NYC or Bust!

One of the hardest things about deciding what to do in NYC, is not actually finding something to do, it is choosing what to do. The amount of things that are going on in the city on any given day can be a bit overwhelming. There are times when I have not been able to decide and have actually settled for a pizza and movie at home only out of pure frustration. Throughout the summer there are outdoor movies, concerts, art shows, street fairs, plays, dance performances, and much more. I have compiled a list of websites that are a good place to start, though definitely not an exhaustive list, of places to look. Most of the websites I have included offer mainly free activities (no admission) as most of us who are new to NYC probably do not have a lot of money to spend on entertainment (plus why should you if you don’t have to?)

General

• The first website I usually check is the Time Out New York. Both this website and the weekly magazine offer a huge list of events, both free and not, that are going on around the city. While the website it convenient, I have found that subscribing to the magazine is worth it. After buying a few issues off the rack for almost $5 apiece, the $19.95 for 51 issues seemed to make a lot of sense.
• Both nyc.com and nycvisit.com offer extenisve listings of activities and events. Both offer the capability to search by event, date, and location.

Concerts

There are numerous places to go for free concerts in NYC.

• The Central Park Summer Stage is a great outdoor venue for free music, comedy, and other shows. Admission in free (donations are accepted) and there are vendors inside the venue with reasonably priced food and beverages. Really what better place to spend and evening than in central park enjoying some entertainment.
• If you are lucky enough to not have to work and energetic enough to face crowds of tourists in the morning, both Good Morning America and the Today Show have free live concerts on Friday mornings.
• River to River Festival is a summer long event, which takes place at multiple venues throughout the Manhattan. The majority of the events are free and include concerts, art shows, and more.
• McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn offers free concerts on Sundays. In addition to the sun and music they have a large slip and slid, feed and beverages for purchase. (Also check out their calendar for concerts with admission prices).

Theater

• Shakespeare in the park takes place at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. There are free tickets available to most performance, based on a first come first serve basis. If you are outside of Manhattan check out the Shakespeare in the Boroughs page for information on how to get tickets if your borough, rather than having to trek into Manhattan to stand in line.

Movies

• Hudson Park features “Movies under the Stars“. On Wednesday night movies for adults are shown, while Friday mights are mostly kids movies. Pack a picnic and bring a blanket.
• In addition to concerts and Yoga classes there are also free movies in Bryant Park.
• The Brooklyn Bridge Conservancy hold “Movies with a View“. Go watch movies at Brooklyn Bridge Park and enjoy the view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline.

Street Fairs and Festivals

Street fairs and festivals seems to be going on everywhere and all of the time in the city. On any given weekend you can find one. There are a great excuse to go and explore a your neighborhood, a new neighborhood, or venture into another borough. While it is probably impossible to find a complete schedule and listing of ALL of the street fairs and festivals going on in the city, here is a partial schedule for those put on by Mardi Gras productions.

Parks

• Bryant Park, located behind the main branch of the New York Public Library (on 5th ave and 42nd street) has events running though out the year. In late fall, winter, and early spring there is ice skating. During summer there are movies, concerts, and even yoga classes. Check out their site for a recent schedule of events.
• Check out the website for the park nearest your home or work. Many parks in NYC offer a variety of events and activities all summer long (some even offer event throughout the year).

Hopefully this list will help you get started in your search for what to do in NYC this summer. There are many other sites out there (way too many to list here). If you see a good one let us know and we can add it to the list.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 5th, 2008 at 4:56 pm and is filed under Insights, NYC, post-move . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.