Things to Do in NYC This Weekend

Oct 9–12 · 710 picks hand‑checked by Stumblday against organizer pages · 3 free in the top 10 · updated Oct 8

The 10 best things to do in NYC this weekend (Oct 9–12)

  1. Columbus Day Parade on Fifth Avenue — Monday Oct 12 · Midtown to Upper East Side
  2. Hispanic Day Parade on Fifth Avenue — Sunday Oct 11, from noon
  3. Whitney Biennial 2026 — On Partial view through Oct 12 · Meatpacking District
  4. New York African Restaurant Week Festival — Oct 9–11, 12–7pm daily · Free · Bedford-Stuyvesant
  5. New York Comic Con 2026 at the Javits Center — Oct 8–11 · Thursday badge $104 or after-… · Hudson Yards
  6. The Rink at Rockefeller Center Opening Day — Saturday Opening day: Oct 10 · General Skate from $22 · Midtown
  7. Yoshitaka Amano: Origins at the American Academy of Arts and Letters — On view Sep 26 – Feb 7, 2027 · Free · Washington Heights
  8. Krasner and Pollock: Past Continuous — Sunday Oct 4 – Jan 31, 2027 · Upper East Side
  9. 64th New York Film Festival — Sep 25–Oct 12 · Lincoln Square
  10. Free Indigenous Peoples' Day at Wave Hill — Monday Oct 12, 10am–5pm · Free · Riverdale

What's free this weekend?

See all free picks →

What's good if it rains?

See all indoor picks →

More this weekend

#12
Boo at the ZooBronx Zoo, Bronx Park, Bronx
Weekends Sep 26–Nov 1, 2026, plus Mon Oct 12; activities 11am–4pmIncluded with Bronx Zoo admis…

Boo at the Zoo

Bronx Park, Bronx

A new hay maze, costume parades with stilt walkers and a pumpkin garden take over the Bronx Zoo — opening weekend, included with admission.

Opening weekendCostumes welcomeAll ages
#12Weekends Sep 26–Nov 1, 2026, plus Mon Oct 12; activities 11am–4pm · Limited Run
Boo at the ZooBronx Zoo, Bronx Park, Bronx
Included with Bronx Zoo admis…Opening weekend

Boo at the Zoo

A new hay maze, costume parades with stilt walkers and a pumpkin garden take over the Bronx Zoo — opening weekend, included with admission.

Add to calendar
#14
Italian Festival at The Mount (Staten Island Italian Feast)The Mount, 6581 Hylan Boulevard, Pleasant Plains, Staten Island
Friday, October 9 – Monday, October 12, 2026 (Columbus Day weekend); fireworks Saturday, October 10, 2026$5 admission

Italian Festival at The Mount (Staten Island Italian Feast)

Pleasant Plains, Staten Island

Rides, sangria gardens, eating contests and a fireworks show make this Staten Island's biggest Italian feast, all Columbus Day weekend.

FireworksFestivalStaten Island

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About this list

Stumblday's hand-checked ranking of the best things to do in New York City this weekend (Oct 9–12): 710 picks, re-ranked every week. Free events, art, live music, markets, and outdoor plans. The top picks are below; the full board has every event with times, prices, and how to get there.

Worth planning ahead

Big weekends coming up — save them now, plan later.