New York City is a multicultural hub with dozens of museums, hundreds of parks and millions of people. The number of potential things to see and do can feel overwhelming, but NY1 has you covered with some of the highlights taking place this weekend across the five boroughs.
Earth Day Open Streets
- Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Full list of locations here
- Free and open to the public
In celebration of Earth Day, 54 streets and plazas across the five boroughs will go car free to kick off the city's Open Streets program.
The pedestrian and bike-friendly spaces will include recreational activities, music, performances, educational workshops and other family-friendly fun.
Read more here.
THIS SATURDAY! We’re celebrating Car-Free Earth Day with less 🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗and more 🌎🚲💃🛼🎺🎨♻️
— NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) April 24, 2025
Join us for 54 open streets across all 5 boroughs with live performances, outdoor activities, art, education & so much more. Find a location near you at https://t.co/3ZiabMVQ3Z pic.twitter.com/9jUiXzGzSq
Independent Bookstore Day
This year marks the 12th annual Independent Bookstore Day, a nationwide occasion to celebrate and patronize locally owned shops.
Some stores have food and activities, while others host author meet-and-greets and some offer exclusive printings.
In Brooklyn, 26 bookstores are participating in the Brooklyn Bookstore Crawl, where organizers say bibliophiles can "win prizes, meet fellow book lovers, and support the unique literary culture of our Brooklyn neighborhoods."
We think the Brooklyn indie bookstore scene is unrivaled, & we love partnering with them during the Festival.
— Brooklyn Book Festival (@BKBF) April 23, 2025
You can show your support now ahead of Independent Bookstore Day on 4/26 by participating in the Brooklyn Bookstore Crawl featuring 26 of our incredible local bookstores pic.twitter.com/Dmzhakxns6
Macy's Flower Show
- Open April 27-May 18
- Macy's Herald Square, Manhattan
- More information here
A springtime floral tradition, the Macy's location in Herald Square offers New Yorkers a chance to take in a free, "immersive" experience.
This year is the 50th show, with Macy's inviting those interested to "explore the surrealist gardens and dreamy cloudscapes."
The Great Trebulation of 2025
- Sunday, April 27 at noon
- Green Central Knoll (55-65 Evergreen Ave), Brooklyn
- More information here
Bushwick hosts its fourth annual trebuchet competition this weekend, with teams preparing their trebuchets to launch chocolate candies the furthest.
Participants are vying for the top prize, awarded to the longest launcher.
NYBG Orchid Show
- Open until April 27
- New York Botanical Garden, the Bronx
- Ticket information here
New Yorkers are invited to experience all things orchid at the New York Botanical Garden's 22nd edition of its annual orchid show.
This year's theme is "Mexican Modernism," with the orchids displayed in "settings inspired by the bold, multicolored designs of architect Luis Barragán."
The exhibit will also be open on select nights for dance parties. More information here.
New York International Auto Show
- Open daily through April 27
- Jacob Javits Convention Center, Manhattan
- Ticket information here
Celebrating 125 years, the New York International Auto Show hosts makes and models from across the industry, including some exotic brands.
Organizers say there is "no better place to research your next new car." The annual automobile exhibition also features retro rides, test tracks and other specialty vehicles.
The Javits Center is also offering those attending the auto show the chance to upgrade their license to REAL ID ahead of the May 7 deadline.
Fifth Avenue Walking Tours
- Select Saturdays in spring: April 26, May 10 and 24
- Starts at New York Public Library, Manhattan
- Ticket information here
Run by New York Historical Tours, in collaboration with the Fifth Avenue Association, organizers say these 90-minute walking tours allow participants to "step back in time to New York’s glittering Gilded Age."
Tour guides will reveal how the once-residential street became an iconic address, with details on the architecture of surviving mansions and stories about the powerful families who lived in them.
Starting at the New York Public Library, the experience passes by spots including Saks Fifth Avenue, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Cartier Mansion and The Plaza Hotel.
'Wish You Were Here'
The Grolier Club, the nation's oldest and largest society for book lovers, known as bibliophiles, is hosting an exhibit featuring items documenting New York City's evolution from 1807 to 1940.
There are guidebooks, viewbooks, photobooks, maps and postcards, among other items, all from the collection of Mark Tomasko, who began gathering them in 1969. Learn more here.
Smorgasburg
- Weekly through October
- Saturdays at Marsha P. Johnson State Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
- Sundays at Prospect Park, Brooklyn
- More information here
Returning for its 15th year, Smorgasburg — an outdoor food bazaar with more than 70 vendors — is back for the season.
Offerings include tacos, cheesesteaks, barbecue, fish and chips, dumplings, coffee, snacks, desserts and more. For a full list of vendors, check here.
Frick Collection
- Reopened April 17
- 1 E. 70th St., Manhattan
- More information here
The museum at the former home of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick has reopened after being closed for a multi-year renovation project.
The collection of European paintings from the 14th to 19th centuries originally opened in 1935, but the second floor has always been closed to the public — until now.
The grand staircase is now open for visitors to check out an entirely new suite of galleries. Read more here.
Luna Park
- Open for the season
- 1000 Surf Ave., Brooklyn
- Ticket information here
At the largest amusement park in the city, returning visitors may notice some new arcade games and renovated retail outlets.
For now, the park is only open on weekends. After Memorial Day, it will be open every day.
A Century of 'The New Yorker'
- Opened Feb. 22
- New York Public Library, Manhattan
- Free and open to the public
An exhibit at the New York Public Library is celebrating 100 years of "The New Yorker" magazine.
The display features cover art throughout the decades, documents from the publication's founding, historical photographs and rare manuscripts.
For more, Julie Carlsen, the exhibit's co-creator, joined NY1 to discuss how they put it together.
In this new major exhibition opening Feb 22, NYPL brings to life the people, stories, and ideas that made The @NewYorker. Opening to coincide with the 100th birthday of the magazine, "A Century of The New Yorker" draws on the Library's collections, which include The New Yorker's… pic.twitter.com/5fiD0oVa5B
— NY Public Library (@nypl) February 13, 2025
INTER NYC
- Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends
- 415 Broadway, Manhattan
- Ticket information here
A series of 10 immersive exhibits brings visitors on a cosmic adventure through outer space.
Each space has a different activity, from stepping inside a black hole or bouncing through a swirling vortex to exploring a volcanic planet.
Read more here.
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