The best things to do in Manhattan on Friday night of Labor Day weekend 2026, Sep 4 — hand-curated and refreshed weekly.
28 picks · checked Sep 2
Delacorte Theater, Central Park, Manhattan100-plus New Yorkers from all five boroughs record a live album onstage at the Delacorte — the Public's free season-closing pageant, five nights only.
Delacorte Theater, Central Park, Manhattan100-plus New Yorkers from all five boroughs record a live album onstage at the Delacorte — the Public's free season-closing pageant, five nights only.
Bryant Park, Midtown, ManhattanBryant 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, ManhattanBryant Park's first Brass Festival stacks Grammy-nominated New Breed Brass Band, Brooklyn's Aberdeen and the all-female Brass Queens on the lawn.
Lincoln Square, ManhattanPhotograph by Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net ). · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe Met throws its Live in HD capture of Bellini's I Puritani onto a giant screen over Josie Robertson Plaza. About 2,500 seats go out, admission is free and no tickets or reservations are issued.
Lincoln Square, ManhattanPhotograph by Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net ). · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe Met throws its Live in HD capture of Bellini's I Puritani onto a giant screen over Josie Robertson Plaza. About 2,500 seats go out, admission is free and no tickets or reservations are issued.
The Glade at Little Island, Meatpacking District, ManhattanLeslie Jamison, Eric Kim and Doreen St. Felix read new stories about New York's food scene at Little Island's outdoor Glade.
The Glade at Little Island, Meatpacking District, ManhattanLeslie Jamison, Eric Kim and Doreen St. Felix read new stories about New York's food scene at Little Island's outdoor Glade.
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Metrograph, Lower East Side, ManhattanShane Fleming · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsZu, Don't Play with Fire, Knock Off and Time and Tide play Metrograph in an 11-film Tsui Hark survey — two of them on 35mm prints.
Metrograph, Lower East Side, ManhattanShane Fleming · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsZu, Don't Play with Fire, Knock Off and Time and Tide play Metrograph in an 11-film Tsui Hark survey — two of them on 35mm prints.
The Amph at Little Island, Meatpacking District, ManhattanLaurie Anderson, Davone Tines and a rotating house band reset Allen Ginsberg's poems as songs on Little Island's amphitheatre stage.
The Amph at Little Island, Meatpacking District, ManhattanLaurie Anderson, Davone Tines and a rotating house band reset Allen Ginsberg's poems as songs on Little Island's amphitheatre stage.
Museum of Modern Art, Midtown, ManhattanMoMA's free Friday evening for New York State residents lands on Labor Day weekend — 5:30 to, reserve ahead with proof of residency.
Museum of Modern Art, Midtown, ManhattanMoMA's free Friday evening for New York State residents lands on Labor Day weekend — 5:30 to, reserve ahead with proof of residency.
Greenwich House Theater, West Village, ManhattanMarin Ireland's acclaimed play returns with Lupita Nyong'o opening a rotating star cast — this is its first full weekend of previews at Greenwich House.
Greenwich House Theater, West Village, ManhattanMarin Ireland's acclaimed play returns with Lupita Nyong'o opening a rotating star cast — this is its first full weekend of previews at Greenwich House.
Hommali, West Village, ManhattanThree friends from Bangkok open a contemporary Thai restaurant built around jasmine rice, which arrives free with every meal. Labor Day is its first weekend.
Hommali, West Village, ManhattanThree friends from Bangkok open a contemporary Thai restaurant built around jasmine rice, which arrives free with every meal. Labor Day is its first weekend.
La MaMa (The Ellen Stewart Theatre), East Village, ManhattanJohn Donnelly's Royal Court play about two closeted footballers gets its American premiere at La MaMa, directed by Max Hunter. Friday at 7 is the last performance of the run.
La MaMa (The Ellen Stewart Theatre), East Village, ManhattanJohn Donnelly's Royal Court play about two closeted footballers gets its American premiere at La MaMa, directed by Max Hunter. Friday at 7 is the last performance of the run.
Palladium Times Square, Times Square, ManhattanLatin singer Luis Angel El Flaco headlines Palladium Times Square, a rare Broadway-block marquee for a Spanish-language dance night.
Palladium Times Square, Times Square, ManhattanLatin singer Luis Angel El Flaco headlines Palladium Times Square, a rare Broadway-block marquee for a Spanish-language dance night.
Bowery Ballroom, Lower East Side, ManhattanA two-night punk gathering takes over the Bowery Ballroom, with a combined pass for anyone planning to do both evenings.
Bowery Ballroom, Lower East Side, ManhattanA two-night punk gathering takes over the Bowery Ballroom, with a combined pass for anyone planning to do both evenings.
Sony Hall, Theater District, ManhattanMatt Sturniolo of the 15-million-subscriber Sturniolo Triplets marks his book Let's Talk About Yesterday with a live release show at Sony Hall.
Sony Hall, Theater District, ManhattanMatt Sturniolo of the 15-million-subscriber Sturniolo Triplets marks his book Let's Talk About Yesterday with a live release show at Sony Hall.
Metrograph, Lower East Side, ManhattanTsui Hark's 1984 screwball-musical-romance in a 40th-anniversary 4K restoration he supervised himself, anchoring Metrograph's Tsui Hark series.
Metrograph, Lower East Side, ManhattanTsui Hark's 1984 screwball-musical-romance in a 40th-anniversary 4K restoration he supervised himself, anchoring Metrograph's Tsui Hark series.
James J Walker Park: James J Walker Park, ManhattanA free Friday-night movie under the stars in James J. Walker Park — the West Village's ballfield turns into a pocket cinema after dark.
James J Walker Park: James J Walker Park, ManhattanA free Friday-night movie under the stars in James J. Walker Park — the West Village's ballfield turns into a pocket cinema after dark.
Film Forum, Hudson Square, ManhattanThe Berlinale Teddy winner about queer avant-garde filmmaker Barbara Hammer opens Friday, with director Brydie O'Connor in person for Q&As on both Friday and Saturday.
Film Forum, Hudson Square, ManhattanThe Berlinale Teddy winner about queer avant-garde filmmaker Barbara Hammer opens Friday, with director Brydie O'Connor in person for Q&As on both Friday and Saturday.
The Play Ground at Little Island, Meatpacking District, ManhattanOscar Nn and Adam R bring the Brooklyn queer-nightlife collective's Friday residency to Little Island's open-air Play Ground stage.
The Play Ground at Little Island, Meatpacking District, ManhattanOscar Nn and Adam R bring the Brooklyn queer-nightlife collective's Friday residency to Little Island's open-air Play Ground stage.
The Play Ground at Little Island, Meatpacking District, ManhattanThe late set that closes Little Island's Friday nightlife residency, playing out on the open-air Play Ground stage over the Hudson.
The Play Ground at Little Island, Meatpacking District, ManhattanThe late set that closes Little Island's Friday nightlife residency, playing out on the open-air Play Ground stage over the Hudson.
Blue Note Jazz Club, Greenwich Village, ManhattanFrank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSnarky Puppy drummer Robert Sput Searight leads a percussion-and-horn funk band whose members have backed Prince and Kendrick Lamar.
Blue Note Jazz Club, Greenwich Village, ManhattanFrank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSnarky Puppy drummer Robert Sput Searight leads a percussion-and-horn funk band whose members have backed Prince and Kendrick Lamar.
Gramercy Theatre, Gramercy, ManhattanEmarosa headline the Gramercy on the High Horse Heaven Tour, two decades on from their Kentucky post-hardcore beginnings.
Gramercy Theatre, Gramercy, ManhattanEmarosa headline the Gramercy on the High Horse Heaven Tour, two decades on from their Kentucky post-hardcore beginnings.
Joe's Pub, NoHo, ManhattanDowntown cabaret force Rizo builds a show around charisma and belief, promising a lush room, low lights and absolutely nothing to worry about.
Joe's Pub, NoHo, ManhattanDowntown cabaret force Rizo builds a show around charisma and belief, promising a lush room, low lights and absolutely nothing to worry about.
Le Poisson Rouge, Greenwich Village, ManhattanP91 and Le Poisson Rouge throw a late-night 2000s party in the Bleecker Street basement where the dancefloor sits below the bar.
Le Poisson Rouge, Greenwich Village, ManhattanP91 and Le Poisson Rouge throw a late-night 2000s party in the Bleecker Street basement where the dancefloor sits below the bar.
Mercury Lounge, Lower East Side, ManhattanFour local bands share the Mercury Lounge back room in an early-evening bill that ends in time for whatever you had planned after.
Mercury Lounge, Lower East Side, ManhattanFour local bands share the Mercury Lounge back room in an early-evening bill that ends in time for whatever you had planned after.
Dizzy's Club, Columbus Circle, ManhattanTony-nominated singer Ann Hampton Callaway works through Night and Day and a rare posthumous Cole Porter duet high above Columbus Circle.
Dizzy's Club, Columbus Circle, ManhattanTony-nominated singer Ann Hampton Callaway works through Night and Day and a rare posthumous Cole Porter duet high above Columbus Circle.
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