Tag: things to do NYC

Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe: Fun Things Happening in NYC This Weekend, Oct. 2–4: Festivals, Night Markets and Rooftop Parties

This weekend might be the most stacked one of the fall so far. From October 2nd through the 4th, New York is rolling out festivals, night markets, rooftop parties and cultural celebrations across all five boroughs — the kind of lineup that makes “let’s just stay in” a hard sell.

Here’s what’s on, straight from the weekend roundup, so you can plan your days now instead of doom-scrolling at noon on Saturday.

Cultural festivals you don’t want to miss

Mid-Autumn Festival at Gotham Park brings the beloved lunar celebration to one of Lower Manhattan’s most underrated green spaces. Expect mooncakes, lanterns and the kind of community energy that makes a festival feel like a neighborhood party.

Lenape Nations Pow Wow in Prospect Park is a rare chance to experience Indigenous culture, drumming and dancing in the heart of Brooklyn. It’s one of the most meaningful gatherings of the weekend — go with curiosity and respect, and leave with a deeper appreciation of the city’s roots.

GreenThumb Harvest Fair celebrates the urban gardeners and community growers who keep the city’s green thumb thriving. Perfect if you like your weekends a little earthy, with plants, demos and fall harvest vibes.

Food crawls, all weekend

Food people are eating very well this weekend. The Queens Night Market is back — one of the city’s most beloved after-dark food traditions, where you can eat your way across boroughs without leaving the fairground. Over in Brooklyn, Smorgasburg Prospect Park serves up its usual parade of ambitious vendors and long lines worth standing in.

And if you haven’t tried them yet, Taste of Sunnyside puts Queens’ restaurant scene on full display, while the Atlantic Antic takes over Atlantic Avenue with food, crafts and entertainment across Brooklyn. If you’re hunting for more places to eat this week, check out the best lobster spots in and around NYC or the hot chicken spots worth trying.

Music, dancing and late nights

We Belong Here in Central Park turns one of the city’s great green spaces into a dance floor — a can’t-miss if you like your weekends loud and open-air. For something with a throwback groove, Disco Fever Skate Night combines roller skates, funk and mirrorball energy.

And when the sun goes down, the Disco Tehran Rooftop Party takes the dancing sky-high. Rooftop season is technically winding down, so every one of these parties feels a little extra special.

Street fairs and neighborhood vibes

The Third Avenue Festival brings the classic NYC street-fair formula — vendors, performances and that particular brand of Manhattan chaos. Street fairs are the city’s unofficial fall sport, and this one’s a good excuse to walk a whole avenue with no agenda.

However you spend it, this is one of those weekends where the city reminds you why you live here. Pick your lane — festivals, food, music or all three — and get out early, because every one of these is going to draw a crowd. For more ideas as the week rolls on, see what to do in NYC this week.

Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe: What to Do in NYC This Week: Books, Jazz, Salsa and Night Markets

The week ahead in New York is packed, weather permitting. From big-ticket festivals to late-night dance floors, here’s what’s on around the city from September 27th through October 3rd.

Festivals and markets

The Brooklyn Book Festival is the week’s headline for readers — panels, signings, and booksellers taking over the borough. Food lovers get the Queens Night Market, and the FAD Market Fall Pop-Up is back for design and craft browsing. The GreenThumb Harvest Fair celebrates the city’s community gardens, and art fans should catch the DUMBO Projection Walk lighting up the waterfront after dark.

Music, comedy and nightlife

There’s outdoor jazz and live music on the calendar, plus salsa and dance parties for anyone who’d rather move. Comedy fans have local comedy nights and open mics to choose from, and the Dirty Circus at House of Yes promises the kind of night only Brooklyn can pull off. Late-night parties round out the week for the night owls.

A note on the weather

Sunday’s picks lean indoor on purpose — storm-safe options for a gray day. Outdoor plans later in the week are still on the schedule, but it’s worth double-checking conditions before heading out.

For day-by-day ideas, see 20 fun things to do in NYC today. And if you’d rather spend an evening at the movies, Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is the horror hit everyone’s talking about.

Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe: 20 Fun Things to Do in NYC Today: Salsa, Jazz & Movies

Wednesday in New York has a way of sneaking up on you. One minute it’s a regular workday, the next you’re choosing between a salsa social in Washington Square Park and a jazz set on Orchard Street. Today’s lineup — twenty picks pulled together for September 30th — leans hard into that beautiful problem.

Here’s the full rundown, morning to night. All times are EDT.

Morning: markets and movement

8:00 AM — Bartel-Pritchard Square Greenmarket. Prospect Park West & 15th St, Brooklyn. The classic early-bird move: farm-fresh produce, flowers, and coffee before the city fully wakes up.

8:00 AM — Line Dance Fitness. Betsy Head Park Handball Courts, Boyland St & Dumont Ave, Brooklyn. A workout that doesn’t feel like one — line dancing outdoors with a group.

Afternoon: midtown musi

2:30 PM — Big City Folk: Midtown Music. Greeley Square Park, Broadway & 6th Ave (W 32nd–33rd St), Manhattan. A midday breather with live folk in the middle of Midtown — easy to catch on a lunch break.

Evening: the main event(s)

From five o’clock on, the city goes into overdrive. Here’s everything, in order:

5:00 PM — New York Swings with Josh Lee and the Family. Manhattan West Plaza, 385 9th Ave, Manhattan. Swing dancing outdoors as the workday ends — bring a partner or come solo, dancers tend to rotate.

5:30 PM — intenSati in Forest Park. Sgt. Schaefer Oval Lawn, Myrtle Ave & Park Lane South, Queens. Part workout, part spoken affirmation, all energy — intenSati classes are famously uplifting.

6:00 PM — Circus Arts in Herald Square. Herald Square Park, Broadway at W 35th St, Manhattan. Acrobats and aerialists in one of the city’s busiest plazas.

6:00 PM — Woven Together Fashion Show. Positive Exposure Gallery, 83 Maiden Lane, 4th Floor, Manhattan. An evening of fashion with a message — Positive Exposure’s work celebrates people of all abilities.

6:00 PM — Salsa Social. Garibaldi Plaza, Washington Square Park, 5th Ave & Waverly Pl, Manhattan. Open-air salsa under the arch — one of the night’s best bets if you want to meet people.

6:00 PM — Waterfront Workouts: Amp’d Bootcamp. Pier 2, Brooklyn Bridge Park, 150 Furman St, Brooklyn. High-energy bootcamp with skyline views. You’ll earn dinner.

6:00 PM — Open Mic. Q.E.D. Astoria, 27-16 23rd Ave, Queens. Astoria’s beloved comedy-and-more room opens its stage — comics, storytellers, and the wonderfully unpredictable.

6:00 PM — Tango in the Park. Sutton Place Park, East River (E 56th–57th St), Manhattan. Argentine tango as the sun drops over the East River. Hard to beat.

6:30 PM — Evening Salute to the Sun (Sunset Yoga). 66th Street Plaza, Riverside Park South, Manhattan. An all-levels flow timed to golden hour along the Hudson.

6:30 PM — Orchard Street Jazz Festival: Anna Webber’s Shimmer Wince. Close Up, 154 Orchard St, Lower East Side. Adventurous, modern jazz in an intimate LES room.

6:30 PM — Cate Le Bon with Lucrecia Dalt and Dagmar Zuniga. Knockdown Center, 52-19 Flushing Ave, Queens. Art-pop at its most interesting — three distinctive voices, one big room.

6:30 PM — Maggie FM + Shearing + Raybody. Night Club 101, 101 Avenue A, Manhattan. A triple bill for the East Village’s indie faithful.

6:30 PM — The Art of Muzic. SOB’s, 204 Varick St, Manhattan (doors 6:30 PM). The legendary Sounds of Brazil room hosts a night of live music.

7:00 PM — BMI Acoustic Lounge: Bentley Robles + Anne Tello. Lucinda’s, 169 Avenue A, Manhattan. Stripped-down sets from two songwriters.

7:00 PM — Weak Signal + Masaaki. Union Pool, 484 Union Ave, Brooklyn. Guitars and noise in Williamsburg’s favorite backyard venue.

7:00 PM — Patsy’s Punk Bitch Happy Hour. Bossa Nova Civic Club, 1271 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn. Happy hour with a punk snarl — loud and fun.

7:15 PM — Movies Under the Stars in Harlem: “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl.” Jackie Robinson Park Bandshell, 85 Broadhurst Ave, Harlem. Outdoor cinema to close out the night. And if one film isn’t enough this week, our Resident Evil review covers what’s haunting theaters right now.

Best for meeting people

If tonight’s about making new friends, the original roundup points to four winners: the Salsa Social in Washington Square Park, New York Swings at Manhattan West, the QED open mic in Astoria, and the early-evening dance parties generally. Hard to argue.

Good to know

Outdoor events are weather-dependent, so it’s worth a quick check before heading out. The roundup doesn’t list ticket prices, so confirm with the venue if you’re unsure. And if you’re crisscrossing the boroughs for all of this, robotaxi fleets are scaling up fast — the future of getting across town is arriving quickly.

Twenty picks, one Wednesday. See you out there.