Coney Island Time
Jutting off the southern tip of Brooklyn, world-famous Coney Island has thrilled New Yorkers for decades. From the bustling boardwalk to the celebrated Cylone, this remarkable neighborhood is packed with exciting events and places to enjoy this summer.
Brooklyn Cyclones
Catch a minor league game – or even a fly ball – at MCU Park (1904 Surf Avenue). In their first 2011 home game, the Brooklyn Cyclones take on the Staten Island Yankees starting at 6:30pm on June 18th. Games run through Labor Day. Click here for a full schedule.
Luna Park
This amusement park is just entering its second season, but, as home to the historic Cyclone roller coaster, its legacy goes back over 80 years. In addition to the infamous 85-foot wooden thrill-ride, Luna Park (1000 Surf Avenue) also boasts 23 state-of-the-art rides, plus games, food and shopping.
Special Events
Coney Island hosts some of the city’s most festive summer events, like:
- June 18th: the annual Mermaid Parade
- July 4th: the world-famous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
- July 17th: the Grimaldo’s Mile swim race
- August 6th: Sand Sculpting Contest and Unity Day
On the Streets of The Bronx
Unless it’s baseball season, The Bronx doesn’t rank high on the list of popular NYC tourist spots. But this NYC borough has so much more to offer than hot dogs and home runs at Yankee Stadium. From May 12 – 22, hop an uptown-bound train and be a part of the 40th annual Bronx Week.
Over the course of this fun-filled festival, 120 events will take place throughout The Bronx, celebrating the area’s storied history, diverse population, and rich culture. Programs this year include an urban farm tour, a film festival, a hip-hop block party, Johnny Mathis in concert, a Fitness Fiesta, free spa pampering, a Historic Trolley Tour, and free boat rides on the Bronx River.
On Sunday, May 22, the 11-day celebration culminates with a parade featuring more than 80 participating local schools, as well as musical performances by artists including Big Daddy Kane, Force MD’s and salsa sensation Conjunto Imagen.
Click here for a full schedule and locations. Then head north, and let the lure of The Bronx win you over.
Festival of Ideas for the New City
From May 4th through May 8th, NYC’s first Festival of Ideas for the New City brings together scores of downtown organizations, from universities to community groups, with the goal of enacting positive changes in the city. The Festival was created as a platform for artists, writers, architects, engineers, urban farmers, planners, designers and thought leaders. Festival events will take place in multiple downtown venues and are organized around three central programs: Conference, StreetFest and Projects.
Conference
Throughout the week, a conference of symposia, lectures, and workshops addresses the Festival themes: The Heterogeneous City; The Networked City; The Reconfigured City; and The Sustainable City.
The Cooper Union, New York University, and the New Museum
Streetfest
Attend an innovative, minimal-waste, outdoor StreetFest. More than 100 local grassroots organizations and small businesses will be there to present model products and forward-thinking practices.
Event takes place along the Bowery
Saturday, May 7, 11 a.m to 7 p.m.
Projects
Independent projects, events, performances, and walking tours will be open to the public throughout the downtown area all week. Click here for a full Festival schedule.
Lights, Camera, Tribeca Action
Now entering its 10th season, this week the Tribeca Film Festival will once again transform the Triangle Below Canal Street into a celebration of film, art and culture. To participate in the fun, hop on the subway anytime from Wednesday, April 20th through Sunday, May 1st, when most of downtown Manhattan will be jam-packed with world-premiere screenings and international celebrities.
The Films
Part of the Festival’s mission is to help filmmakers reach the broadest audience possible, which is good news for members of the general public. Tickets are currently on sale, and seats range from $8 to $25; the higher price tags usually include a panel discussion with the cast and creatives behind the film. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
The Faces
Co-founded by Robert DeNiro, the Tribeca Film Festival has been a celeb-watching paradise since its first frame screened in 2002.
This year’s event includes films starring the likes of Elton John, Don Cheadle, Kathleen Turner, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. Add powerhouse behind-the-scenes talent including (Tribeca resident) Edward Burns, Cameron Crowe, Bob Dylan and Kevin Spacey, and you never know what famous faces you might encounter strolling the streets or grabbing a bite at a local hot spot.
The Facts
Though this annual event guarantees excitement, it can also breed confusion. Before heading downtown, be sure that you know where you’re going, how to get there, and when you need to be there. Check out maps of the local area, or click here for the Festival’s official list of frequently asked questions and answers.
The Greatest City on Earth (Day)
In honor of next week’s Earth Day, New York’s “Be the E” campaign (inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s mandate to “be the change you see in the world”) hosts events all over the city to celebrate our planet and educate the public about environmental conservation. Join in to learn more about the cause and to help spread the message about the importance of protecting the natural world.
Earth Day in Times Square
On Friday, April 22nd, gather at the crossroads of the world, Times Square, for live entertainment, speakers and interactive exhibits. Past years’ rosters have included performances by the casts of some of Broadway’s hottest shows and speeches by prominent celebrities and politicians. Among other highlights, this year’s event will feature the CO2 E drive, a “runway show” of green transportation options.
Festivities run from 11am – 7pm.
Earth Day at Grand Central Terminal
Throughout the week, Grand Central Terminal (42nd to 45th Streets, between Lexington and Vanderbilt Avenues) will be bustling with earth-friendly activities. Visit Vanderbilt Hall, Wednesday through Friday, to view green displays and learn more about what you can do to support the cause. Outside of the station, on Thursday and Friday, be sure to check out EarthFair, which will highlight local eco-sound businesses, organic food and environmental groups.
Click here for full schedules of indoor and outdoor events.
“Be the E” event series
All month through the early morning hours of April 23rd, Old-Soulz, eARTh sTREEt & EDNY hosts Earth Day-inspired parties all over the city.
Click here for times and locations.
Walk the Walk
Last week, the Bronx Zoo Cobra sssslithered her way around the five boroughs. Follow her lead and explore NYC – on foot. These out-of-the-box walking tours shine a spotlight on the city that never ssssleeps.
Foods of New York
As of April 2010, there were over 23,000 restaurants in New York City. (Yes, 23,000!) With endless choices and new venues popping up every day, how can devoted foodies whittle down the list? The answer: Foods of New York Tours, which leads culinary and cultural tasting tours from Chelsea to Chinatown. Besides munching on fantastic food, participants learn about New York’s history and culture as they eat their way through the city’s most delicious neighborhoods.
Click here for registration, schedule and tour details.
Big Onion
With guides who have advanced degrees, teaching experience, and a knack for entertaining as they inform, it’s no surprise that Big Onion Walking Tours was named one of the world’s best city walking tours by Forbes.com in August 2010. A programming partner of the New York Historical Society, Big Onion offers an incredible variety of innovative walks around the city, like We Built New York: A Labor History and The “Official” Gangs of New York Tour. Take a few hours to see not only what New York is like now, but how it became this way.
Click here for registration, schedule and tour details.
The Hunt for New York City
Whether you’re here for the first time or a seasoned visitor, these out-of-the-box activities put a new spin on exploring the city. Put on your game face and a pair of comfortable shoes, and get ready for some fun.
Modeled after the Emmy-winning reality show, these events are part scavenger hunt, part obstacle course, and all excitement. Players follow clues around the city, performing mental and physical “Road Blocks” and “Detours” along the way. Winter races are held completely underground to avoid unpredictable weather, so all you need is a digital camera and an unlimited MetroCard to play.
Click here for schedule, pricing and details.
Watson Adventures Scavenger Hunts
Grab your magnifying glass and Sherlock Holmes hat and embark on a scavenger hunt, NYC-style. With hunts like Naked at the Met, Murder at the Museum of Natural History, and Secrets of Grand Central, you’ll learn facts and trivia about the city while searching classic neighborhoods and landmarks.
Click here for schedule, pricing and details.
Year of the Rabbit
It’s been a month since we toasted the start of 2011, but this week brings another new beginning to celebrate. The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year, is one of New York City’s biggest annual events. Usher in the Year of the Rabbit by joining the fun.
Firecracker Ceremony & Cultural Festival
The party starts on Thursday, February 3rd as 600,000 firecrackers launch into the sky to welcome the new year and ward off evil spirits (Roosevelt Park, between Grand & Hester Streets). The festivities begin at 11am, but stick around afterward for a day-long celebration featuring lively dance troupes, vocal performances and cultural events.
Insider’s Tip: If you’re sensitive to noise and smoke, stay on the sidelines, away from the action.
Metropolitan Museum of Art Lunar New Year Festival
Further uptown, on Friday, February 4th, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street) kicks off its three-day
Lunar New Year Festival. From family-friendly music and dance performances to thought-provoking lectures, the weekend will be packed with a program celebrating Chinese arts and culture.
Insider’s Tip: Stop by the Museum’s cafeteria to sample traditional Chinese cuisine.
Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival
On an average day, Chinatown is a vibrant, bustling mini-city. But from 11:30am until 4:00pm on Saturday, February 6th, this area hosts one of the biggest Lunar New Year parades and celebrations in the country (parade begins at Hester and Mott Streets; festival takes place in Sara D. Roosevelt Park, Forsyth Street between Grand and Hester Streets). From the larger-than-life dragon dancers to the colorful paper lanterns, this event is not to be missed.
Insider’s Tip: Snag a spot on Allen Street between Grand and Canal Streets to get the best views.
Eat Like a Local
A Seat at the Table
It’s time for the semi-annual event that satiates the cravings of every New York foodie on a budget: NYC Restaurant Week. And this winter’s list is the biggest yet, with 35 new additions joining returning favorites like the Carnegie Deli and Tom Colicchio’s craftbar.
At more than 300 participating eateries throughout the city, sumptuous meals suddenly become wallet-friendly. Three-course prix-fixe lunches are just $24.07 and three-course prix-fixe dinners go for $35. It’s a deal that doesn’t come along every day, so stake your claim ASAP.
Winter 2011 NYC Restaurant Week runs from January 24-February 6 (yes, it’s actually 2 weeks). Click here to view the complete list of restaurants and reserve your table for this mouthwatering event.
Back in the Kitchen
Prefer to don the chef’s hat? Head to one of the city’s popular greenmarkets, where over 200 local family farms and fishermen convene to sell their goods. Let that day’s pick (or catch) dictate your menu as you stroll through booths overflowing with fresh, flavorful ingredients. You may even spot one of NYC’s celebrity chefs amongst the crowd.
Click here for a complete list of greenmarket locations and hours of operation.
This Is Your Brain.
Did you ever wonder why seeing a friend smile makes us smile, too? Or why our memories seem to get worse as we get older? Brain: The Inside Story, the newest exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History (Central Park West at 79th Street), uses interactive elements and artistic interpretations to bring concepts like these to light. This fascinating presentation breaks down the inner-workings of the human brain, visually demonstrating how we think, feel and observe. 
As you make your way through the exhibit, you’ll walk through a “tunnel” of firing neurons, try your hand at some puzzles, and view an actual preserved human brain.
Afterwards, stroll through some time-tested AMNH favorites, including the Halls of Human Origins and Ocean Life, and, of course, the world’s largest collection of dinosaur fossils. And if that’s not enough brain food for you, there’s always Astronaut Ice Cream from the gift shop!
Brain: The Inside Story is open to the public until August 14, 2011.
Click here for more information.
