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Things to Do in NYC This Weekend (September 21-September 23)

(September 21-September 23) 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. Kids rule this weekend, with the return of World Maker Faire at the NY Hall of Science, the Space & Science Festival at Intrepid Museum, the Queens Farm County Fair, and more! Read on for our picks for the best of this weekend in New York City.

THE BIG EVENT

(9/22-9/23) The popular, competitive World Maker Faire returns to the New York Hall of Science! 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

PLUS 

(9/23) The 44th Annual Atlantic Antic is the largest street festival in NYC, taking place along Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. atlanticave.org

(Now-9/23) Final weekend! The Feast of San Gennaro celebrates its 92nd anniversary this year! It's NYC's longest running and largest outdoor religious festival, stretching along the streets of Little Italy. sangennaro.nyc 

Find out what to eat at the Feast of San Gennaro.

EXHIBITION OF THE WEEK

Christian Delacroix

(9/17-1/6/19) Delacroix at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is the first comprehensive U.S. retrospective of the work of French artist Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863). The Met has teamed up with The Louvre, showcasing in chronological order some 150 pieces, including paintings, drawings, manuscripts, and prints. 

PLUS

(Now-2/3/19) Even over a century after his birth, Dutch artist M.C. Escher (1898-1972) continues to astound. Catch more than 200 of Escher’s mind-bending works at Escher: The Exhibition & Experience in Brooklyn's Industry City. Exploring the intersection of art, mathematics, science, and poetry, the exhibition will feature interactive immersive experiences that bring the artist’s optical illusions to life. eschernyc.com

(New!) The first tremors of the American Revolution were felt in New York City, as a group of colonists came together to fight for freedom. The new exhibition at Fraunces Tavern MuseumFear and Force: New York’s Sons of Liberty, tells the story of these early resisters. The show relays the first bloodshed of the Revolutionary War (it took place just a couple of blocks from here), shows off relics like part of the original Bowling Green Park fence present when King George III’s statue was torn down, and gives context to pivotal moments in the birth of America.

comeback season mike piazza uniform

Photo: Jin Lee

(Ongoing) Sports in America provided a unique form of solace after the seismic losses of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. Comeback Season: Sports After 9/11, a special exhibition at the National September 11  Memorial & Museum, delves into uplifting moments at games in the aftermath of the attacks. Explore the stories of Mike Piazza’s home run during a New York Mets home game, President George W. Bush’s first pitch at a World Series game at Yankee Stadium, and the New York City Marathon on November 4th, 2001. Video, artifacts, and moving images help provide context for a nation coming back together. 

(Now-10/28) In 1939, the pioneering American Modernist Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986) went to Hawaii on commission for a Hawaiian Pineapple Company promotional campaign. What she created provides the inspiration for the landmark new exhibition Georgia O’Keeffe: Visions of Hawai‘i at The New York Botanical Garden. A stunning display in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library Art Gallery includes 17 of O’Keeffe’s Hawaii paintings, not seen together in New York since their debut in 1940. The historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory explores the remarkable beauty and variety of Hawaiian flora, as well as its complex botanical and cultural history. The garden (just a 20-minute Metro-North ride from Grand Central Terminal) also features a living collection of more than one million plants.

(Now-12/2/18) Art of the Mountain: Through the Chinese Photographer’s Lens at the China Institute. Featuring over 60 photographs from a range of modern Chinese photographers, this exhibition will allow visitors to consider the role of mountains in China’s geography, history, art, and philosophy.

(Now-10/14) The American Folk Art Museum presents Charting the Divine Plan: The Art of Orra White Hitchcock, which brings together aspects of art, love, science, and religion, as expressed by one of America's first female scientific illustrators. Working in the mid-19th century, Orra White Hitchcock was equally skilled in the natural sciences and in art, and her illustrations of plant life, geological formations, fossilized animals, and dinosaur tracks were used in Amherst College lectures and the  scientific journals of the day. The exhibition puts on display Hitchcock's rarely seen drawings and paintings, some up to 10 feet long, which demonstrate both scientific clarity and an unexpected modernity.

(Permanent) The Jim Henson Exhibition at the Museum of the Moving Image will celebrate the life and legacy of the famed Muppet creator, exploring both his prolific career and the enduring effect his work has on pop culture to this day. Visitors can expect to learn more about the creation of such beloved works as The Muppet ShowSesame StreetFraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and Labryinth, as well as to discover the cutting-edge experimental works Henson made throughout his career.

(Permanent) The Museum of the City of New York presents NY at Its Core. Ten years in the making, New York at Its Core presents 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. 

COMEDY

Vic DiBitetto at Gotham Comedy Club

(9/21-9/22) Vic DiBitetto at Gotham Comedy Club.

PLUS

(9/20) The Daily Show Writers: A Non Daily Show at USB Hell's Kitchen. The writers of The Daily Show With Trevor Noah take a break from working sex toys into political commentary to do an improvised show based on audience suggestions. Featuring Chad Carter, Jimmy Donn, Hallie Haglund, Matt Koff, Zhubin Parang, Sebastian DiNatale, and Eliza Cossio.

(9/21-9/22) From MTV's The Tom Green Show Tom Green at Carolines

(Ongoing) Catch the latest and funniest on the comic strip at the LOL Times Square Comedy ClubUse promo code CITYGUIDE for 50% off tickets!

Click here for more comedy shows in NYC this weekend.

KIDS

Public Service Announcement

(9/20-9/23) Meet astronauts, explore exhibits by NASA, chat with expert partners, and stargaze during four days of out-of-this-world events as the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum hosts its annual Space & Science Festival. Highlights include a live music/audiovisual experience from British band Public Service Broadcasting on Thursday evening, Saturday’s augmented reality showings of Defying Gravity: Women in Space, and Saturday night’s movie on the flight deck, which will be a screening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Get tickets here.

(9/23) Fall Family Day at Carnegie Hall. Families can enjoy live performances, build their own instruments, and sing and dance with professional musicians. Free, noon-4pm.

(9/22-9/23) Now in its 36th year, the traditional Queens County Fair at the Queens County Farm Museum 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-October) Get a taste of what it's like to walk on the moon, FREE, with Samsung's 837 Gear VR in the Meatpacking District. Must be 13+ and make a reservation. 837gearvr.com

(Now-9/30) Big City Fishing Sundays on Pier 25 in Hudson River Park. 
Adults and kids aged 5+ learn how to fish while engaging with trained environmental educators about river science topics. The park provides the rods, reels, and instruction. 11am.

(New) The Smash Dash game at Ripley's Believe It or Not! Times Square will keep kids on their toes! Keep your reflexes sharp, in this all-new race against time. Here is a coupon!

(Ongoing) Kids of all ages will want to check out Gulliver's Gate, a $40 million extravaganza that allows visitors to travel the globe without leaving Times Square. Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, Russia, and Europe are all here in incredibly detailed miniature. And don’t let that word “miniature” fool you—Gulliver’s Gate feels like it covers acres, stretching a full city block with the wonders of the world. 

(Ongoing) Exhilarating Family Fun at Stomp NYC. Special discount packages available!

Click here for more things to do with kids this weekend.

For more kids activities, check out our sister site nymetroparents.com!

SIGHTSEEING

Empire State Building

Photo: Evan Joseph

(Ongoing) NYC’s most iconic skyscraper, the Empire State Building, welcomes some four million visitors to its Observatory every year. Brand new this fall is a stunning new Observatory Entrance. Once visitors purchase their tickets and get on line, they can whip out their cameras for selfies and other photo ops with stunning colorful images that adorn the waiting area. In the center stands a two-story model of the Empire State Building, constructed to mimic the famed light shows on the skyscraper’s upper floors. Visitors can also add on to their ticket if they wish to purchase prix fixe packages at the two in-building dining destinations, STATE Grill and Bar and the taqueria Tacombi.

PLUS 

(Ongoing) Feel the need for speed? Take a ride aboard THE BEAST and experience the NYC skyline at 45mph! Tickets $20 through September 30!! 

(Ongoing) Check out NYC's hottest new museum, exploring the world of espionage, SPYSCAPE

Bring a loved one to take in the breathtaking view at Top of the Rock

Zip up 100 stories in 60 seconds and see New York City atop One World ObservatoryUse this coupon and save: 20% off!

Explore New York City from the best vantage points with Helicopter Flight Services Tours. Choose from four different itineraries.

(NEW!) A new escape room has been added to the long list of can't-miss attractions at Ripley's Believe It or Not! Times SquareRipley's Relic leads adventurers underground as they solve a series of puzzles together. When each one is decoded, kids will find a truly amazing object, the mysterious Ripley’s Relic itself. Unlike other escape rooms, this adventure moves from one mysterious environment to the next, laid out by professional set designers who bring a Hollywood flair. A live guide is on hand to help facilitate the experience. Here's a coupon for discount Ripley's admission!

MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE

Blues, Brews, & Botany at NYBG

(9/22) Blues, Brews, & Botany at The New York Botanical Garden. Spread out on NYBG’s beautiful Conservatory lawn and discover the connections between beer and botany with music, tastings, and botanical-inspired fun. Enjoy unlimited tastings of a variety of palate pleasing brews from New York State and beyond, then explore the botanical side of beer with a lineup of activities and games. 11am-5pm. 

PLUS

(9/21) Joan Baez at the Beacon Theatre

(9/22) Paul Simon: Homeward Bound: The Farewell Performance in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Get tickets here. 7pm.

Patti Smith

(9/22, 9/23, 9/24) NYC punk legend and author Patti Smith performs her Words and Music Show at the Minetta Lane Theater in Greenwich Village. 

(9/21-9/22) The Growlers at Brooklyn Steel.

Playboy Club

Photo: Steven Gormillion

(New!) The brand-new Playboy Club New York opens. Playboy Club New York offers a luxuriant cocktail and culinary destination for after-work drinks, dinner, and late-night entertaining alike. Key highlights include four distinct environments that reveal exciting one-of-a-kind experiences. At the center of the Playboy Club experience, Playboy Bunnies are dressed in their iconic costume and outfitted with accessories designed by Roberto Cavalli.  

(Now-October) Calling all rosé fans for a pop-up "Rosé Mansion" in the city! Get tickets hereYou can read about more Instagrammable Pop Up Exhibits in NYC here

Click here for more nightlife this weekend.

Cheers! Check out the Best Rooftop Bars in NYC.

For information on LGBTQ nightlife, visit our brother site metrosource.com!


Like what you see here? Share it with your friends on Facebook! Find out more about what to do in SeptemberThere are many festivals in September, check 'em out! We've got October covered, too!

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