The best things to do in New York City the weekend of Sep 19–20, 2026 — concerts, festivals, art, markets, and free outdoor events, hand-curated and refreshed weekly.
376 picks · checked Aug 25
St. Ann's Warehouse (streets of Downtown Brooklyn & Lower Manhattan), DUMBO / Downtown Brooklyn, BrooklynFifty life-size buffalo puppets stampede through Downtown Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan with gospel choirs, dancers and marching bands in tow.
St. Ann's Warehouse (streets of Downtown Brooklyn & Lower Manhattan), DUMBO / Downtown Brooklyn, BrooklynFifty life-size buffalo puppets stampede through Downtown Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan with gospel choirs, dancers and marching bands in tow.
Mulberry Street, Little Italy, Little Italy, ManhattanMusikAnimal · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe feast's centrepiece: floats, celebrities and the gondola down Mulberry Street.
Mulberry Street, Little Italy, Little Italy, ManhattanMusikAnimal · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe feast's centrepiece: floats, celebrities and the gondola down Mulberry Street.
Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, QueensNeo-soul high priestess Erykah Badu turns Forest Hills Stadium's open-air bowl into a Queens-sized ritual of 'Tyrone,' incense and low-end.
Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, QueensNeo-soul high priestess Erykah Badu turns Forest Hills Stadium's open-air bowl into a Queens-sized ritual of 'Tyrone,' incense and low-end.
Madison Square Garden, Midtown, ManhattanAjay Suresh from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHarry Styles plays back-to-back Garden nights on his 30-show residency — his only U.S. dates this year, with Jamie xx opening both.
Madison Square Garden, Midtown, ManhattanAjay Suresh from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHarry Styles plays back-to-back Garden nights on his 30-show residency — his only U.S. dates this year, with Jamie xx opening both.
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd, Harlem, Harlem, ManhattanAdjoajo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHarlem's 57th African American Day Parade rolls up Adam Clayton Powell Blvd, with Grambling State's famed Tiger Marching Band leading the line.
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd, Harlem, Harlem, ManhattanAdjoajo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHarlem's 57th African American Day Parade rolls up Adam Clayton Powell Blvd, with Grambling State's famed Tiger Marching Band leading the line.
Madison Avenue, 38th to 27th Street, NoMad, ManhattanMariachis, charros on horseback and folklórico dancers take over Madison Avenue for the 32nd Mexican Independence Day Parade — free and loud.
Madison Avenue, 38th to 27th Street, NoMad, ManhattanMariachis, charros on horseback and folklórico dancers take over Madison Avenue for the 32nd Mexican Independence Day Parade — free and loud.
This list keeps changing as events are verified. We'll send you the final version the Thursday before — and you can unsubscribe right after if that's all you need.
Delacorte Theater, Central Park, ManhattanAcabashi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTaylor Mac and Matt Ray's queer rock-opera song cycle lands at the Delacorte in concert form — free, one weekend only, closing Central Park's season.
Delacorte Theater, Central Park, ManhattanAcabashi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTaylor Mac and Matt Ray's queer rock-opera song cycle lands at the Delacorte in concert form — free, one weekend only, closing Central Park's season.
Fifth Avenue, 68th to 86th Street, Upper East Side, ManhattanLederhosen, dirndls and dozens of German, Austrian and Swiss bands march Fifth Avenue from 68th to 86th before the party spills into Central Park.
Fifth Avenue, 68th to 86th Street, Upper East Side, ManhattanLederhosen, dirndls and dozens of German, Austrian and Swiss bands march Fifth Avenue from 68th to 86th before the party spills into Central Park.
Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, QueensDavid Byrne closes his Who Is the Sky? tour under the open sky at Forest Hills Stadium — Talking Heads classics meets his choreographed new show.
Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, QueensDavid Byrne closes his Who Is the Sky? tour under the open sky at Forest Hills Stadium — Talking Heads classics meets his choreographed new show.
Brooklyn Storehouse, Brooklyn Navy Yard, BrooklynFour Tet headlines a second added night at the massive Navy Yard warehouse — the headline electronic event of the weekend.
Brooklyn Storehouse, Brooklyn Navy Yard, BrooklynFour Tet headlines a second added night at the massive Navy Yard warehouse — the headline electronic event of the weekend.
8th Ave between 59th & 60th St, BrooklynLion dancers, lanterns and mooncakes sweep down 8th Avenue as Brooklyn's Chinatown celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival with its annual parade.
8th Ave between 59th & 60th St, BrooklynLion dancers, lanterns and mooncakes sweep down 8th Avenue as Brooklyn's Chinatown celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival with its annual parade.
38th Ave between Main & Prince St, QueensDowntown Flushing rings in the harvest moon with a lantern-lit evening parade off Main Street — lion dances and drums in Queens' biggest Chinatown.
38th Ave between Main & Prince St, QueensDowntown Flushing rings in the harvest moon with a lantern-lit evening parade off Main Street — lion dances and drums in Queens' biggest Chinatown.
Morningside Park to Columbia University campus, Morningside Heights, ManhattanThe beloved free lantern procession turns 15: handmade illuminated lanterns float from Morningside Park up to Columbia's campus for one night.
Morningside Park to Columbia University campus, Morningside Heights, ManhattanThe beloved free lantern procession turns 15: handmade illuminated lanterns float from Morningside Park up to Columbia's campus for one night.
Studios and galleries throughout Bushwick, Bushwick, BrooklynBrooklyn's largest open-studios festival: hundreds of Bushwick studios, galleries and creative spaces open their doors free all weekend.
Studios and galleries throughout Bushwick, Bushwick, BrooklynBrooklyn's largest open-studios festival: hundreds of Bushwick studios, galleries and creative spaces open their doors free all weekend.
Emily Warren Roebling Plaza, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Dumbo, BrooklynA 1918 open-top double-decker leads a century of vintage buses onto Emily Roebling Plaza, with the Manhattan skyline as the photo backdrop — free.
Emily Warren Roebling Plaza, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Dumbo, BrooklynA 1918 open-top double-decker leads a century of vintage buses onto Emily Roebling Plaza, with the Manhattan skyline as the photo backdrop — free.
House of Yes, Bushwick, BrooklynRaffi Asdourian · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHouse of Yes throws open its Bushwick corner for a free all-day block party with DJs, performers and the club's signature costumed chaos.
House of Yes, Bushwick, BrooklynRaffi Asdourian · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHouse of Yes throws open its Bushwick corner for a free all-day block party with DJs, performers and the club's signature costumed chaos.
Randall's Island Park, Randall's Island, ManhattanDeans Charbal · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsJohn Summit turns Randall's Island into a two-day dance floor with GRiZ, Subtronics and Prospa atop a stacked house-and-bass lineup.
Randall's Island Park, Randall's Island, ManhattanDeans Charbal · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsJohn Summit turns Randall's Island into a two-day dance floor with GRiZ, Subtronics and Prospa atop a stacked house-and-bass lineup.
Citi Field, Flushing, QueensTdorante10 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsPhillies-Mets in the thick of a September pennant race — three straight games of NL East hostility under the Citi Field lights.
Citi Field, Flushing, QueensTdorante10 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsPhillies-Mets in the thick of a September pennant race — three straight games of NL East hostility under the Citi Field lights.
St. James Theatre, 246 West 44th Street, Theater District, ManhattanCeline Dion hijacks a Titanic museum tour and retells the whole film through her own back catalogue — four Tony nominations, closing in September.
St. James Theatre, 246 West 44th Street, Theater District, ManhattanCeline Dion hijacks a Titanic museum tour and retells the whole film through her own back catalogue — four Tony nominations, closing in September.
Broadway theaters (various), Theater District, ManhattanLast call on 2-for-1 Broadway: Wicked, Hadestown, Oh, Mary! and 20-plus more at half price before the fall window slams shut this weekend.
Broadway theaters (various), Theater District, ManhattanLast call on 2-for-1 Broadway: Wicked, Hadestown, Oh, Mary! and 20-plus more at half price before the fall window slams shut this weekend.
Rumsey Playfield (SummerStage), Central Park, Central Park, ManhattanClyde Charles Brown · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsNYC's biggest Oktoberfest takes over Central Park's Rumsey Playfield right after the Steuben Parade — steins, brats and oompah bands.
Rumsey Playfield (SummerStage), Central Park, Central Park, ManhattanClyde Charles Brown · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsNYC's biggest Oktoberfest takes over Central Park's Rumsey Playfield right after the Steuben Parade — steins, brats and oompah bands.
New York Hall of Science parking lot, 47-01 111th St, Corona, QueensQueens Night Market roars back from its US Open break — nearly 100 stalls of world food and crafts behind the Hall of Science until midnight.
New York Hall of Science parking lot, 47-01 111th St, Corona, QueensQueens Night Market roars back from its US Open break — nearly 100 stalls of world food and crafts behind the Hall of Science until midnight.
Prospect Park, Prospect Park, BrooklynKing of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsMolière in the Park stages a free Don Juan in Prospect Park — the infamous seducer's single day of defiance, with live original music.
Prospect Park, Prospect Park, BrooklynKing of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsMolière in the Park stages a free Don Juan in Prospect Park — the infamous seducer's single day of defiance, with live original music.
UBS Arena, Belmont Park, Elmont, QueensK-pop juggernaut aespa brings the SYNK : COMPLaeXITY tour to UBS Arena — Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning's only NYC-area stop.
UBS Arena, Belmont Park, Elmont, QueensK-pop juggernaut aespa brings the SYNK : COMPLaeXITY tour to UBS Arena — Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning's only NYC-area stop.
This list keeps changing as events are verified. We'll send you the final version the Thursday before — and you can unsubscribe right after if that's all you need.
Big weekends coming up — save them now, plan later.
