Events & Things To Do

‘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

"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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Events & Things To Do

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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Events & Things To Do

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

By 6sqft

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 is now offering free admission for all visitors 25 and under. The new program builds upon the museum's free admission on Fridays and the second Sunday of every month, which launched in January. To celebrate the program's launch, the museum is hosting a special Free Friday Night this week, featuring a DJ, dance classes, art-making, and more.
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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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Events & Things To Do

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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Events & Things To Do

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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Events & Things To Do

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

By Lidia Ryan

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

By Dana Schulz

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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Events & Things To Do

Grimace joined Mets fans on the 7 train to Citi Field

Photo credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA

October 9, 2024

Grimace joined Mets fans on the 7 train to Citi Field

By Devin Gannon

From Pete Alonso's pumpkin to "OMG" signs, the New York Mets have had several quirky good luck charms that helped them go from below .500 at one point in the season to one win away from this year's National League Championship Series. Perhaps none greater than Grimace, the McDonald's mascot. To get to Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies, the purple cartoon character boarded a Citi Field-bound 7 train at Hudson Yards decked out in Grimace decals.
details here

Events & Things To Do

Experience the beauty of the Sistine Chapel at new Brooklyn exhibit

All images courtesy of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition®

October 4, 2024

Experience the beauty of the Sistine Chapel at new Brooklyn exhibit

By Aaron Ginsburg

Forget a trip to Vatican City, a captivating new exhibition in Sunset Park brings the breathtaking frescoes of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel to Brooklyn. Debuting on October 11 in Industry City, "Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition" showcases 34 of the chapel's iconic frescoes, meticulously reproduced and enhanced to offer visitors an even more vivid experience. While tourists traveling to Italy must crane their necks 66 feet to view the original frescoes, the exhibition allows visitors to experience their stunning beauty up close.
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100+ NYC streets will go car-free for fun Halloween activities

Credit: NYC DOT

October 4, 2024

100+ NYC streets will go car-free for fun Halloween activities

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's Halloween open streets program returns for its biggest year yet, featuring over 100 participating locations. Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Thursday announced the "Trick-or Streets" initiative, which closes streets, plazas, and other commercial corridors across the five boroughs to cars to provide space for fun, spooky-themed activities throughout October.
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Celebrate Zabar’s 90th anniversary with 90-cent cups of coffee all October

All photos courtesy of Zabar’s

October 4, 2024

Celebrate Zabar’s 90th anniversary with 90-cent cups of coffee all October

By Aaron Ginsburg

Upper West Side legend Zabar's turns 90 this year and to celebrate, the gourmet deli is offering its loyal customers some special discounts. Throughout October, the grocery store at 2245 Broadway—known for its smoked fish, bagels, and coffee—will sell 90-cent cups of coffee and one-pound bags of its Anniversary Coffee Blend for $9.99. Zabar’s will also roll out a series of new specials through the end of the year.
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NYC’s best free and cheap (ish) Halloween events

Photo courtesy of the Central Park Conservancy

October 2, 2024

NYC’s best free and cheap (ish) Halloween events

By Aaron Ginsburg

Like most things in New York City, celebrating Halloween can quickly become an eerily expensive excursion. But fear not, there are still plenty of free and budget-friendly ways to get in the spooky spirit across the five boroughs. Ahead, find some of the best free and cheapish ways to celebrate Halloween in NYC, from exciting festivals and dog costume contests to tricky corn mazes and creepy concerts.
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Events & Things To Do

Skylift opens at Rockefeller Center: Top of the Rock ride offers new panoramic perspective

Photo credit: Diane Bondareff/AP Content Services for Tishman Speyer

October 2, 2024

Skylift opens at Rockefeller Center: Top of the Rock ride offers new panoramic perspective

By Devin Gannon

Rockefeller Center opened its new rooftop ride this week, adding another attraction to the Top of the Rock observation deck. From the 70th floor of 30 Rock, Skylift brings visitors up an additional three stories on a revolving open-air platform for a front-row view of the New York City skyline. Floating above the rooftop, the glass platform offers a unique 360-degree perspective of the city at 900 feet above street level.
take it for a spin

TWA Hotel New York; Photo credit: Eric Laignel

October 2, 2024

Open House New York Weekend is back, with tours and special access to 270 sites throughout NYC

By Michelle Cohen

October is a month of discovery for fans of New York City's architecture, and a great time to explore the city's unique spaces. In addition to the Archtober celebration, Open House New York Weekend 2024 has just announced this year's lineup for a behind-the-scenes view of the city from October 18 to 20, promising hundreds of tours, unique access opportunities, and other events. From subway tunnels and skyscrapers to treasures as diverse as the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine Textile Conservation Lab to the Apollo Stages and the Bronx Music Hall, read on to discover over 270 places, tours, activities, and more throughout the five boroughs.
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September 25, 2024

Archtober 2024: The best design tours to book during this year’s festival

By Devin Gannon

It's beginning to feel like Archtober. In its 14th year, the annual festival dedicated to architecture and design kicks off next month with the theme "Tracing the Future," focusing on New York City's evolving landscape through affordable housing, infrastructure projects, and sustainable design. Archtober's Building of the Day series returns this year, offering architect-led tours of the projects across the city. Our must-visit list includes the sunrise-inspired Far Rockaway public library branch designed by Snøhetta, the new bike path and pedestrian space on the East Midtown Greenway, and Annabelle Selldorf's first residential project.
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30 Rock’s new ‘Skylift’ platform takes visitors 900 feet above NYC

Renderings courtesy of Tishman Speyer

September 25, 2024

30 Rock’s new ‘Skylift’ platform takes visitors 900 feet above NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

The view from one of New York City's most iconic observation decks is about to get even better. Opening on October 1, Skylift at the Top of the Rock takes visitors above the 70th floor at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on an open-air platform that offers unobstructed, 360-degree city views. The new experience starts at $35 as an optional add-on to general admission to the Top of the Rock.
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Events & Things To Do

Data Vandals artist-activists bring data to life in NYC at colorful Cooper Union exhibition

Image credit: DataVandals.com

September 24, 2024

Data Vandals artist-activists bring data to life in NYC at colorful Cooper Union exhibition

By Michelle Cohen

Not all New York City events are easy to categorize; a provocative program taking place at Cooper Union from Friday, September 27 to Sunday, September 29, straddles the worlds of art, technology, data science, and community participation. Showcasing the talents of NYC data-activist collective Data Vandals (artist Jen Ray and data visualization expert Jason Forrest), the exhibition's full title "Hello From The Data Vandals (or free as air and water, or whatsoever things are true)” highlights just how many things in our daily lives intersect with what we know as data.
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