Stumblday's hand-checked ranking of the best things to do in Manhattan over Columbus Day weekend 2026 (Oct 10–12): 406 picks, refreshed weekly.
406 picks · checked Sep 17
Fifth Avenue, Midtown to Upper East Side, ManhattanMarching bands, floats and a sea of red, white and green take over Fifth Avenue for the city's big Italian-American heritage parade.
Fifth Avenue, Midtown to Upper East Side, ManhattanMarching bands, floats and a sea of red, white and green take over Fifth Avenue for the city's big Italian-American heritage parade.
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Fifth Avenue, Midtown (formation at East 43rd–47th Streets), ManhattanDelegations from some 20 Spanish-speaking countries dance, drum and parade up Fifth Avenue as Hispanic Heritage Month nears its close.
Fifth Avenue, Midtown (formation at East 43rd–47th Streets), ManhattanDelegations from some 20 Spanish-speaking countries dance, drum and parade up Fifth Avenue as Hispanic Heritage Month nears its close.
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Whitney Museum of American Art, Meatpacking District, ManhattanAchaikon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons56 artists ask what 'American' even means in the Whitney's 82nd Biennial — the full survey's last chance is the holiday Monday.
Whitney Museum of American Art, Meatpacking District, ManhattanAchaikon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons56 artists ask what 'American' even means in the Whitney's 82nd Biennial — the full survey's last chance is the holiday Monday.
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Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Hudson Yards, ManhattanMay S. Young from Metro NYC, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsComic Con's 20th edition takes over the Javits with a Coney Island theme, NCIS: New York with LL Cool J and the Crown cosplay finals.
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Hudson Yards, ManhattanMay S. Young from Metro NYC, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsComic Con's 20th edition takes over the Javits with a Coney Island theme, NCIS: New York with LL Cool J and the Crown cosplay finals.
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American Academy of Arts and Letters, Washington Heights, ManhattanBeyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe Final Fantasy artist's first New York institutional solo show: a Pandora frieze of drawings, free at Audubon Terrace from opening day.
American Academy of Arts and Letters, Washington Heights, ManhattanBeyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe Final Fantasy artist's first New York institutional solo show: a Pandora frieze of drawings, free at Audubon Terrace from opening day.
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The Rink at Rockefeller Center, Midtown, Manhattan(vincent desjardins) from Paris, France · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsOpening day on the sunken rink ringed by Rockefeller Center's Art Deco towers, a Midtown tradition since 1936 — the ice is back this weekend.
The Rink at Rockefeller Center, Midtown, Manhattan(vincent desjardins) from Paris, France · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsOpening day on the sunken rink ringed by Rockefeller Center's Art Deco towers, a Midtown tradition since 1936 — the ice is back this weekend.
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Upper East Side, ManhattanAlex Maisuradze · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons120+ works, 12 chapters and two careers side by side: the Met's first big New York look at Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock in 20 years.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Upper East Side, ManhattanAlex Maisuradze · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons120+ works, 12 chapters and two careers side by side: the Met's first big New York look at Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock in 20 years.
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Film at Lincoln Center, Lincoln Square, ManhattanAjay Suresh from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsNYFF's final weekend at Film at Lincoln Center: 32 Main Slate films from 31 countries, closing with Ava DuVernay's world premiere of 14th.
Film at Lincoln Center, Lincoln Square, ManhattanAjay Suresh from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsNYFF's final weekend at Film at Lincoln Center: 32 Main Slate films from 31 countries, closing with Ava DuVernay's world premiere of 14th.
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Whitney Museum of American Art, Meatpacking District, ManhattanAbout 130 Lichtensteins, from Look Mickey to Masterpiece, fill the Whitney's fifth floor in a major Pop retrospective opening this weekend.
Whitney Museum of American Art, Meatpacking District, ManhattanAbout 130 Lichtensteins, from Look Mickey to Masterpiece, fill the Whitney's fifth floor in a major Pop retrospective opening this weekend.
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Mott St between Canal & Hester St, ManhattanChinatown marks 115 years since the 1911 Wuchang Uprising with a Double Ten procession up Mott Street, the heart of Manhattan's old Chinatown.
Mott St between Canal & Hester St, ManhattanChinatown marks 115 years since the 1911 Wuchang Uprising with a Double Ten procession up Mott Street, the heart of Manhattan's old Chinatown.
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Museum of the City of New York, Upper Manhattan, ManhattanJakub Hałun · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA rescued New Deal mural cycle painted for a hospital children's ward goes back on public view in East Harlem.
Museum of the City of New York, Upper Manhattan, ManhattanJakub Hałun · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA rescued New Deal mural cycle painted for a hospital children's ward goes back on public view in East Harlem.
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Alice Tully Hall and Walter Reade Theater, Lincoln Center, Lincoln Square, ManhattanAva DuVernay's sequel to 13th, on attacks against the 14th Amendment, premieres as NYFF's closing film with AOC and Hasan Piker on screen.
Alice Tully Hall and Walter Reade Theater, Lincoln Center, Lincoln Square, ManhattanAva DuVernay's sequel to 13th, on attacks against the 14th Amendment, premieres as NYFF's closing film with AOC and Hasan Piker on screen.
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New York City Center (Mainstage), Midtown, ManhattanChristopher Wheeldon's Oscar Wilde ballet, danced by the Australian Ballet at City Center with the 48-piece Orchestra of St. Luke's live.
New York City Center (Mainstage), Midtown, ManhattanChristopher Wheeldon's Oscar Wilde ballet, danced by the Australian Ballet at City Center with the 48-piece Orchestra of St. Luke's live.
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Pier 36, 299 South Street, Lower East Side waterfront, ManhattanUnlimited samples of bluefin, uni, wagyu and matcha from 60+ exhibitors, plus live 400-pound tuna-cutting shows, one day at Pier 36.
Pier 36, 299 South Street, Lower East Side waterfront, ManhattanUnlimited samples of bluefin, uni, wagyu and matcha from 60+ exhibitors, plus live 400-pound tuna-cutting shows, one day at Pier 36.
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Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall, Midtown (57th Street), ManhattanThe Berlin Phil and Kirill Petrenko play Elgar's Enigma and Tchaikovsky 4, then Brahms with Víkingur Ólafsson, at Carnegie.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall, Midtown (57th Street), ManhattanThe Berlin Phil and Kirill Petrenko play Elgar's Enigma and Tchaikovsky 4, then Brahms with Víkingur Ólafsson, at Carnegie.
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Carnegie Deli, 834 Seventh Avenue, Midtown, ManhattanCarnegie Deli is back after 10 years, in the old Stage Deli space, with the Wall of Fame photos and pastrami piled high on rye.
Carnegie Deli, 834 Seventh Avenue, Midtown, ManhattanCarnegie Deli is back after 10 years, in the old Stage Deli space, with the Wall of Fame photos and pastrami piled high on rye.
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Madison Square Garden, Midtown / Penn District, ManhattanHarry Styles' 30-night Garden residency, his only US shows this year, rolls on with two more nights at MSG this weekend — Harryween is coming.
Madison Square Garden, Midtown / Penn District, ManhattanHarry Styles' 30-night Garden residency, his only US shows this year, rolls on with two more nights at MSG this weekend — Harryween is coming.
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New World Stages (Stage 1), Hell's Kitchen, ManhattanCasey "Poppins" Nedelka · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsWesterberg High's croquet-mallet queens take their last bow at New World Stages — the cult musical closes before its national tour.
New World Stages (Stage 1), Hell's Kitchen, ManhattanCasey "Poppins" Nedelka · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsWesterberg High's croquet-mallet queens take their last bow at New World Stages — the cult musical closes before its national tour.
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The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Midtown, ManhattanChoreographer Sarah Michelson turns MoMA's atrium into her daily workspace, dancing with a rotating cast during museum hours — final weekend.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Midtown, ManhattanChoreographer Sarah Michelson turns MoMA's atrium into her daily workspace, dancing with a rotating cast during museum hours — final weekend.
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Playwrights Horizons (Peter Jay Sharp Theater), Theater District, ManhattanThe Initiative team of Else and Emma Rosa Went follows young men sure the game is rigged in a darkly funny new play closing at Playwrights Horizons.
Playwrights Horizons (Peter Jay Sharp Theater), Theater District, ManhattanThe Initiative team of Else and Emma Rosa Went follows young men sure the game is rigged in a darkly funny new play closing at Playwrights Horizons.
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The New York Historical, Upper West Side, ManhattanAcroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA Dee Dee Ramone Fender, a Studio 54 opening-night invite and the Saturday Night Fever script tell how broke 1970s NYC birthed disco, punk and hip hop.
The New York Historical, Upper West Side, ManhattanAcroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA Dee Dee Ramone Fender, a Studio 54 opening-night invite and the Saturday Night Fever script tell how broke 1970s NYC birthed disco, punk and hip hop.
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New World Stages, Hell's Kitchen, ManhattanAudience volunteers get pulled onstage to spell against six misfit kids in this Tony-winning musical revival, now in its final weeks.
New World Stages, Hell's Kitchen, ManhattanAudience volunteers get pulled onstage to spell against six misfit kids in this Tony-winning musical revival, now in its final weeks.
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King Jagiello Plaza, Central Park, ManhattanFree Sunday-afternoon social dancing on the plaza above Turtle Pond - swing, jump blues, hot jazz and cha chas, with lessons in the breaks.
King Jagiello Plaza, Central Park, ManhattanFree Sunday-afternoon social dancing on the plaza above Turtle Pond - swing, jump blues, hot jazz and cha chas, with lessons in the breaks.
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Studio Seaview, Theater District, ManhattanAjay Suresh from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAn Aussie clown races through every Penguin Classic in under an hour, mostly naked — the award-winning cult hit wraps its NYC run.
Studio Seaview, Theater District, ManhattanAjay Suresh from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAn Aussie clown races through every Penguin Classic in under an hour, mostly naked — the award-winning cult hit wraps its NYC run.
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Big weekends coming up — save them now, plan later.
