(9/21-9/28) Each week City Guide's Things to Do in NYC brings you the best in special NYC events, exhibits, sightseeing activities, fun for kids, concerts, and nightlife. This week, bring the family to the third annual Rolex Central Park Horse Show! Plus, the 90th anniversary of the Feast of San Gennaro continues; meet basketball legend Kareem Abdul Jabar at the NBA Store; check out a Jack Daniel's pop-up shop to celebrate its 150th anniversary, hear Adele at MSG, pig out at the Big Pig Bacon Picnic, and more!
THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK: THE BIG EVENT
(9/21-9/25) The third annual Rolex Central Park Horse Show will make a triumphant return to New York City and Wollman Rink in Central Park. This is the city's first-ever outdoor multi-day equestrian sporting event, which brings together some of the world's best show jumpers and dressage riders as they compete beneath NYC's skyscrapers. The events culminate with a Family Day that features demonstrations, face painting, and pony rides. This year's show will also feature the "World’s Most Handsome Horse." The Friesian stallion Frederik The Great joins the program on Friday and Saturday nights, September 23 and 24. Born in the Netherlands (where the Friesian breed originated), Frederik is a 15-year-old award-winning dressage horse with his own YouTube channel.
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(9/21) Meet Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at the NBA Store! Basketball superstar and thoughtful commentator Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be signing copies of his new book, Writings on the Wall. 3pm-5pm.
(9/15-9/25) More than a million people every year make their way to the historic streets of Little Italy to experience the Feast of San Gennaro, NYC’s largest and longest-running street fair. Now celebrating its 90th anniversary, the San Gennaro has expanded from a one-day festival to a gala 11-day event. Religious processions, parades, live music, and authentic Italian eats highlight the festivities.
(now-9/22) Final days! IFP Film Week has a new home across the river in Brooklyn's Dumbo neighborhood. Take advantage of all kinds of free public programming, which runs from Saturday's Krush Groove Screening & Dance Party to talks, broadcast previews and premieres, and a "Virtual Reality" garden.
(9/24) The New York Liberty is celebrating their 20th season at the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden. Catch the best female basketball players in the world compete LIVE and help cheer on the team in their pursuit of a 2016 WNBA Championship. Bring family and friends and #SHOWUP! Catch a playoff game Saturday as the Liberty play host in NYC!
(now-9/24) For one week only, Jack Daniel's is opening up a pop-up shop in NYC's Flatiron District, to celebrate its 150th anniversary. But there's more to this than just enjoying great whiskey. Get trim and proper with Blind Barber at the Gentleman Jack Barber Shop, learn about barrel making, enjoy southern cooking at Miss Mary Bobo's, and more. 155 Fifth Ave. 21+. donyc.com/generalstore
(9/24-9/25) The Great Big Bacon Picnic at The Old Pfizer Factory in Brooklyn: this dynamic festival will showcase the talents of over 100 of the NYC area’s top restaurants, chefs, food trucks, brew masters, distillers, and mixologists, and will feature three different sessions of inspired bite-sized bacon dishes.
(9/25) This year's Pickle Day on the Lower East Side transforms Orchard Street into an afternoon pickle bazaar, complete with picklers, pickled and non-pickled treats, local boutiques and restaurants, live music, games, activities, and the world's first-ever home pickling/dancing contest.
(9/25) Grand Bazaar NYC on the Upper West Side is the city’s largest curated outdoor market—and most distinctive. From 10am to 5pm on Sunday, check out the Artisan Jewelry Bazaar, loaded with one-of-a-kind pieces, on top of the market’s usual 100+ talented designers, artisans, and food purveyors.
THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK: EXHIBITION OF THE WEEK
(9/9-1/17) Marking the 200th anniversary of her birth in 1816, Charlotte Brontë: An Independent Will celebrates Brontë’s life and successes, tracing her life from ambitious teenager to celebrated novelist, at the Morgan Library and Museum.
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(9/23-1/8/17) The Battle of Brooklyn and the Fall of New York at the New-York Historical Society presents the dramatic story of the largest single battle of the American Revolution. On August 27, 1776, on the marshy fields of Gowanus and Red Hook, George Washington and his ragtag army of untrained soldiers fought Great Britain’s Royal Army, one of the most powerful military forces in the world. Things did not go well. In the first major armed campaign for the colonies after declaring their independence, the British seized control of the strategically important city of New York. Washington was able to make a surprising retreat that saved the day for his troops and ultimately for the American cause. Through 90 objects and documents, including Hugh Gaine’s printing of the Declaration of Independence, a camp bed used by George Washington during the war, Thomas Paine’s 1776 Common Sense, which lays out the arguments for independence, and a rare hunting shirt that became the first “uniform” of the Continental Army, this new exhibition presents the dramatic story of the near-disaster that played a major role in the making of America.
(now-9/25) Final days! Mo Willems’ beloved children’s book characters are distinctly New York, from Trixie’s very first Brooklyn “Aggle Flaggle Klabble!” to the Mike Nichols and Elaine May inspirations of Elephant and Piggie to the public transportation-obsessed Pigeon. The new exhibition The Art and Whimsy of Mo Willems at the New-York Historical Society brings together original art, sketches, animation cels, and sculptures, all framed by Willems’ life in New York and how it influenced his iconic characters. The show is in an immersive, child-friendly space, featuring an imaginative New York cityscape on the gallery walls, two reading areas, and family audio guides narrated by Willems himself.
Warp speed ahead! In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the beloved series Star Trek, the Intrepid, Sea, Air & Space Museum welcomes the new exhibition Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience. The museum is the first place in the U.S. to host this brand-new, immersive “Trek Tech” experience, which spans a starship-sized 12,000 square feet. Visitors become cadets, joining the Starfleet Academy’s Career Day in the 26th century. After “student orientation,” cadets visit zones that focus on the Academy’s special training in language, medicine, engineering, navigation, science, and command skills. Check out interactive activities and unique technology, including voice recognition to communicate in Klingon, a medical tricorder table, planet projection mapping, holograms, and a target game using the show’s iconic phasers. You can get your results and a certificate emailed to you. On your way out, take a selfie in the captain’s chair; you can also visit the fully restored Shuttlecraft Galileo, which carried the crew in the original series.
Click here for our Intrepid Coupon to save $5 off Star Trek Starfleet Academy admission!
Click here for our Intrepid Coupon to save $3 now (max 4 persons) off general admission!
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(now-9/30) Richard Avedon-Moving Image presented by Visionaire and The Richard Avedon Foundation at the Gallery at Cadillac House. This exhibition celebrates the legendary photographer Richard Avedon and his 60-year tenure as a preeminent fashion photographer who shaped contemporary image-making and influenced international aesthetics through his iconic fashion work, portraiture series, reportage, and sheer mastery of technique. The gallery will be filled with various forms of Avedon's work, from his roles as photographer, filmmaker, or casting director.
(now-1/8/17) Who Shot Sports, A Photographic History, 1843-Present at the Brooklyn Museum gathers together approximately 230 works—from daguerreotypes and salted paper prints to digital images—that capture the universal appeal of sports, highlighting unforgettable moments of drama and excitement from around the globe.
(now-9/25) Final days! Atmosphere for Enjoyment: Harry Bertoia's Environment for Sound at the Museum of Arts and Design takes a close look at prolific artist and designer Harry Bertoia's sounding sculptures and gongs.
(now-1/17) The exciting new exhibit Dinosaurs Among Us, at the American Museum of Natural History, examines how one group of dinosaurs evolved into the birds of today.
(now-10/11) Picturing Prestige: New York Portraits at the Museum of the City of New York shows off the work of some of the leading American painters circa 1700-1860, as they fixed the likenesses of that era's 1% for all time.
(now-1/17) The American Museum of Natural History welcomes an exhibit with bite: Crocs: Ancient Predators in a Modern World provides a fascinating look at the world of archosaurs, a group that includes alligators and crocodiles as well as extinct dinosaurs and modern birds.
(permanent) New York’s latest resident is a 122-foot-long dinosaur so new it has yet to be formally named. Going by “Titanosaur” for now, it has taken up residence at the American Museum of Natural History, in a cast of 84 fossil bones uncovered in Patagonia in 2014. The find included a colossal 8-ft. thigh bone, whose shape and size indicated a new species—and one of the biggest dinosaurs ever found. The titanosaur is so large, in fact, that it doesn’t fit in the gallery: a 39-ft.-long neck in a new permanent exhibit extends out towards the elevator banks.
(ongoing) On The Line: Intrepid & The Vietnam War is up at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Intrepid made three tours of duty in Vietnam between 1966-1969.
THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK: COMEDY
(9/24) Comedian/singer Weird Al Yankovic performs at Radio City Music Hall.
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(9/22) Stand Up Showcase, w/Anthony Devito, Liza Treyger, Eman Morgan, and Gary Vider, at Stand Up NY.
(9/23) Stand Up Showcase, w/Dean Edwards, Andy Hendrickson, Aaron Berg, Ashley Austin Morris, and Sean Donnelly, at Stand Up NY.
(9/24) Stand Up Showcase, w/Dean Edwards, Chris DiStefano, Brian Scott McFadden, at Stand Up NY.
(now-10/1) Lady Bunny in Trans-Jester at The Stonewall Inn. Bunny is bringing her latest blend of raucous, irreverent comedy to an equally legendary venue. NOT PC, adults only! (Shows Wed-Sat.)
(9/23-9/24) Joey "Coco" Diaz hosts a special evening at Gotham Comedy Club, with Jimmy Failla and Ryan Davis.
Get free admission for two to Stand Up NY!
THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK: KIDS
(9/24) Marine Science Festival at Hudson River Park, Pier 26. The free event will include hands-on activities, presentations, panel discussions, interactive demonstrations, music, live animals, catch-and-release fishing, kayak lessons, and more.
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(9/24-9/25) Queens County Fair at Queens County Farm, features blue ribbon competitions in produce, livestock, arts and crafts, and more. Enjoy the Amazing Maize Maze, pie-eating and corn-husking contests, pig-racing, hayrides, carnival rides, and a midway. Visit craft vendors, food vendors, enjoy music, and more. 11am-6pm. queensfarm.org
(now-10/9) Arcade Classics: Video Games from the Museum's Collection at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. Check out vintage arcade games including Space Invaders, Asteroids, Tempest, Centipede, Berzerk, and more!
(Ongoing) Explore the beautiful interactive exhibit Connected Worlds at the New York Hall of Science in Queens.
THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK: SIGHTSEEING
(9/24-11/6) Enjoy a foliage-filled ride along the Hudson while sampling tasty brews and listening to live Oktoberfest music on Circle Line Bear Mountain Cruises, complemented with craft vendors and the largest pretzels known to mankind. You can burn off all those beer and brats, plus stock up on fresh air, with a gorgeous three-hour hike along one of the 50 hiking trails in Bear Mountain State Park. Every weekend, setting sail Columbus Day, too. $65 adults, $52 kids. Boards 8:30am sharp, Pier 83, W. 42nd St. and 12th Ave., NY, 212-563-3200, circleline42.com. *You can also check out their Hello, Brooklyn cruise, the first dedicated boat ride to New York's hippest borough, which also departs from Pier 83.
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(now-10/30) Get in the spirit of the season with Scarecrows & Pumpkins at the New York Botanical Garden.
(Ongoing) Grab a date or friend and enjoy the most incredible views of NYC at Top of the Rock.
(new) Catch the new Ghostbusters Experience (walk through/immersive) and Ghostbusters Dimension, a Virtual Reality Experience at Madame Tussauds. Get ready to strap on some gear and laser some ghosts against breathtaking, realistic backdrops. The technology puts you right there!
(ongoing) Take a one-hour tour of one of the world's most important buildings, the United Nations, now celebrating 70 years. (Tours offered weekdays only.)
Explore NYC with a magical live interactive experience when you take THE RIDE and The TOUR!
Check out the new "tour about nothing" When Harry Met Seinfeld with On Location Tours.
The One World Observatory is open. Start by ascending to the top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere in less than sixty seconds, in state-of-the-art "Sky Pod Elevators" that feature a floor-to-ceiling LED screen showing the ever-evolving New York skyline. Once reaching the 100th floor, visitors can take in panoramic, uninterrupted views on the main platform. Click here for information about ordering tickets and getting a free collectible pin!
Explore NYC's Financial District with Wall Street Walks.
THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK: NIGHTLIFE & MUSIC
(9/22, 9/23 9/25, 9/26) Adele performs for several evenings at the legendary Madison Square Garden.
(now-10/2) Philip Seymour Hoffmann, A Film Retrospective will be presented at Astoria's Museum of the Moving Image in Queens.
(9/21) ZEPHYR Pride Cruise.
(9/21) Four time Grammy winning bass-player Stanley Clarke performs at Highline Ballroom.
(9/22-9/25) Betty Buckley: Story Songs at Joe's Pub.
(9/23) Brooklyn Raga Missive: John Coltrane Birthday Celebration at Littlefield.
SNEAK PEEK, NEXT WEEK
(10/1) Chile Pepper Festival 2016 at Brooklyn Botanic Garden will feature dozens of fiery food artisans, 52 acres of glorious gardens, live music, and much more!
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(9/29-10/2) The New York Burlesque Festival is back, hotter than ever! With starting events at Brooklyn Bowl and Bell House, the festivities continue at Highline Ballroom and culminate with the Saturday Spectacular at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in the heart of Times Square! The festival's sexy finale features 20+ of the best Burlesque performers on the circuit, in a 1920s supper club atmosphere. bbkingblues.com, thenewyorkburlesquefestival.com. Tickets can be bought here.
(9/29) The Growlers at The Music Hall of Williamsburg.
(10/1-10/2) The popular, competitive World Maker Faire returns to the New York Hall of Science in Queens! Get inspired to make, create, learn, invent, craft, recycle, build, think, and play while celebrating art, science, and technology. Hundreds of "makers" will present fun and unusual creations such as rockets and robots. There will also be arts and crafts, artisanal foods, live music, and much more. 10am-6pm. Specially priced family passes available. nysci.org, makerfaire.com
(10/1-10/2) The Meadows Music and Arts Festival at Citi Field. Kanye West, the Weekend, Chance the Rapper and Kygo are set to headline the first-ever Meadows Music & Arts Festival to be held at Citi Field in Queens. Plus, Empire of the Sun, Metric, and others.
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