Looking for what to do in New York? We've got the latest on all the goings-on in NYC, from concerts to museum exhibitions to comedy to the best in city sightseeing. This week, the US Open goes into the finals, New York Fashion Week gets underway, and big music acts like Clapton, Depeche Mode, and McCartney hit the road in NYC.
THE BIG EVENT
(Now-9/10) The US Open is where the world’s greatest players compete in the world’s best city. Witness epic matches while enjoying world-class cuisine and cocktails like the tournament’s signature drink, the Honey Deuce. Located in New York City’s Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, the US Open is played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the historic Arthur Ashe Stadium. Watch the top stars compete for the title—and witness Roger Federer make another run at history! From the tennis to the food, drinks, and celeb spotting opportunities galore, the US Open is the ultimate end of the summer event in NYC.
PLUS
(9/7-9/13) New York Fashion Week is back. Celebrate #NYFW with New York Nanjing Week (9/7-9/11) at Grand Central Terminal. Coinciding with Fashion Week, it features a series of activities including an opening ceremony, couture runway shows, musical performances, design tours, and travel inspirations.
(Now-9/17) It's 2 for 1 Broadway Week, which means if you buy Broadway tickets for these dates, you can get 2 tickets for the price of one! You can still buy tickets now!
(Ongoing) $16 Burger & Beer Weekdays, 11am-4pm, at Heartland Brewery Empire State Building.
(9/11) There will be a Tribute in Light rising to the heavens at Memorial Plaza, through midnight. Find out about more 9/11 related events here.
(9/11-9/17) The popular Brooklyn Book Festival returns this fall, and hundreds of authors will be participating! Literary events will be taking place at various locations around the city, with Children's Day (9/16), and the main festival day taking place by Borough Hall. Scheduled so far: Karl Ove Knausgård, Joyce Carol Oates, Colson Whitehead, Jacqueline Woodson, Jonathan Lethem, Claire Messud, Chris Hayes, Carolyn Forché, Sarah Dessen, Alexandra Bracken, Thi Bui, Lynn Nottage, Hisham Matar, Maira Kalman and hundreds more. Keep checking for updates. brooklynbookfestival.org
(9/8-10) That's not even the only book event in Brooklyn this week: the 4th annual Brooklyn Antiquarian Book Fair takes over the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint for the weekend with over 100 exhibitors. Look for historical documents and ephemera, a tribute to Maurice Sendak with a sale and gallery-style exhibit, a talk on pop-up books, graphic travel labels, and rare World War II memorabilia. brooklynbookfair.com
(9/12) Meet Yankee fan favorite All-Star Nick Swisher and receive two Yankees field level tickets FREE with the purchase of The Best Gentleman's Foil Shaver from Panasonic; next Tuesday at New York legend Hammacher Schlemmer.
EXHIBITION OF THE WEEK
(Now-1/7/18) The photographs in the new exhibit American Visionary: John F. Kennedy's Life and Times at the New-York Historical Society convey the sensation you’ve seen them before: JFK in the White House, his kids joyfully playing nearby; JFK with wife Jackie at an event, both of them elegant and assured (in truth, many images here have only rarely been shown). It’s part of the famous Kennedy allure, conveying a world that’s simultaneously approachable, glittering, and rarefied. This well-curated exhibition charts JFK’s trajectory as a politician, as well as the cultural and historical pulse of the times, when photojournalism was at an apex. It’s s a wonderful opportunity to observe a world both familiar and lost, and to reflect on where the country was—and is.
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(Now-10/15/17) The Duchess of Carnegie Hall: Photographs by Editta Sherman exhibition at the New-York Historical Society highlights the career of the renowned female photographer, who was also fashion legend Bill Cunningham's friend and the subject of his Facades series. The exhibition features portraits of 65 notable film stars, authors, musicians, and athletes, including actress Kim Hunter, country music star June Carter Cash, actress Tilda Swinton, and authors Betty Smith and Pearl Buck. The New-York Historical Society's Fourth Floor Renovation, now complete, includes a brand new Tiffany Lamps Gallery, in addition to the opening of its Women's History Center.
(New!) At the Museum of the Moving Image, The Jim Henson Exhibition. This permanent exhibition celebrates the life and legacy of the famed Muppet creator, exploring both his prolific career and the enduring effect his work has on pop culture. Visitors will learn more about the creation of such beloved works as The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and Labryinth, as well as discovering the cutting-edge experimental works Henson made throughout his career.
(Now-10/1) Frank Lloyd Wright: Unpacking the Archive opens at MoMA. MoMA’s acquisition of 55,000 drawings, 300,000 pages of letters, 125,000 photos, and 2,700 manuscripts, along with models, movies, and other memorabilia inspired this exhibit, timed to coincide with Wright’s 150th birthday.
(Now-10/29) CHIHULY at the The New York Botanical Garden features nearly two dozen breathtaking works of art by world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly at NYBG in his first major garden exhibition in more than ten years in New York. *On Thurs-Sat. in Sept-Oct., enjoy CHIHULY Nights, 6:30pm-9:30pm.
(Now-10/29) Drones: Is the Sky the Limit? at The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. It's the first major museum exhibition on pilotless aircraft to open in the U.S. The large-scale exhibition, which will be located in a 6,000-square-foot, custom-designed pavilion on the Museum's Pier 86, will reveal the history of drone technology, from its modern-day origins in World War I and its military development to its current applications in solving complex humanitarian challenges. Take $5 off admission with this coupon now!
Image courtesy of BIG Team/Rebuild by Design competition
(Ongoing) The Museum of the City of New York presents NY at Its Core. Ten years in the making, New York at Its Core tells the compelling story of New York’s rise from a striving Dutch village to today’s “Capital of the World.” The exhibition captures the human energy that drove New York to become a city like no other and a subject of fascination the world over. Entertaining, inspiring, important, and at times bemusing, New York City “big personalities,” including Alexander Hamilton, Walt Whitman, Boss Tweed, Emma Goldman, JP Morgan, Fiorello La Guardia, Jane Jacobs, Jay-Z, and dozens more, parade through the exhibition. Visitors will also learn the stories of lesser-known New York personalities, like Lenape chieftain Penhawitz and Italian immigrant Susie Rocco. Even animals like the horse, the pig, the beaver, and the oyster, which played pivotal roles in the economy and daily life of New York, get their moment in the historical spotlight. Occupying the entire first floor in three interactive galleries (Port City, 1609-1898, World City, 1898-2012, and Future City Lab) New York at Its Core is shaped by four themes: money, density, diversity, and creativity. Together, they provide a lens for examining the character of the city, and underlie the modern global metropolis we know today. mcny.org
(New) Chocolate aficionado Jacques Torres presents Choco Story New York, the city's first chocolate museum, in SoHo. Admission includes nine premium chocolate tastings of white, milk and dark varieties; original Mayan hot chocolate freshly ground by hand; and handmade chocolate truffles. There's a kids corner, too. $10-$15. 350 Hudson St. mrchocolate.com/museum
(Now-10/1) The legendary aircraft carrier that’s now the Intrepid, Sea, Air & Space Museum served three tours of duty in Vietnam between 1966 and 1969. Learn more about its experiences in the Gulf of Tonkin, launching aircraft for missions over mainland Vietnam, at the exhibit On the Line: Intrepid and the Vietnam War, featuring many artifacts displayed for the very first time.
COMEDY
(9/6) Wet Hot American Summer's Janeane Garofalo joins Sean Patton, Mark Dormand, Michael Kosta, Chris DeStefano, Tim Dillon, and more at The Stand NYC.
PLUS
(9/8-9/9) Bobby Collins at Gotham Comedy Club.
(9/7-9/10) Steve Trevino at Carolines.
(9/8) Comedians on the Loose (The Vintage Lounge) at Gotham Comedy Club.
(9/11) All Def Comedy Showcase at Gotham Comedy Club.
KIDS
(9/9) Odd Ice Cream Day at Ripley's Times Square. On Saturday, September 9th from 10am–3pm, all visitors of Ripley’s Times Square museum will be treated to their choice of some of the oddest ice cream flavors known to man! Take your pick from these wild choices: Beer, Saffron Passionfruit with apricots/pistachios, Maple Bacon Pecan, Cheese and Raspberry Pink Peppercorn. OddFellows Ice Cream Co. pasteurizes their own ice cream base using locally sourced, hormone-free, and additive-free dairy in their Brooklyn kitchen. Here's a coupon for Ripley's!
(Now-9/10) Amusement Rides at Victorian Gardens. There’s truthfully not much that’s Victorian about this amusement park that takes over Wollman Rink every summer, but it’s still an unexpected pleasure to come upon in the city. Attractions are mainly geared to kids ages 2-12, and plenty exist for each age group. There’s Big Foot (which can accommodate adults), and includes lots of small trucks with large wheels; the Happy Swing (pretty much what it sounds like, but can accommodate many swingers at once), and various small roller coasters and things that whir and spin. Entertainers also make appearances at various times. The Victorian Gardens Amuseument Park runs through September 10. victoriangardensnyc.com
(Ongoing) Bronx Zoo Treetop Adventures. Sure, you can visit the new Bronx Zoo Treetop Adventures at other times of the year, but why not take advantage of great weather, the opportunity to be outside, and that “it’s summer feeling” and go now? A new tree-high obstacle course features a variety of ways to test your agility and strength, from the 400-foot-long zip line to an aerial adventure park that features seven different courses, from beginner to expert. Swing, navigate and even skateboard; it’ll make a great story to tell in the fall. 7+, 50lbs. and up. Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, Bronxzootreetop.com
(Now-10/9) Eloise at the Museum at the New-York Historical Society reveals the creative collaboration between cabaret star Kay Thompson (1909-1998) and the young illustrator Hilary Knight (b. 1926) that brought the precocious character Eloise to life. The exhibition showcases more than 75 objects, ranging from original manuscript pages to sketchbooks, portraits, photographs, and vintage dolls.
(Ongoing) Blue Man Group at Astor Place Theatre. Best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows, Blue Man Group combines music, comedy, and multimedia theatrics to produce a unique form of entertainment. The hour and forty five minute show is fun for the whole family. The show recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.
(Ongoing) Explore the beautiful interactive exhibit Connected Worlds at the New York Hall of Science in Queens.
For more kids activities, check out our sister site nymetroparents.com!
SIGHTSEEING
(Ongoing) At a time when the planet seems ever more divided, it’s amazing to be reminded that we all share one world. Gulliver's Gate is one of the most ambitious attractions to ever land in New York, a $40 million extravaganza that allows visitors to travel the earth without leaving Times Square. Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, Russia, and Europe are all here in incredibly detailed miniature, reflecting craftspeople’s work from around the globe. Through the wonder of 3D printing, visitors can also enjoy the thrill of having themselves (and their families) immortalized in 1:87 scale.
(New!) The largest VR entertainment center in the Western Hemisphere is New York’s latest attraction: VR World. Get inspired by virtual reality in a diverse space with three floors that bring culture, gaming, and entertainment together. With over 50 experiences to choose from, VR World offers an unforgettable experience that’s yours to create! Fight off droids, climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, race Formula One cars against your friends, and create a 3D masterpiece. The adventures are limitless.
PLUS
(9/9) Take a fascinating gallery tour of Chelsea—the world's center for contemporary art—and see the very latest in painting, sculpture, electronic media, and photography. Your guide, who holds a Ph.D. in arts education, helps explain the artwork and leads the group in lively discussion. The tour takes place 1pm and again at 3:45pm. These two tours will be identical in every way: the same guide and the same exhibits, so choose whichever start time best fits your schedule.
(Ongoing) Day or night, the Manhattan skyline is a sight to behold. Circle Line Sightseeing sails year-round and has cruises of varying interests and lengths, including a 3-hour Best of NYC Cruise, a 2-hour Landmark Cruise, and a Harbor Lights Cruise for a romantic spring evening. Last year, Circle Line added its popular Landmark + Brooklyn Cruise. Guests can purchase food and drink from Brooklyn’s famed artisanal vendors, including Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn Gin, Brooklyn Cupcake, Blue Marble Ice Cream, and cheesecakes from Junior’s. circleline42.com
(Ongoing) Giving a shout out to A Slice of Brooklyn Tours, as they celebrate their 12th anniversary. They continue to bring locals and tourists alike the best Brooklyn Pizza, Christmas Lights, Chocolate Tours, and more. Founded by Brooklyn native and travel lover Tony Muia, the company has received Certificates of Excellence from TripAdvisor for the past six years! All tours conveniently depart and return to Union Square! Congratulations! Book your tour today!
(New!) Take a ride through time and learn about Downtown New York City's rich heritage with THE DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCE Powered by THE RIDE. Enhanced with virtual reality technology (thanks to Timelooper), experience highlight moments in NYC's history like never before! Here's a coupon!
(Ongoing) No trip to New York City is complete without visiting the home of the 27-time World Champion New York Yankees. Game tickets may be scarce, but it’s easy to get the full experience with Yankee Stadium Tours, which offers exclusive access to the stadium. The tours also bring fans close to historic baseball artifacts like Babe Ruth’s bat, Lou Gehrig’s jersey, and rings and trophies. The Yankee Stadium Pregame Tour is a great option for fans who want early access to the stadium with a valid game ticket—fans can enjoy a guided tour through the New York Yankees Museum Presented by Bank of America, private access to legendary Monument Park before it opens to the public, and exclusive access to batting practice in Section 105.
(Ongoing) Read here for more about the Best NYC Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours!
(Ongoing) King Kong has made his way back to New York, the city he once terrorized (at least in the movies!), but this time, it's in wax form. The famed Madame Tussauds New York in Times Square welcomes a wax replica of King Kong’s head to its collection, providing visitors not only with a perfect photo op with the notorious gorilla, but an entire KONG: Skull Island experience.
(New) Every year, at 11:59pm on December 31st, people from all over the world are focused on the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. Millions of voices unite to count down the final seconds of the old year and celebrate the beginning of the new. Now you can get up close and personal with the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball at Ripley’s Believe It or Not—Times Square! Press the button yourself and ring in the New Year every day of the year. A home to rare artifacts and thrilling interactive exhibits, Ripley’s is for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the unexpected and the unbelievable. Here is a coupon.
(Ongoing) Grab a date or friend and enjoy the most incredible views of NYC at Top of the Rock.
(Ongoing) Take a one-hour tour of one of the world's most important buildings, the United Nations, now celebrating 71 years. (Tours offered weekdays only.)
NIGHTLIFE
(9/9-9/11) Depeche Mode: Global Spirit Tour with Warpaint at Madison Square Garden.
PLUS
(Ongoing) Puffs, Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic & Magic at New World Stages. For seven years a certain boy wizard went to Magic School. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs…who happened to be there too. Wayne is an average boy from New Mexico who discovers he’s a wizard. In this Potter-inspired comedy, he and his new friends try to keep their heads down and get a basic wizarding education while a certain famous boy wizard sets out to make life at school increasingly...eventful.
(9/6, 9/13) Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater.
(9/7) Monkees' Micky Dolenz at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill.
(9/7-9/8) Eric Clapton at Madison Square Garden.
(9/8-9/11) Dine Out for 9/11. To commemorate the 16th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11th, the 9/11 Tribute Museum will partner with restaurants for the 3rd annual Dine Out for 9/11 Tribute, starting Friday September 8 through Monday September 11, 2017.
(9/9) PopUp Dinner Governors Island, a benefit for the Friends of Governors Island lets guests get creative with everything from table décor to fashion to food and drink.
(9/10) The New York Liberty in the WNBA Playoffs Second Round at Madison Square Garden: catch the New York Liberty at Madison Square Garden for an action-packed game of playoff basketball! Expect world-class performances from New York’s inspiring team as they battle for their shot at a WNBA title. The Liberty are home this Sunday, September 10th, so don’t miss the action! Madison Square Garden, 212-465-6073, liberty.wnba.com
(9/11-9/12) Roger Waters: Us & Them Tour at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.
SNEAK PEEK, NEXT WEEK
© Stu99 | Dreamstime.com - Little Italy Photo
(9/14-9/24) Feast of San Gennaro returns to Little Italy for its 91st celebration. This year's special guests include actors Chazz Palminteri as the Grand Marshall, and Tony Danza will MC the popular annual meatball competition.
PLUS
(9/14-9/17) The Affordable Art Fair at Metropolitan Pavilion.
(9/14-9/15) Colin Kane performs at Gotham Comedy Club.
(9/15, 9/17) Sir Paul McCartney performs at Madison Square Garden, followed by (9/19-9/20) two nights at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.
(9/15-9/17) The Meadows Music & Arts Festival, with headliners Gorillaz, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Jay-Z, plus many others.
Like what you see here? Share it with your friends on Facebook! Find out more about what to do in September. Click here for where to go for Oktoberfest! We've got October covered, too!
