Life in New York City
Holidays & Festivals
Parades, lights, markets, and street festivals through the year. Dates change every year, so we check them before we publish.
In this section
ThanksgivingThe parade, where to watch it, and how to plan the morning.Read more ↓
Holiday lights & windowsTrees, store windows, and neighborhood light displays.Read more ↓
Holiday marketsSeasonal markets and what to know before you go.Read more ↓
Summer & street fairsOutdoor concerts, parades, and neighborhood festivals.Read more ↓Winter
Dates change every year, so check the official listing before you go.
- The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree: lit after Thanksgiving and up through the holidays.
- Holiday windows: the department stores along Fifth Avenue and around Herald Square.
- Holiday markets: seasonal markets in Bryant Park, Union Square, Columbus Circle and Grand Central.
- Dyker Heights lights: over-the-top home displays in Brooklyn.
- New Year's Eve: the ball drop in Times Square.
- Lunar New Year: parades and celebrations in Manhattan's Chinatown, Flushing and Sunset Park.
Spring
- St. Patrick's Day Parade: up Fifth Avenue. It's older than the United States.
- Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival: along Fifth Avenue near St. Patrick's Cathedral.
- Cherry blossoms: at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Central Park and Roosevelt Island.
- The Five Boro Bike Tour: thousands of riders on car-free streets through all five boroughs.
- Fleet Week: Navy and Coast Guard ships visit around Memorial Day.
Summer & street fairs
- NYC Pride March: in Manhattan in late June.
- The Puerto Rican Day Parade: on Fifth Avenue in June.
- Coney Island's Mermaid Parade: a costumed kickoff to summer on the boardwalk.
- Fourth of July fireworks: Macy's runs the big show. The viewing spots change, so check them each year.
- Free outdoor culture: Shakespeare in the Park, SummerStage concerts, and movies in parks across the boroughs.
- Street fairs: weekend block fairs and neighborhood festivals all season.
- The U.S. Open: tennis in Flushing Meadows at the end of summer.
Fall & Thanksgiving
- The West Indian American Day Carnival: on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn on Labor Day.
- The Feast of San Gennaro: on Mulberry Street in Little Italy in September.
- Open House New York: a weekend of rare looks inside buildings around the city.
- The Village Halloween Parade: up Sixth Avenue every October 31. Anyone in costume can march.
- The New York City Marathon: on the first Sunday in November. It starts on Staten Island and runs through all five boroughs.
- The Veterans Day Parade: on Fifth Avenue every November 11.
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: giant balloons from the Upper West Side down to Herald Square.
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