Events & Things To Do

2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: What you need to know

The Tom Turkey float is one of the most famous in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Photo courtesy of Macy’s.

November 14, 2023

2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: What you need to know

By Devin Gannon

The 97th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is ready to kick off the holiday season. Taking place on Thursday, November 23, the parade this year will run an extra 30 minutes (with a start time of 8:30 a.m. instead of 9 a.m.) and include a performance by Cher (who will open for the real star of the show, Santa Claus). This year's parade features 32 novelty and heritage inflatables, 16 giant character balloons, 26 floats, 12 marching bands, 700 clowns, and eight performance groups, all made possible thanks to roughly 5,000 volunteers.
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Events & Things To Do

New-York Historical Society expansion will feature new Democracy Wing

The New-York Historical Society new wing and renovation by Robert A.M. Stern Architects as viewed from 76th Street. Image courtesy of Alden Studios for Robert A.M. Stern Architects.

November 14, 2023

New-York Historical Society expansion will feature new Democracy Wing

By Michelle Cohen

New York's oldest museum, the New-York Historical Society Museum and Library, begins construction this month on an 80,000-square-foot renovation and expansion project. As 6sqft previously reported, the $140 million five-story extension at the rear of the museum's Upper West Side location will be designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern. New-York Historical president and CEO Louise Mirrer announced Monday the new addition will feature a Democracy Wing. When construction is completed in 2026–just in time for the nation's 250th anniversary–the new wing will offer educational programs and a home for valuable materials on American democracy.
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Museum of Natural History explores the ‘secret world’ of elephants in new exhibit

The exhibition features a life-size model of an African elephant—the largest living land animal. All photos courtesy of Alvaro Keding / © AMNH

November 13, 2023

Museum of Natural History explores the ‘secret world’ of elephants in new exhibit

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History dives into the astounding 60-million-year history of elephants. Now open, the exhibit, known as "The Secret World of Elephants," explores new science about modern and ancient elephant relatives, delves into the species' extraordinary minds and senses, explains their vital importance to the health of their ecosystems, and shares efforts that are currently underway to ensure their survival. The exhibition is located on the fourth floor of the museum in the LeFrak Family Gallery.
details this way

Events & Things To Do

A festive roller rink is opening inside the Oculus

All photos courtesy of the Oculus

November 10, 2023

A festive roller rink is opening inside the Oculus

By Aaron Ginsburg

A roller rink is opening inside the World Trade Center's Oculus this month. "Winter Whirl" invites skaters of all ages to skate inside the Lower Manhattan shopping mall and underneath the architecturally stunning skylight designed by Santiago Calatrava. The rink will open for the season on Friday, November 24, and operate through late January.
go for a winter whirl

Events & Things To Do

What to know about NYC’s 2023 Veterans Day Parade

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

November 10, 2023

What to know about NYC’s 2023 Veterans Day Parade

By Aaron Ginsburg

The country's largest Veterans Day commemoration takes place in New York City this Saturday. On November 11, the 104th annual Veterans Day Parade kicks off with 20,000 marchers and 150+ vehicles traveling up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan in honor of the military. This year's parade starts at 9:30 a.m. from 26th Street and Fifth Avenue and moves north until ending at 47th Street. The Army is this year’s featured service.
learn more about this year's parade

Events & Things To Do

See gingerbread recreations of iconic NYC landmarks

The American Museum of Natural History by Loretta Bricchi Lee. All photos by Brad Farwell for MCNY

November 9, 2023

See gingerbread recreations of iconic NYC landmarks

By Aaron Ginsburg

These gingerbread creations take the holiday cookie tradition to the next level. The Museum of the City of New York is hosting its second annual gingerbread competition, Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off, featuring the work of professional and independent bakers tasked with creating festive displays depicting New York City icons in neighborhoods across the five boroughs. The installation will be on view at the museum from November 10 through January 15 and visitors are invited to vote for their favorites.
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Events & Things To Do

Empire State Building receives ‘Elf’ takeover for movie’s 20th anniversary

All photos by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust unless noted otherwise

November 9, 2023

Empire State Building receives ‘Elf’ takeover for movie’s 20th anniversary

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Empire State Building is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the holiday classic "Elf" with new festive decorations and screenings of the movie in the skyscraper's 80th-floor observatory. Visitors will be able to snap photos with a life-sized cutout of Buddy the Elf, view ground-floor window displays featuring Elf-themed merchandise for purchase, and more.
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Events & Things To Do

Vintage NYC subway rides are back every Saturday during the holidays

Photo: MTA New York City Transit / Marc Hermann on Flickr

November 6, 2023

Vintage NYC subway rides are back every Saturday during the holidays

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York Transit Museum's Holiday Nostalgia Rides are back this season. Every Saturday between Thanksgiving and Christmas, New Yorkers can embark on old-school NYC subway trains in Manhattan from 2nd Avenue on the uptown F line platform and 145th on the downtown D line platform. The Holiday Nostalgia rides include eight cars used in the 1930s.
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A guide to the 2023 New York City Marathon

The 2021 NYC Marathon. Photo by Marc A. Hermann/ MTA on Flickr.

November 3, 2023

A guide to the 2023 New York City Marathon

By Devin Gannon

The largest marathon in the world returns to New York City this Sunday. On November 5, 50,000 runners will participate in the annual TCS New York City Marathon, a race that travels 26.2 miles and runs through every borough, starting on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and ending in Central Park. Ahead, learn everything you need to know about this year's event, from the route and start times to the best viewing spots for spectators and scheduled road closures.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Events & Things To Do

6-acre light installation at proposed Midtown East casino site to open in December

All renderings courtesy of the Soloviev Foundation

November 2, 2023

6-acre light installation at proposed Midtown East casino site to open in December

By Aaron Ginsburg

A sprawling light installation coming to the site of a proposed casino in Midtown East is opening next month. Designed by Bruce Munro, Field of Light at Freedom Plaza includes 17,000 low-light, fiber-optic stemmed spheres that change hues and create a dreamlike landscape across six acres near the United Nations headquarters. Free tickets are now available to book to visit the installation, which officially debuts December 15. The display is financed by the Soloviev Group, which owns the vacant land and is looking to build a mixed-use development called Freedom Plaza, anchored by a casino.
learn more about the installation

Popular Articles

Coney Island’s Luna Park will stay open this winter for the first time ever

Photo courtesy of Luna Park

November 1, 2023

Coney Island’s Luna Park will stay open this winter for the first time ever

By Aaron Ginsburg

Luna Park in Coney Island will stay open this winter for the first time in its 120-year history for an exciting holiday celebration. Starting on November 18, Luna Park will be home to Frost Fest, a winter festival that will let visitors ride some of the amusement park's iconic rides and attractions, glide across a brand-new ice skating rink, enjoy holiday shopping, eat festive food, and much more. Frost Fest runs through January 7.
learn more about frost fest

Events & Things To Do

A first look at this year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Image courtesy of Tishman Speyer

November 1, 2023

A first look at this year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

By Aaron Ginsburg

The 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has officially been selected. The 80-foot-tall Norway Spruce comes from Vestal, a suburb of Binghamton, and will be cut down next Thursday and arrive at Rockefeller Center on Saturday, November 11. After the world-famous tree is decorated with thousands of sparkling lights and crowned with its Swarovski star, the annual tree lighting ceremony will take place on Wednesday, November 29.
read more about this year's tree

Events & Things To Do

Beautiful ‘ofrenda’ on display at Rockefeller Center for Day of the Dead celebration

All photos courtesy of Tequila Casa Dragones

October 31, 2023

Beautiful ‘ofrenda’ on display at Rockefeller Center for Day of the Dead celebration

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mexico Week has returned to Rockefeller Center for the third year in a row, giving New Yorkers an opportunity to honor Mexican heritage and Día de Los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, over the course of a week-long celebration. As part of the annual celebration, guests can experience Mexican art, food, music, and culture across the Rockefeller Center campus through a series of free events. Mexico Week runs through November 2.
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Events & Things To Do

At 50, the Village Halloween Parade has become New York City’s ‘healing ritual’

All photos courtesy of New York’s Village Halloween Parade

October 30, 2023

At 50, the Village Halloween Parade has become New York City’s ‘healing ritual’

Fifty years ago, Ralph Lee took a walk around Greenwich Village with his puppets on Halloween night. It resonated with people. A couple of years later, as part of the City in the Streets program, Theater for the New City stepped in and produced the event on a larger scale, hitting more Village streets and attracting more participants. After Lee stopped his involvement with the parade, Jeanne Fleming stepped in. Today, over four decades under Fleming’s careful eye as artistic and producing director, the Village Halloween Parade is a part of New York City’s cultural identity — an event that through hardship and triumph over the past 50 years, has remained a ritual.
more on on the iconic event here

Coney Island celebrates 200th birthday by displaying its oldest artifact

Image courtesy of the Coney Island History Project

October 26, 2023

Coney Island celebrates 200th birthday by displaying its oldest artifact

By Aaron Ginsburg

Celebrate Coney Island's 200th anniversary by honoring the neighborhood's oldest surviving artifact this weekend. The Coney Island History Project, located at 3059 West 12th Street next to the entrance to Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, is displaying the 200-year-old Coney Island Toll House sign from 1823. The artifact will be on view on Saturday, October 28, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
MORE ON CONEY ISLAND's 200-YEAR HISTORY HERE

NYC breaks ground on Inwood performing arts center dedicated to immigrant experience

Renderings courtesy of the People’s Theatre Project

October 26, 2023

NYC breaks ground on Inwood performing arts center dedicated to immigrant experience

By Aaron Ginsburg

Officials on Wednesday celebrated the groundbreaking of The People's Theatre: Centro Cultural Immigrante, a 19,000-square-foot performing arts and research center in Inwood dedicated to immigrants and the immigrant experience. Designed by woman-and-immigrant-owned architecture firm WORKac and theater and acoustics consultant Charcoalblue, the center will feature a flexible midsize theater, a smaller performance space, rehearsal studios, a soundproof practice room, gallery space, and educational programming. Centro Cultural Immigrante, located within a huge mixed-use development at 405-407 West 206th Street, is scheduled to open its doors in 2026.
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Events & Things To Do

The best spots to see fall foliage in NYC

October 25, 2023

The best spots to see fall foliage in NYC

By Devin Gannon

The beautiful yet fleeting season of fall has officially begun in New York City. While a trip to the Catskill or Adirondack mountains makes for a fun weekend, New Yorkers don't have to travel outside city limits to enjoy the colorful fall foliage. Typically, peak foliage in the city takes place at the end of October through early November and lasts only a few days. Ahead, find some of the best parks and gardens across the five boroughs to take in the beauty of the season.
See the list

Events & Things To Do

The best ways to celebrate Halloween 2023 in NYC

October 23, 2023

The best ways to celebrate Halloween 2023 in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers, it's spooky season. New York City is known to go all out for Halloween, with over-the-top parades, epic trick-or-treating, and spirited parties in every neighborhood. Ahead, find some of this year's best-haunted happenings for all ages, from kid-approved activities and dog costume contests to devilish dance parties and brews and booze.
HAUNTED HAPPENINGS, HERE

Events & Things To Do

Mayor Adams to host haunted Halloween party at Gracie Mansion

Halloween at Gracie Mansion 2021. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 20, 2023

Mayor Adams to host haunted Halloween party at Gracie Mansion

By Devin Gannon

The grounds of Gracie Mansion are getting a haunted makeover this Halloween. Mayor Eric Adams will open the People's House to young New Yorkers for trick-or-treating, a corn maze, and a spooky graveyard. Adams, who previously said he thinks ghosts reside at the Yorkville mansion, has set aside tickets to the two-day event for about 300 families in the city's shelter system and those seeking asylum.
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Events & Things To Do

Restoration of Richard Haas’ trompe-l’oeil mural in Soho begins

112 Prince Street mural in 1974 (left) and during the current restoration project (right). Photos: CITYarts

October 19, 2023

Restoration of Richard Haas’ trompe-l’oeil mural in Soho begins

By Devin Gannon

After years of deterioration, Richard Haas' iconic mural on the outside of a building in Soho will be restored. Painted in 1975, the five-story-high mural depicts a faux cast-iron facade painted to look like a continuation of the late 19th-century building at 112 Prince Street. Natural elements, time, and graffiti have made the mural unrecognizable, with the artwork almost completely faded. Work to bring the mural back to life began this week, with the project expected to be completed in November.
details here

Sewer alligator sculpture in Union Square channels century-old New York City myth

All photos courtesy of Jane Kratochvil

October 18, 2023

Sewer alligator sculpture in Union Square channels century-old New York City myth

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new sculpture in Union Square Park plays on the century-old myth that alligators live in New York City's sewer system. Created by Swedish artist Alexander Klingspor in collaboration with Mollbrinks Gallery, "NYC Legend" is a bronze sculpture depicting a life-sized alligator sitting atop a manhole cover. The artwork is inspired by an urban legend that originated 100 years ago claiming New Yorkers set pet baby alligators loose in the sewers after they grew too large to handle. The installation is on display through June 2024.
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Bronx Night Market at Fordham Plaza to close after seven-year run

Photos courtesy of Bronx Night Market

October 16, 2023

Bronx Night Market at Fordham Plaza to close after seven-year run

By Michelle Cohen

October 28 will be the last day you'll be able to sample the food, crafts, and other local wares at the Bronx Night Market at Fordham Plaza. The borough's beloved foodie fest is closing down for good after a farewell fling. After seven years, the team behind the ground-breaking seasonal event has made the tough decision to close after safety concerns rose and sponsorships fell short.
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Three major public art installations explore sustainability, social justice as part of NYC’s annual Design Pavilion

All images courtesy of Jennifer Trahan unless otherwise noted

October 12, 2023

Three major public art installations explore sustainability, social justice as part of NYC’s annual Design Pavilion

By Aaron Ginsburg

Three new massive public art installations have been unveiled in Manhattan as part of NYCxDESIGN's annual public design exhibition Design Pavilion and the monthlong Archtober festival. The three thought-provoking artworks center around themes of social justice and sustainability. The installations, on view at One World Trade Center and Gansevoort Plaza, are open and free to the public through October 18.
details this way

Events & Things To Do

Museum of the City of New York celebrates its 100th birthday with weekend-long party

Photo by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr.

October 10, 2023

Museum of the City of New York celebrates its 100th birthday with weekend-long party

By Devin Gannon

The Museum of the City of New York turns 100 this year and to celebrate this milestone, the institution is hosting a weekend-long birthday bash. The party kicks off October 13 through October 15 and includes Roaring Twenties-themed concerts, a scavenger hunt for movie lovers, and a family day with lots of fun arts and crafts, dancing, and other events. The celebration coincides with the opening of the museum's new exhibit, "People, Place, and Influence: The Collection at 100," which explores its mission to capture New York and highlights its unique collection of over 750,000 items.
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Events & Things To Do

Metro-North ‘Leaf Peeper’ train service returns for fall foliage lovers

Views along the Hudson Line on Metro-North Railroad in Beacon. Photo courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

October 9, 2023

Metro-North ‘Leaf Peeper’ train service returns for fall foliage lovers

By Aaron Ginsburg

Take a train ride up through the Hudson Valley and witness the breathtaking beauty of New York State's fall foliage. The Metro-North Railroad last weekend kicked off its annual "Leaf Peeper" train service, boosting service on the Hudson River line, which provides scenic views of upstate's changing foliage and stops in charming autumnal towns like Peekskill, Cold Spring, and Beacon. Five extra trains on Saturdays and four trains on Sundays have been added from October 7 through November 5.
learn more about the leaf peeper rides

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