The best things to do in New York City the weekend of Sep 5–6, 2026 — concerts, festivals, art, markets, and free outdoor events, hand-curated and refreshed weekly.
294 picks · checked Aug 12
Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, QueensAjay Suresh from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThird-round singles inside Arthur Ashe, the largest tennis stadium in the world, with grounds access to Armstrong and the outer courts.
Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, QueensAjay Suresh from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThird-round singles inside Arthur Ashe, the largest tennis stadium in the world, with grounds access to Armstrong and the outer courts.
Brooklyn Museum, Crown Heights, BrooklynJim.henderson · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsMasqueraders up to age 17 parade in full costume from Kingston Avenue down Franklin to the Brooklyn Museum in Carnival's children's edition.
Brooklyn Museum, Crown Heights, BrooklynJim.henderson · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsMasqueraders up to age 17 parade in full costume from Kingston Avenue down Franklin to the Brooklyn Museum in Carnival's children's edition.
Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, QueensSWinxy · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsRauw Alejandro headlines the global debut of Red Bull Chapters, a three-act show tracing his past, present and future at Forest Hills Stadium.
Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, QueensSWinxy · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsRauw Alejandro headlines the global debut of Red Bull Chapters, a three-act show tracing his past, present and future at Forest Hills Stadium.
Barclays Center, Prospect Heights, BrooklynAEMoreira042281 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsRobyn brings the sexistential tour to Barclays Center with Yaeji opening, her first Brooklyn arena run in years and a full production.
Barclays Center, Prospect Heights, BrooklynAEMoreira042281 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsRobyn brings the sexistential tour to Barclays Center with Yaeji opening, her first Brooklyn arena run in years and a full production.
Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Heights, BrooklynJim.henderson · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsKes The Band, Bunji Garlin, Fay-Ann Lyons and WCK play a seven-hour soca marathon on the Brooklyn Museum grounds for Carnival week.
Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Heights, BrooklynJim.henderson · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsKes The Band, Bunji Garlin, Fay-Ann Lyons and WCK play a seven-hour soca marathon on the Brooklyn Museum grounds for Carnival week.
Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Heights, BrooklynJim.henderson · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsSteel orchestras roll their pan racks onto the Brooklyn Museum lawn and battle for the New York Panorama crown until one in the morning.
Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Heights, BrooklynJim.henderson · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsSteel orchestras roll their pan racks onto the Brooklyn Museum lawn and battle for the New York Panorama crown until one in the morning.
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The Oculus, Financial District, ManhattanRhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSmorgasburg's Friday market sets up at the Oculus at 185 Greenwich Street, putting a rotating vendor lineup inside Calatrava's white ribcage.
The Oculus, Financial District, ManhattanRhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSmorgasburg's Friday market sets up at the Oculus at 185 Greenwich Street, putting a rotating vendor lineup inside Calatrava's white ribcage.
Brooklyn Museum, Crown Heights, BrooklynJim.henderson · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsCarnival week's all-night soca party fills the Brooklyn Museum grounds on Eastern Parkway with seven hours of Caribbean music.
Brooklyn Museum, Crown Heights, BrooklynJim.henderson · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsCarnival week's all-night soca party fills the Brooklyn Museum grounds on Eastern Parkway with seven hours of Caribbean music.
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, QueensBeyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA grounds pass opens Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Grandstand and every outer court for third-round singles and doubles at Flushing Meadows.
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, QueensBeyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA grounds pass opens Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Grandstand and every outer court for third-round singles and doubles at Flushing Meadows.
Barclays Center, Prospect Heights, BrooklynAEMoreira042281 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDon Toliver brings the Nitrous leg of the Octane World Tour to Barclays Center, with Chase B and friends running a DJ set beforehand.
Barclays Center, Prospect Heights, BrooklynAEMoreira042281 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDon Toliver brings the Nitrous leg of the Octane World Tour to Barclays Center, with Chase B and friends running a DJ set beforehand.
Blue Note Jazz Club, Greenwich Village, ManhattanHantsheroes · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe rapper behind 1999 and B4.Da.$$ squeezes into the 200-seat Blue Note for two nightly sets rather than an arena stage.
Blue Note Jazz Club, Greenwich Village, ManhattanHantsheroes · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe rapper behind 1999 and B4.Da.$$ squeezes into the 200-seat Blue Note for two nightly sets rather than an arena stage.
34th Avenue Open Street, Jackson Heights, QueensDietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsUnicycle basketball, races and a learn-to-ride area take over 34th Avenue's mile-plus open street in Jackson Heights for the festival's 17th year.
34th Avenue Open Street, Jackson Heights, QueensDietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsUnicycle basketball, races and a learn-to-ride area take over 34th Avenue's mile-plus open street in Jackson Heights for the festival's 17th year.
Maimonides Park, Coney Island, BrooklynKidfly182 · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA Cheinelle cap giveaway plus postgame fireworks at the ballpark where the Wonder Wheel sits just past the outfield wall.
Maimonides Park, Coney Island, BrooklynKidfly182 · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA Cheinelle cap giveaway plus postgame fireworks at the ballpark where the Wonder Wheel sits just past the outfield wall.
Maimonides Park, Coney Island, BrooklynKidfly182 · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsMinor-league baseball with the Wonder Wheel over the outfield wall, capped by postgame fireworks fired off the Coney Island boardwalk.
Maimonides Park, Coney Island, BrooklynKidfly182 · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsMinor-league baseball with the Wonder Wheel over the outfield wall, capped by postgame fireworks fired off the Coney Island boardwalk.
Historic Richmond Town, Richmondtown, Staten IslandA 25-acre country fair inside NYC's only living-history village, with 100-plus vendors, carnival rides and competitive eating contests.
Historic Richmond Town, Richmondtown, Staten IslandA 25-acre country fair inside NYC's only living-history village, with 100-plus vendors, carnival rides and competitive eating contests.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Lincoln Square, ManhattanTROMDOC · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsLisette Oropesa and Lawrence Brownlee in Bellini's bel canto showpiece, projected onto the opera house facade for 2,500 free seats.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Lincoln Square, ManhattanTROMDOC · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsLisette Oropesa and Lawrence Brownlee in Bellini's bel canto showpiece, projected onto the opera house facade for 2,500 free seats.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Lincoln Square, ManhattanTROMDOC · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsFrida Kahlo returns from the dead for one Dia de Muertos in Gabriela Lena Frank's Spanish-language opera, free on the Met's facade.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Lincoln Square, ManhattanTROMDOC · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsFrida Kahlo returns from the dead for one Dia de Muertos in Gabriela Lena Frank's Spanish-language opera, free on the Met's facade.
LeFrak Center at Lakeside, Prospect Park, Prospect Park, BrooklynEpicgenius · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsLucie Tiberghien directs Molière's most subversive play outdoors at Lakeside, with live cello by Johnathan Moore — free with an RSVP.
LeFrak Center at Lakeside, Prospect Park, Prospect Park, BrooklynEpicgenius · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsLucie Tiberghien directs Molière's most subversive play outdoors at Lakeside, with live cello by Johnathan Moore — free with an RSVP.
Yankee Stadium, Concourse, BronxCarol M. Highsmith · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsNew York City FC hosts Nashville SC at Yankee Stadium, an MLS match staged on a converted baseball diamond in the South Bronx.
Yankee Stadium, Concourse, BronxCarol M. Highsmith · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsNew York City FC hosts Nashville SC at Yankee Stadium, an MLS match staged on a converted baseball diamond in the South Bronx.
Prospect Park, Prospect Park, BrooklynKing of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDozens of Brooklyn dogs off-leash at dawn while their owners drink coffee and eat pastries at FIDO's long-running Prospect Park meet-up.
Prospect Park, Prospect Park, BrooklynKing of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDozens of Brooklyn dogs off-leash at dawn while their owners drink coffee and eat pastries at FIDO's long-running Prospect Park meet-up.
Downtown Boathouse at Pier 26, Tribeca, ManhattanVolunteers hand out kayaks, paddles and life jackets for free 20-minute paddles in a protected embayment off Pier 26 in Hudson River Park.
Downtown Boathouse at Pier 26, Tribeca, ManhattanVolunteers hand out kayaks, paddles and life jackets for free 20-minute paddles in a protected embayment off Pier 26 in Hudson River Park.
Colonels Row, Building 405A, Governors Island, ManhattanDancing skyscrapers, giant rats, fossil-fuel-fighting flowers and Lady Liberty herself appear in a cardboard puppet circus with a live brass band.
Colonels Row, Building 405A, Governors Island, ManhattanDancing skyscrapers, giant rats, fossil-fuel-fighting flowers and Lady Liberty herself appear in a cardboard puppet circus with a live brass band.
Bryant Park, Midtown, ManhattanDietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsBryant Park's first Brass Festival stacks Grammy-nominated New Breed Brass Band, Brooklyn's Aberdeen and the all-female Brass Queens on the lawn.
Bryant Park, Midtown, ManhattanDietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsBryant Park's first Brass Festival stacks Grammy-nominated New Breed Brass Band, Brooklyn's Aberdeen and the all-female Brass Queens on the lawn.
Socrates Sculpture Park, Astoria, QueensCastIronSeasoner · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA free drop-in Vinyasa class on the lawn at Socrates Sculpture Park, no registration, with the East River and the skyline behind you.
Socrates Sculpture Park, Astoria, QueensCastIronSeasoner · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA free drop-in Vinyasa class on the lawn at Socrates Sculpture Park, no registration, with the East River and the skyline behind you.