What’s on in New York City

Chinese New Year

29 January 2025

Starting at Mott and Hester Street

A must-see on the opening day of the Chinese New Year celebrations, the city's Chinatown is the biggest in the United States. Performers dance in the streets in colourful costumes, preceding a great parade of dragon floats. With over 200 restaurants, celebrations are sure to be huge and business buzzing. There are interesting tidbits to note such as eating a whole fish to represent togetherness and abundance, and not chopping one's noodles as they represent long life. Colours are important at New Year too, with the luckiest being red, orange, yellow, gold, and pink. Black and white are unlucky.

Website www.chinatown-online.com

Central Park SummerStage

Annually June to September

Central Park

Summer Stage is one of New York's greatest institutions, as Central Park fills up every summer with music, theatre, opera and dance. There's a different performance every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, and usually Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, and entry is mostly free. Famous performers and musicians sometimes grace the stage in Central Park and the atmosphere at the concerts is one of the great joys of a New York summer. Visitors should bring a picnic if they don't want to pay for overpriced beer and food, and should get in early for a good spot. Travellers should visit the official website for a list of events.

Website www.summerstage.org

New York City Marathon

3 November 2024

Finish in Central Park

As the world's largest marathon, only London ranks alongside New York in terms of running prestige. The New York City Marathon hosts more than 35,000 runners from around the world, with a route passing through all five of New York City's five boroughs before finishing in Central Park. Spectators line the way, famous celebrities take part and there's usually some athletes in fancy dress, all creating a festive atmosphere. As so many people are keen to run, the general participants are usually selected in a lucky draw.

Website www.tcsnycmarathon.org

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

28 November 2024

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade is one of the Big Apple's most dynamic and colourful events, taking Thanksgiving celebrations one step further. The parade features marching bands, clowns and the Floats and Falloons, by far the day's biggest attraction. Towering over crowds, they are a Macy's hybrid of cold air balloons and floats. Famous characters include Angelina Ballerina, the Statue of Liberty, and Santa Claus. Starting on 77th Street, it proceeds down Central Park West to Columbus Circle, then down Broadway to Macy's at 34th Street, and finally finishing on Seventh Avenue. Good places to watch include Times Square and Columbus Circle.

Website social.macys.com/parade2010/#/home

Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular

4 July annually

The spectacle will take place from barges positioned in New York City's East River

Independence Day is celebrated throughout the States, but nowhere more than in New York City. Although many locals leave to spend the holiday on Long Island or in Upstate New York, thousands of others stay behind to watch Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular. This is probably the biggest and best firework extravaganza in the country, culminating in a massive party. More than 10,000 fireworks explode from barges along the west side of Manhattan, synchronised and choreographed to music. It starts at sunset and the best place to watch is from the banks of the East River.

Website www.ny.com/holiday/july4

TD Five Boro Bike Tour

TBC 2025

Battery Park to Staten Island

The Commerce Bank Five Boro Bike Tour is the biggest cycling event in the USA, seeing 30,000 cyclists pedalling through the five boroughs of New York City on 42 miles (68km) of traffic-free avenues, highways and bridges. The route travels through Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island, encompassing the world's longest single-span suspension bridge, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The day ends with a festival at Fort Wadsworth, featuring live music, food and exhibitions. Spectators make a festival out of the event and line the route to cheer the cyclists on.

Website www.bikenewyork.org

Gay Pride Week and March

TBC 2025

The march which follows a route along 5th Avenue, right onto 8th Street, on to Greenwich Avenue and along Christopher Street in Greenwich Village.

Rainbow flags flutter in Greenwich Village and crowds of people dress up in outrageous costumes during New York's Lesbian and Gay Pride Week, with numerous events arranged to commemorate the Stonewall Riot and to show support for the LGBT community of the city. Highlights of the week's festivities include a massive rally, the dance on the pier and the culminating march. Some huge sponsors get involved in Pride Week and people travel from all over the world to participate. New York City has a vibrant gay community and many locals come out in support of the community during the many events.

Website www.nycpride.org

Times Square New Year's Eve Celebrations

31 December

Times Square

Times Square boasts one of the largest New Year's Eve celebrations in the world and the biggest party in New York. The famous lowering of the New Year's Eve Ball signifies the 60-second countdown to midnight and the tradition has become a worldwide symbol of welcoming in the New Year, viewed by millions across the globe. The festivities include the raising and lowering of the ball, music, an hourly big screen video countdown and a spectacular burst of fireworks. Revellers are showered with colourful confetti and are given celebratory hats, pom-poms and balloons to welcome in the New Year.

Website www.timessquarenyc.org

US Open Tennis Tournament

26 August — 8 September 2024

Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing Meadows

The top names and seeds in international tennis vie for victory in the final Grand Slam event of the season in New York each year. First played back in 1881 in the State of Rhode Island as a men's singles event only, the tournament occurs annually at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. It wasn't until 1968 that the US Open took the shape and structure it has today. Those wanting tickets for big games are advised to book as far in advance as possible.

Website www.usopen.org

New York Fashion Week

6 — 9 February 2025

The Museum of the City of New York

Fashionistas, gorgeous models and Hollywood socialites attend the New York Fashion Week to check out the latest on the catwalk for next year's Spring Collection. Sadly, it's almost impossible for the general public to gain access to the event. Even so, budding fashionmongers flock to New York at this time to enjoy the many associated events and spend some time celebrity-spotting and strutting their designer threads.

Website nyfw.com/home/

New York City