The best things to do in NYC This Saturday over Labor Day weekend 2026 (Sep 5–7) — hand-curated and refreshed weekly.
82 picks · checked Sep 2
Brooklyn Museum, Crown Heights, BrooklynMasqueraders 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, BrooklynMasqueraders up to age 17 parade in full costume from Kingston Avenue down Franklin to the Brooklyn Museum in Carnival's children's edition.
Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, QueensThird-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, QueensThird-round singles inside Arthur Ashe, the largest tennis stadium in the world, with grounds access to Armstrong and the outer courts.
Flushing Meadows, QueensSee-ming Lee from Hong Kong SAR, China · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSaturday's evening card in Arthur Ashe Stadium closes out the third round, with the round of sixteen starting the next day.
Flushing Meadows, QueensSee-ming Lee from Hong Kong SAR, China · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSaturday's evening card in Arthur Ashe Stadium closes out the third round, with the round of sixteen starting the next day.
Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Heights, BrooklynSteel 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, BrooklynSteel 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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34th Avenue Open Street, Jackson Heights, QueensUnicycle 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, QueensUnicycle 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.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Lincoln Square, ManhattanAsmik Grigorian sings Tatiana's letter scene on a screen the size of the Met's facade, with 2,500 free plaza seats below.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Lincoln Square, ManhattanAsmik Grigorian sings Tatiana's letter scene on a screen the size of the Met's facade, with 2,500 free plaza seats below.
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.
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.
Saratoga Springs, Saratoga / UpstateJet Lowe · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsThe summer meet's final weekend, with the Grade 1 Spinaway the Grade 1 Hopeful and Grade 3 Prioress and closing day on Labor Day Monday.
Saratoga Springs, Saratoga / UpstateJet Lowe · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsThe summer meet's final weekend, with the Grade 1 Spinaway the Grade 1 Hopeful and Grade 3 Prioress and closing day on Labor Day Monday.
Studio Museum in Harlem, Harlem, ManhattanFinal weekend of the Studio Museum's sixth 'F' show — 17 emerging artists of African and Afro-Latinx descent in the new 125th Street building. Closing day is a free Studio Sunday.
Studio Museum in Harlem, Harlem, ManhattanFinal weekend of the Studio Museum's sixth 'F' show — 17 emerging artists of African and Afro-Latinx descent in the new 125th Street building. Closing day is a free Studio Sunday.
31st Avenue between 33rd and 35th Streets, Astoria, QueensTaís Melillo · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSamba bands, dance lessons and vendors from across Brazil fill a stretch of Astoria for the neighborhood's first Brazilian Independence bash.
31st Avenue between 33rd and 35th Streets, Astoria, QueensTaís Melillo · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSamba bands, dance lessons and vendors from across Brazil fill a stretch of Astoria for the neighborhood's first Brazilian Independence bash.
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.
New Paltz, Hudson ValleyDetroit Publishing Co. (w) , publisher. · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsQuail Hollow Events fills the Ulster County Fairgrounds with hundreds of juried makers across more than ten media categories, plus craft demonstrations, a children's area and Hudson Valley wine, cider and beer.
New Paltz, Hudson ValleyDetroit Publishing Co. (w) , publisher. · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsQuail Hollow Events fills the Ulster County Fairgrounds with hundreds of juried makers across more than ten media categories, plus craft demonstrations, a children's area and Hudson Valley wine, cider and beer.
Third-round night tennis inside Louis Armstrong Stadium, the tournament's second show court, with a retractable roof and its own ticket.
Third-round night tennis inside Louis Armstrong Stadium, the tournament's second show court, with a retractable roof and its own ticket.
Union Vale, Hudson ValleyDetroit Publishing Co. (w) , publisher. · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsFive mass hot-air balloon ascensions totaling more than 120 balloon flights over Tymor Park in Dutchess County, with fireworks each night, live music, food trucks and a beer and wine tent.
Union Vale, Hudson ValleyDetroit Publishing Co. (w) , publisher. · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsFive mass hot-air balloon ascensions totaling more than 120 balloon flights over Tymor Park in Dutchess County, with fireworks each night, live music, food trucks and a beer and wine tent.
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.
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.
Under the K Bridge Park, Greenpoint, BrooklynLondon club fabric's first-ever New York show: Jeff Mills, Ben UFO, Helena Hauff and Craig Richards play open-air under the Kosciuszko Bridge, 2pm to 2am.
Under the K Bridge Park, Greenpoint, BrooklynLondon club fabric's first-ever New York show: Jeff Mills, Ben UFO, Helena Hauff and Craig Richards play open-air under the Kosciuszko Bridge, 2pm to 2am.
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey (regional)Ed Sheeran loops MetLife for two stadium nights with Macklemore, Lukas Graham and BIIRD opening — the fall's biggest pop pilgrimage from NYC.
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey (regional)Ed Sheeran loops MetLife for two stadium nights with Macklemore, Lukas Graham and BIIRD opening — the fall's biggest pop pilgrimage from NYC.
Film Forum, Hudson Square, ManhattanCoppola's 1992 vampire fever dream in a 35mm print, closing out a Saturday of the Film Forum retrospective. Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins and practically no digital anything.
Film Forum, Hudson Square, ManhattanCoppola's 1992 vampire fever dream in a 35mm print, closing out a Saturday of the Film Forum retrospective. Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins and practically no digital anything.
46th Avenue street fair site, Long Island City, QueensJAPAN Fes brings 18 Japanese street-food vendors to 46th Avenue in Hunters Point — and unlike most editions, this one runs into the night, until 10pm.
46th Avenue street fair site, Long Island City, QueensJAPAN Fes brings 18 Japanese street-food vendors to 46th Avenue in Hunters Point — and unlike most editions, this one runs into the night, until 10pm.
Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, QueensRauw 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, QueensRauw Alejandro headlines the global debut of Red Bull Chapters, a three-act show tracing his past, present and future at Forest Hills Stadium.
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.
Colonels Row, Building 406A, Governors Island, ManhattanMarta Blanco brings a mini big band to Colonels Row for two hours of Latin and contemporary jazz hosted by the Climate Imaginarium.
Colonels Row, Building 406A, Governors Island, ManhattanMarta Blanco brings a mini big band to Colonels Row for two hours of Latin and contemporary jazz hosted by the Climate Imaginarium.
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