Events & Things To Do

NYC’s most festive holiday bars and restaurants

November 21, 2024

NYC’s most festive holiday bars and restaurants

By Aaron Ginsburg

Nowhere is as picturesque as New York City during the holidays, with iconic attractions like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, Bryant Park's Winter Village, the Dyker Heights Christmas lights, and festive decorations brightening every street corner. Whether you're looking for a cozy spot to sip on seasonal cocktails or somewhere to enjoy over-the-top holiday-themed decor, the city offers many options to revel in holiday cheer. Ahead, find a list of festive bars and restaurants across NYC that will help you get into the holiday spirit (and spirits) this season.
Find out where the festivities are

Holiday nostalgia rides on vintage NYC subway cars are back this December

Holiday Nostalgia Train at 2nd Avenue station. Photo courtesy of New York Transit Museum.

November 20, 2024

Holiday nostalgia rides on vintage NYC subway cars are back this December

By Aaron Ginsburg

Step back in time and embark on a festive journey aboard an old-school New York City subway car this holiday season. The New York Transit Museum's beloved Holiday Nostalgia Rides, which includes eight cars from the 1930s that ran along lettered lines through the late 1970s, will run every Sunday in December from 2nd Avenue on the uptown F platform and 96th Street on the downtown Q platform.
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American Museum of Natural History’s origami holiday tree features 1,000 pouncing paper animals

D. Finnin / ©AMNH

November 18, 2024

American Museum of Natural History’s origami holiday tree features 1,000 pouncing paper animals

By Aaron Ginsburg

The American Museum of Natural History’s beloved Origami Holiday Tree returns this year, featuring over 1,000 hand-folded paper models inspired by the world’s leaping critters. In honor of the leap year's end, this year's theme is "Jumping for Joy," celebrating animals that hop, from rabbits, grasshoppers, and kangaroos to frogs, squirrels, and the newly-discovered leaping leech. The 13-foot tree will be on display in the Ellen V. Futter Gallery on the first floor starting November 25 through mid-January.
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NYBG’s Holiday Train Show is a tribute to NYC’s architectural heritage

A model train passing by the NYC skyline. Courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden

November 13, 2024

NYBG’s Holiday Train Show is a tribute to NYC’s architectural heritage

By Aaron Ginsburg

A quintessential New York City holiday tradition is back for its 33rd year. The New York Botanical Garden's beloved Holiday Train Show enchants guests with G-scale miniature trains that zip through nearly 200 plant-based models of iconic city landmarks, displayed inside the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and outdoors. For the first time, guests can experience the show in a new light with Holiday Train Nights, where the trains and displays twinkle under the night sky. The show runs from November 16 through January 20, 2025.
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Saks Fifth Avenue cancels holiday light show

Credit: Matt Kieffer on Flickr

November 12, 2024

Saks Fifth Avenue cancels holiday light show

By Aaron Ginsburg

For the first time in nearly two decades, Saks Fifth Avenue's holiday light show—a beloved New York City tradition—will go dark this year. As first reported by the New York Post, the festive experience, which attracts hordes of holiday shoppers and tourists to Midtown, has been canceled this year to save money during what has been a "challenging year" for luxury stores, according to the company.
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Events & Things To Do

Everything you need to know about the 2024 Veterans Day Parade in NYC

Photo by Sgt. Randall A. Clinton for MarineCorps New York on Flickr

November 8, 2024

Everything you need to know about the 2024 Veterans Day Parade in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

This year's Veterans Day returns to New York City on Monday, November 11. As the country's largest Veterans Day commemoration, the event features 20,000 marchers and over 150 vehicles traveling down Fifth Avenue in tribute to our armed forces. The 105th annual parade starts at 12:30 p.m. at 26th Street and Fifth Avenue and heads north until ending at 47th Street. The United States Marine Corps is this year's featured service.
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Events & Things To Do

20 places to volunteer in NYC this holiday season

Credit: West Side Campaign Against Hunger

November 7, 2024

20 places to volunteer in NYC this holiday season

By Aaron Ginsburg

As the holiday season rolls around and we enjoy time with loved ones, it's easy to overlook New Yorkers facing hunger, unemployment, homelessness, or health challenges. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to lend a hand across the five boroughs—whether it's serving at food pantries or helping deliver meals to seniors. Ahead, discover volunteer opportunities in NYC where you can make a meaningful difference this holiday season and beyond.
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The Frick to reopen in April after renovation of Upper East Side mansion

The Frick Collection from East 70th Street; rendering courtesy of Selldorf Architects

November 4, 2024

The Frick to reopen in April after renovation of Upper East Side mansion

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Frick Collection is set to reopen its newly renovated historic home at 1 East 70th Street on the Upper East Side in April 2025. The renovation, designed by Selldorf Architects, will provide a fresh and exciting way to experience the museum's legendary collections, featuring revitalized historic spaces, new amenities, and expanded galleries, including public access to the mansion's second floor for the first time. During the renovation, the museum temporarily resided in the iconic Breuer Building from 2021 until March 2024.
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2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: Everything you need to know

Tom Turkey appears during the 97th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2023. Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy’s, Inc.

November 4, 2024

2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: Everything you need to know

By Devin Gannon

This month the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade returns for its 98th year, ushering in the 2024 holiday season in New York City. The parade, a century-old tradition, takes place on Thursday, November 28 at 8:30 a.m. and promises to be the biggest yet, with 17 character balloons, 22 floats, 15 heritage and novelty balloons, 700 clowns, 11 marching bands, and 10 performance groups, all made possible thanks to 5,000 volunteers.
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Resurrected avant-garde art carnival Luna Luna opens this month at The Shed at Hudson Yards

Kenny Scharf’s painted swings at Luna Luna in Los Angeles. Credit: Joshua White/Luna Luna, LLC

November 1, 2024

Resurrected avant-garde art carnival Luna Luna opens this month at The Shed at Hudson Yards

By Michelle Cohen

Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy, the world’s first art amusement park, is coming to The Shed at Hudson Yards this month. Lost to time since its debut in Hamburg, Germany in 1987, the avant-garde art carnival is being recreated to dazzle, delight, and perplex 21st-century visitors in New York City after a spectacular resurrection in Los Angeles earlier this year. You'll be able to experience the original colorful, surreal riot of carnival rides and immersive attractions created by iconic 20th-century art stars like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, David Hockney, Salvador Dalí, Roy Lichtenstein, and more.
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Popular Articles

‘Canstruction’ returns: NYC’s large-scale can sculpture contest kicks off in FiDi

All photos courtesy of Heidi Lee

October 30, 2024

‘Canstruction’ returns: NYC’s large-scale can sculpture contest kicks off in FiDi

By Aaron Ginsburg

"Canstruction," the beloved annual competition challenging teams of architects, engineers, and contractors to create intricate sculptures from cans, is returning for another year. As part of the contest, participants create large-scale structures using unopened food cans, all of which are donated to City Harvest, New York City's largest food rescue organization, and distributed to food pantries afterward. Hosted at Brookfield Place, the event is free and open to the public, running from October 31 through November 11.
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Events & Things To Do

MTA releases Olivia Rodrigo MetroCards as second-to-last custom card

Credit: Rahul Bhatt

October 28, 2024

MTA releases Olivia Rodrigo MetroCards as second-to-last custom card

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has released its second-to-last limited-edition MetroCard before fully transitioning to the tap-and-go OMNY system. In collaboration with Sony, the special cards will feature pop star Olivia Rodrigo wearing the new Sony Linkbuds in her signature purple aesthetic. The MTA on Monday loaded machines at seven subway stations across the city with 50,000 limited-edition cards.
find out where to get them

This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree comes from Massachusetts

Photo courtesy of Tishman Speyer

October 28, 2024

This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree comes from Massachusetts

By Aaron Ginsburg

This year's Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has been unveiled. The 74-foot-tall Norway Spruce hails from West Stockbridge in Massachusetts—the first tree sourced from the state since 1959—and will be cut down on Thursday, November 7, and make its journey to Manhattan. The spruce arrives at Rockefeller Center on Saturday, November 9. Following the tree's decoration with thousands of twinkling lights and its iconic Swarovski star, the annual tree lighting ceremony takes place on Wednesday, December 4.
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World Trade Center to host free viewing parties for Yankees Dodgers World Series

Babe Ruth batting in an exhibition game between the Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, April 1934. Image via WikiCommons

October 25, 2024

World Trade Center to host free viewing parties for Yankees Dodgers World Series

By Aaron Ginsburg

In partnership with Major League Baseball, the World Trade Center will host free viewing parties of the 2024 World Series as the New York Yankees face the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kicking off Friday for game one, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will show the games on a massive screen at the North Oculus Plaza on the World Trade Center campus. Attendees can enjoy food and beverages from the nearby Oculus Beer Garden, as well as offerings from Westfield World Trade Center shops and restaurants.
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Landmarked East Harlem public library reopens after $34M renovation

All photos courtesy of New York Public Library/Jonathan Blanc unless otherwise noted

October 25, 2024

Landmarked East Harlem public library reopens after $34M renovation

By Aaron Ginsburg

After a three-year $34.4 million renovation, a landmarked New York Public Library branch in East Harlem is reopening this month. Designed by McKim, Mead & White in 1904, the building at 224 East 125th Street had fallen into disrepair and had been closed since 2021. The revamped building will celebrate its reopening on October 30 at 10 a.m.
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A guide to voting in the 2024 election in NYC

Photo by John Morton on Flickr

October 24, 2024

A guide to voting in the 2024 election in NYC

With Election Day less than two weeks away, it's time to make a plan to vote. This year, it's easier than ever to vote in New York, with new laws allowing mail-in ballots for all voters and later registration deadlines. On Tuesday, November 5, New Yorkers can cast their votes for the 47th president of the United States, federal and state representatives, other local offices, and six ballot proposals. Ahead, here's everything you need to know about where, when, and how to vote, so you can participate in the democratic process with confidence.
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Whitney Museum to give free admission to all visitors 25 and under

Credit: Filip Wolak

October 22, 2024

Whitney Museum to give free admission to all visitors 25 and under

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Whitney Museum of American Art will begin offering free admission for all visitors 25 and under starting in mid-December. The new program builds upon the museum's free admission on Fridays and the second Sunday of every month, which launched in January.
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Events & Things To Do

New York Liberty ticker-tape parade announced for Thursday

The city celebrated the United States women’s soccer team winning its fourth World Cup title in 2019 with a ticker-tape parade. Photo by spurekar – Demanding Equity on Wikimedia

October 21, 2024

New York Liberty ticker-tape parade announced for Thursday

By Devin Gannon

New York City will host a ticker-tape parade this Thursday to celebrate the New York Liberty winning their first-ever WNBA championship. The team clinched the 2024 title in a nail-biting game 5 on Sunday night, defeating the Minnesota Lynx 62-67 in overtime. Mayor Eric Adams announced the parade will take place at 10 a.m. on October 24 along the Canyon of Heroes in Lower Manhattan. If you can't make it to the parade in person, you can stream it via the Mayor's Office here.
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Dinosaur has landed: Meet the giant pigeon sculpture sitting on the High Line

Iván Argote, Dinosaur, 2024. A High Line Plinth commission. On view October 2024 – Spring 2026. Photo by Timothy Schenck. Courtesy of the High Line.

October 17, 2024

Dinosaur has landed: Meet the giant pigeon sculpture sitting on the High Line

By Aaron Ginsburg

A giant pigeon sculpture now gazes down upon bustling 10th Avenue. The High Line this week installed Iván Argote’s "Dinosaur" above the intersection of 10th Avenue and 30th Street as part of its High Line Plinth program. The 16-foot-tall, hyper-realistic sculpture, cast in aluminum, aims to challenge the typical power dynamic between humans and birds by elevating the pigeon above car-filled streets and High Line visitors. The sculpture will be on view for 18 months.
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Exhibition recreating Anne Frank’s secret annex opening in NYC

What the annex room Anne Frank shared with Fritz Pfeffer might have looked like. Photo © Anne Frank House

October 16, 2024

Exhibition recreating Anne Frank’s secret annex opening in NYC

By Devin Gannon

A full-scale recreation of the annex where Anne Frank spent two years hiding during World War II will be displayed in New York City next year. The Anne Frank House and the Center for Jewish History will present "Anne Frank The Exhibition," a replica of the rooms where Frank, her parents, sister, and four other Jews lived in secret to evade Nazi capture. Opening on January 27, the exhibition will include 100 original collection items from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, including photo albums and poetry and letters written by Frank.
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Events & Things To Do

Macy’s to host new holiday market at Herald Square flagship

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

October 15, 2024

Macy’s to host new holiday market at Herald Square flagship

By Aaron Ginsburg

Macy's will debut its first-ever holiday market at its iconic Herald Square flagship this season. In partnership with Urbanspace, which runs the popular open-air holiday markets in Bryant Park, Union Square, and Columbus Circle, Macy's Holiday Square will open on November 1 inside the store on 34th Street and feature local and holiday vendors. Following the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a new market dubbed the Herald Holiday Market will open on the plazas outside the store starting December 6.
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10 spots in the Hamptons to pick your own pumpkins, apples, vegetables, and fall flowers

Photo by Zen Chung on Pexels

October 14, 2024

10 spots in the Hamptons to pick your own pumpkins, apples, vegetables, and fall flowers

The Hamptons conjure up images of long sunny days of waves lapping at your feet and relaxing in the heat with a cool drink in hand. But while it's a posh summer destination for many New Yorkers, the region is also home to rural communities growing year-round.
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The best places in Central Park to see fall foliage

Photo of the Mall courtesy of Central Park Conservancy

October 11, 2024

The best places in Central Park to see fall foliage

Some of the most breathtaking fall foliage can be found outside of NYC, but when it comes to autumnal bliss within the boroughs, not many places can compare to Central Park. The park experiences a different fall foliage season than other parts of the city because of the tall buildings that surround it and cast shadows on its trees. According to the Central Park Conservancy, the trees have a "distorted sense of the seasons," creating a later foliage season for Central Park. To make the most of this beautiful season, the Conservancy released its annual fall guide, complete with ideas for exploring the park, and their handy fall foliage map, which lets you know the best spots to see the park's 18,000 trees in all their yellow, orange, and red glory. Ahead, find eight spots that take the lead for leaf-peeping.
Get the guide to the best foliage spots

Events & Things To Do

Bryant Park’s Winter Village opens this month

Photos by Colin Miller

October 10, 2024

Bryant Park’s Winter Village opens this month

By Aaron Ginsburg

It's time to get into the holiday spirit in New York. The annual Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park is returning for its 23rd season later this month. Starting on October 25, the festive event features New York City's only free-admission ice skating, the park's iconic open-air holiday market featuring more than 180 small businesses, a rinkside food hall and bar, heated private igloos, and more. The Winter Village is open through March 2, 2025.
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