestrian areas of the busway between Broadway and Union Square West. Brooklyn-based street artists GERALUZ and WERC designed the piece to highlight the strength of nature and unity, with a ruby-throated hummingbird at the center representing the "power of resilience in standing together against injustice and extinction." Over the last five days, community volunteers have helped the artists fill in the vibrant colors of the mural.
See it here

Events & Things To Do

Hip hop legends to perform at four free concerts in NYC for ‘Homecoming Week’

Orchard Beach concert in 2017; Photo by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr on Flickr

July 29, 2021

Hip hop legends to perform at four free concerts in NYC for ‘Homecoming Week’

By Devin Gannon

Four free concerts featuring both legendary and up-and-coming hip hop musicians are coming to a borough near you. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday revealed the lineup of the shows, which are taking place as part of the city's "Homecoming Week," a weeklong celebration of New York City's comeback following the pandemic. Produced by the Universal Hip Hop Museum, the concerts will feature stars like KRS-One, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, Big Daddy Kane, George Clinton & The P-Funk All Stars, and nearly 40 more performers.
See the lineups

Events & Things To Do

Pigpen Theatre Co. performs in “The Amph”; Photo courtesy of Little Island

July 28, 2021

Free four-week arts festival with 160 performances headed to offshore park Little Island

By Devin Gannon

A month-long arts festival featuring more than 160 events and 460 artists will take place in New York City's newest public park next month. Called NYC FREE, the celebration will bring a variety of music, dance, and comedy performances to Little Island, the offshore park in Hudson River Park that opened this spring, over four weeks starting in August. The festival is the culmination of the state's "NY PopsUp" initiative, which launched earlier this year to revive New York's art and culture scene.
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Andrea Bocelli, The Killers, Wyclef Jean & a dozen more stars to perform at Central Park concert

Global Citizen Festival in Central Park on September 23, 2017.Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 27, 2021

Andrea Bocelli, The Killers, Wyclef Jean & a dozen more stars to perform at Central Park concert

By Devin Gannon

More than a dozen iconic musicians will take the stage in Central Park next month as part of a mega-concert celebrating the city's recovery from the coronavirus. Announced on Tuesday, the lineup for the concert, dubbed "WE LOVE NYC: The Homecoming Concert," includes major stars like Andrea Bocelli, Wyclef Jean, Barry Manilow, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jennifer Hudson, The Killers, LL COOL J, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Rob Thomas, and more.
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J. Cole, Warm Up 2013. Photo: Zachary Newton

July 23, 2021

Warm Up, MoMA PS1’s outdoor music and dance party, will return this August

By Dana Schulz

After taking shape as a one-day virtual event last year, MoMA PS1's popular outdoor music series Warm Up will return this August for its 24th season. Limited-capacity tickets are now on sale for the in-person events (it will also be streamed virtually) on August 7, 14, and 21 from 2–8 p.m. DJ sets and live performances include Amorphous, Yung Baby Tate, Yu Su, glaive and ericdoa, Sango, foreigner, La Goony Chonga, and more.
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Events & Things To Do

The Radio City Rockettes are coming back this Christmas

Photo courtesy of MSG Entertainment

July 23, 2021

The Radio City Rockettes are coming back this Christmas

By Dana Schulz

After canceling their famous Christmas Spectacular last year for the first time in 87 years, the Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. announced that the Rockettes will return to Radio City this year. Tickets are already on sale for shows running from November 5, 2021 through January 2, 2022.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC will host 5 free concerts as part of ‘Homecoming Week’

Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park on September 23, 2017. Photo credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 22, 2021

NYC will host 5 free concerts as part of ‘Homecoming Week’

By Devin Gannon

New York City will host five huge free concerts in every borough next month to mark the city's recovery from the pandemic. Earlier this summer, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans for a "mega-concert" on Central Park's Great Lawn in August and later revealed the show's three major headliners: Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, and Jennifer Hudson. On Thursday, the mayor said there will be four additional free concerts, one in each borough, as part of a weeklong celebration dubbed "Homecoming Week."
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11 best spots for outdoor concerts in NYC this summer

Photo of the Rooftop at Pier 17 by Ryan Muir on behalf of The Howard Hughes Corporation

July 22, 2021

11 best spots for outdoor concerts in NYC this summer

By Devin Gannon

After a year without live music, it's finally time to move and groove again. As part of the recovery of New York City's arts and culture scene, outdoor concerts are back. From rooftops and islands to city parks across the five boroughs, there are lots of places hosting outdoor shows this summer. Take in the sounds of summer, whether it be DJ sets on the steps of the Brooklyn Public Library, jazz and classical tunes under the Manhattan Bridge, or silent discos at Lincoln Center's Josie Robertson Plaza.
Full list ahead

Events & Things To Do

Under new Netflix management, historic Paris Theater will reopen next month

All photos by The Brinsons

July 21, 2021

Under new Netflix management, historic Paris Theater will reopen next month

By Dana Schulz

Midtown's Paris Theater is New York City's longest-running arthouse cinema and only remaining single-screen movie theater. On August 6th, the historic theater on 58th Street will hold its grand re-opening following a renovation that added new carpeting, drapes, and a marquee. After opening in 1948, the 571-seat theater closed in 2019 when its lease expired. But later that same year, Netflix announced that it reached a lease agreement to preserve the landmark and keep it open for "special events, screenings, and theatrical releases of its films."
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Events & Things To Do

For $2,500, you can get married at Katz’s Deli (pastrami platter included)

Photo by ercwttmn via Flickr cc

July 21, 2021

For $2,500, you can get married at Katz’s Deli (pastrami platter included)

By Dana Schulz

Nothing says love like... pastrami? Lower East Side institution Katz's Deli has teamed up with Williamsburg wedding chapel Sweet Hearts to offer couples the chance to get hitched inside the 133-year-old restaurant, as was first reported by Time Out NY. Those interested can reserve a 75-minute spot on August 28th, which allows a couple to bring up to six guests. The $2,500 package includes an officiant and witness, photos by the Edward Winter Photography team, and, of course, party platters of Katz's legendary hand-carved pastrami and corned beef.
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Events & Things To Do

July 16, 2021

18 coolest ice cream shops in New York City

By 6sqft

Summer is here! Whether you're soaking up the sun at a local beach, taking a dip in the city's pools, or staying inside with air conditioning on full blast, you deserve ice cream. With so many great places in the city, it's almost impossible to actually pick one. But we're here to help. Ahead, find some of our favorite scoop shops in New York City, from the iconic (The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, Big Gay Ice Cream) to the inventive (Malai, La Newyorkina).
Get the scoop here

Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put

Photo by mari small on Unsplash

July 15, 2021

Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put

By Dana Schulz

Affordable housing has long been a topic at the forefront of NYC politics, but it gained even more attention with Mayor de Blasio's plan to preserve or build 300,000 affordable units by 2026, which has resulted in a slew of new lotteries, a new more user-friendly web portal, and an update to ease the process for immigrants and low-income New Yorkers. But the topic is not without its issues, especially with the city reeling in the wake of the pandemic. Many still wonder if the city is doing enough for affordability and if some of the available units are really affordable. Ahead, we break down the different types of affordable housing programs, how you can qualify and apply, and what happens if and when you get in.
Everything you need to know about affordable housing

July 14, 2021

The 7 best beaches for surfing near NYC

By Dana Schulz

Whether you're a seasoned surfer or are looking to learn the sport, you don't have to go far from New York City to ride some waves. Ahead, we've rounded up the seven best beaches in the area for surfing, from the Rockaways, NYC's only legal surfing beach, to spots on Long Island and the Hamptons to the greatest of the Jersey Shore. We'll also fill you in on other things to do in these towns and where to rent boards or take lessons.
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