New York City rocks year-round. There are things happening 24/7. The theater, restaurants, art galleries, clubs both legitimate and underground, sightseeing, people watching, the list goes on and on. NYC is also big on festivals and events. Always has been, probably always will be. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular events in New York, month by month.
January
It might be cold outside, but it’s hot in Midtown Manhattan at the world-famous Radio City Hall as the Chinese New Year Global Gala kicks off. Antique hunters can also head to Antiques at the Piers, an event that is a showcase of European and American furniture, silver, glassware, and artwork.
February
Why not celebrate Valentine’s Day by ice skating at Rockefeller Center? Then you can snuggle up as you ride a horse-drawn Hansom cab through Central Park.
March
It’s still a little chilly in March, but you can warm up on March 17 in a crowded Irish pub, as New Yorkers of all stripes enthusiastically celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
April
As a kid, I always loved going to the New York International Auto Show in Madison Square Garden, where I got to see Detroit’s newest steel, the fanciest foreign cars, concept cars, and custom vehicles. It’s still happening, but now it’s being held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.
There’s also The Big Swim at Asphalt Green in Manhattan this month. The race is in a 50-meter pool and more than 1,000 children, from six to sixteen years old, participate.
Can
The Ninth Avenue International Food Festival is a cornucopia of culinary delights. You can try it all at this street fair on the west side of Manhattan.
June
Spring is beautiful in New York City. It’s a good time to shake off the woes of winter and start enjoying the outdoors. Whether you are a child or an adult who wants to learn to skate, you can do so at Camp Rollerblade, where you will receive two days of inline skating instruction.
July
New York celebrates the 4th of July with the traditional fireworks display at Macy’s as the big ships sail down the Hudson River. It’s an impressive sight and is reminiscent of what New York might have looked like centuries ago.
August
The biggest of the New York events in August is the US Open Tennis Championships at Arthur Ashe Stadium, located in Flushing Meadows Park, and Louis Armstrong Stadium (on the site of the New York World’s Fair in 1964). If you can’t make it in person, this event is televised around the world.
This is also the month for the New York International Fringe Festival with performances in musicals, dance, theater and comedy.
September
September is the month of the Katherine Hepburn Garden Festival, with ethnic food, antiques and jewelry, as well as crafts for sale.
October
If you want to see established professionals as well as budding comedians from around the world, you need to visit the New York Underground Comedy Festival. It takes place over seven nights in October and is in various locations around the city.
November
The biggest event of one of the biggest holidays of the year is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is the longest running show on Broadway and is the place to see the best floats and marching bands in the world.
December
What would New Year’s Eve be without the world’s biggest street party in Times Square? If you like crowds and a good time, you can join the revelers at one of New York City’s most popular events as they count down to midnight and watch the famous ball drop to ring in the New Year.
