5 Summer Festivals in NYC worth visiting

Whether you have visited New York countless times before, or you are yet to experience the city that never sleeps, you are guaranteed to get the most out of your visit there by experiencing one of the top 5 summer festivals. Here is a quick guide to what America’s most popular city has to offer each year:

1. Broadway in Bryant Park July

Whether you are a seasoned broadway lover, or yet to be wowed by musical performances, you will love Broadway in the Park. Nothing is more enticing than watching a live broadway performance under the stars, and with previous performances from the stars of Billy Elliot, Phantom of the Opera, and Sister Act Zirkana, the bill has always been consistently great. Families, couples, and friends alike can grab a blanket, head for the park, and make the most of each outdoor broadway performance. More on bryantpark.org.

2. Lincoln Out of Doors- July August

For those who want to carry on the party after the River to River festival, and those who won’t be hitting New York until the later summer months, The Lincoln Out of Doors festival is perfect. Each year an array of world music artists head to New York to play at the festival, including unique artists like the Gypsy Roma Urban Balkan Beats. Lincoln Out of Doors takes the penultimate place as it not only offers a wide variety of musical entertainment, it also has shows especially for children.

3. River to River Festival- June to July

As far as summer festivals in New York go, none can match the River to River festival in terms of size or value. With over 500 free events running between June and July, both locals and tourists can experience music and art at their finest. In the past, top names in the jazz industry have played, as well as stars from the 80s music scene.

4. New York Fringe Festival- August

Each year as the summer reaches its peak in New York, artists from every discipline and culture gather to entertain those who attend the New York Fringe Festival. Described as the ‘largest multi-arts festival in North America’, the NY Fringe Festival plays host to over 1200 performers each year.

5. New York Philharmonics in the Parks- July

Each year, dazzling performances take place across parks in the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Long Island. With the combination of a laid back atmosphere, the New York Philharmonic playing in the background, and free entry, it is easy to see why New York Philharmonics in the Parks goes down so well each year.

Bright Lights-Big Screens

New York City is renowned for outdoor summer entertainment and one of the most popular forms is open-air cinema. Whether it’s in a park or on a rooftop, the silver screen becomes almost as common in New York as hotdog stands in July and August.

The biggest and longest-running outdoor film festival is HBO Bryant Park, located behind New York’s Public Library. Starting On June 21st and continuing through to the end of August, movies will be screened every Monday night, kicking off with the James Bond classic Goldfinger.

At the movies in NYC

If indie films and documentaries are more your thing, check out the program at Rooftop Films which, as the name suggests, presents underground films on the city’s rooftops together with a Q&A from the director.

New York’s summer film festivals often show movies that take the city as inspiration. Such is the case of the River to River festival (Elevated Acre, 55 Water Street) by the East River, which will show such classics as Broadway Danny Rose and Muppets Take Manhattan. One similar note, Habana Outpost festival on Fort Greene will show Fame, A Bronx Tale and Flashdance.

Families should not miss Movies Under the Bridge, a free series of blockbusters screened on the shores of Long Island Sounds. Beginning August 17th, popcorn is included in the (free) admission price.

Be part of the audience in NYC

If there is one thing as synonymous with New York as hot dogs and yellow cabs, it is  live TV shows. Emblematic American programmes such as Good Morning America, The Today Show, David Letterman and many others are either taped or transmitted lived from the Big Apple, often with the city’s dramatic skyline blazing in the studio background.

Most of these shows need audiences and being part of them is a fun thing to do on your visit to New York (albeit perhaps you won’t see the they type of mayhem portrayed in 24 Rock, a comedy series about the making of a live variety show).

NYC Free shows

Tickets, which are free, are very much in demand by locals too, so you’ll need to be persistent and act quickly.

Good Morning America (ABC Network)

If you don’t mind heading to the Times Square studio at 7am, make a request for tickets well in advance via their website (www.abcnews.com). If not, arrive at the studio by 6:45am and try your luck for a standby ticket.

The View, (ABC Network)

If you are prepared to wait a year or two, you may be able to score tickets for The View, the hugely popular, all female panel discussion show led by Whoopi Goldberg. Apply now through the show’s website: http://theview.abc.go.com/

Late Show with David Letterman (CBS Network)

The holy grail of the live audience tickets, you can either register on-line or in person at the Ed Sullivan Theatre (where the show is taped) Monday through Thursday from 9:30am to noon, or on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. You’ll be called if you get lucky but its not over there; you’ll also have to answer a question about the show in order to get the tickets.

The Daily Show with John Stewart (Comedy Central)

My personal favourite for its mix of politics and irreverence, simply email requesttickets@thedailyshow.com for tickets. They are generally booked well in advance but give them a good reason why you should attend and you just may get lucky.

Celebrate St.Patrick’s Day in New York

Outside of Ireland, the best place to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17th) is New York. The city hosts the biggest and oldest (2010 will be its 249th edition) St. Patrick’s Day event in the world, with 200,000 participants and drawing two million spectators along Fifth Avenue. Unlike say, the Macy’s Day Parade, the Saint Patrick’s Day parade is endearingly old-fashioned; no cars or floats are allowed, and instead brass bands and members of various Irish

St.Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC

societies march up the avenue to the beat of traditional Irish music in a spectacle of green and gold.  Each borough also holds its own event, and the city’s hundreds of Irish bars and pub ring loud with the sounds of Celtic revelers well into the night. For the really deal, head to McSorely’s Old House at 15 E 7th Street—it’s the oldest Irish Pub in Manhattan.

For the liveliest local celebrations, don your best green clothing and head to Riverdale in the Bronx, an historically Irish neighbourhood. If you prefer to celebrate St. Patrick’s spiritual significance you could even attend mass at the beautiful neo-Gothic Saint Patrick’s cathedral. Or why not catch a performance of the Irish dance spectacular ‘Riverdance’? This worldwide hit returns to Radio City Music Hall for five days during Saint Patrick’s Day week in New York. Learn also about St Patrick’s day in Korea.

Get ready for the Tribeca Film Festival

Film buffs have a date in New York City April 1 to May 31 this year for the Tribeca Film Festival. The festival was founded in 2002 by the actor Robert de Niro, along with producer Jane Rosenthal and the well-known philanthropist Craig M. Hatkoff.  The thrust behind the project was to rejuvenate the Manhattan neighbourhood of Tribeca area post the 9/11 attacks (TriBeCa means ‘Triangle Below Canal Street).

Tribeca film festival

Eight years later, it has become one of the most important film festivals in the world. Not only does it give directors and producers a chance to show their work to a savvy New York audience, but also the calibre of the festival is such that the panels, discussions, workshops and other related events are some of the most awaited of the year. One of the

unique elements of the festival is the ‘Artists Awards’ whereby established artists donate their works as prizes to budding filmmakers. The Tribeca Film Festival has also travelled abroad; this year a mini-version was held in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

Tickets are best bought on-line at www.tribecafilm.com and can be picked for as low as US$10. If you can, try and see a show in the Tribeca Cinema, which De Niro purchased in 2003 as the flagship venue of the festival.

Join us down at the Tribeca Film Festival

After the attacks of 9-11 movie star Robert de Niro and film producer Jane Rosenthal organized a new film festival in the TriBeCa area in New York in Lower Manhattan. The Tribeca Film Festival was founded in 2002 and held in this area because of the consequent loss of vitality in this neighborhood. The aim and mission is ‘to give the international film community and the general public the possibility to experience the force of film by redefining the film festival experience’.

The festival was also established to celebrate New York City as a big filmmaking center. In 2006 and 2007 there were over 250 films and 1.000 screenings. Because of that, the Tribeca Film Festival has now become one of the leading film festivals in the world. Documentaries as well as narrative features and family-friendly films will be shown.

Furthermore, there are panel discussions with persons of the entertainment world and a music lounge which is produced with ASCAP, in order to showcase up and coming artists. A distinctive element of the Tribeca Film Festival

Tribeca movies

is the Artists Awards program where upcoming and renowned artists are celebrating filmmakers by providing original works of art that are given to the filmmakers competition winners. Some artists who have participated this program are Chuck Close, Alex Katz and Julian Schnabel.

Looking for Tribeca accommodation? There are some very good short term rental options and also with the area quite close to Little Italy, there are several excellent Italian restaurants in the area for a meal before or after the film festival.

The Mermaid Parade arrives at Coney Island

The Mermaid Parade is an annual event, held nearby the sea in Coney Island New York on the 20th of June at 2pm. This event is the nation’s largest art parade and officially, the parade was celebrated because the summer is started.. The Mermaid Parade was founded in 1983 by Coney Island USA which is a non-profit art organization. Their purpose is to defend and maintain the honor of the American culture through innovative and extraordinary performances.

During this event, people wear handmade extreme costumes. Every year there are, Neptunes, various sea creatures, the occasional wandering lighthouse, Coney Island post card or amusement ride, antique cars, marching bands and

Coney Island

drill teams. People throw fruit in the sea to calm the Sea Gods. After the parade, is the Mermaid Parade Ball, this is where participants can come together and enjoy the live music, purchase raffle tickets and watch acts performed by some of New York City’s hottest burlesque stars.

They also produced other festivals like Coney Island Circus Sideshow, Ask the Experts, Burlesque at the Beach, The Coney Island Tattoo and Motor Festival and the Creepshow at the Freakshow.

During this event, people can eat everywhere since Coney Island is the birthplace of the Hot Dog. Of course there are restaurants such as Coney Island Surf and Turf, Nathan’s Famous and Totonno Pizzeria Napolitano.

The New York International Fringe Festival

The New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) is a large multi-art festival in New York. The festival is held from the 14th of August and lasts until the 30th. This event is the largest multi-art event in North America and has more than 200 companies performing from all over the world in more than 20 venues.

NYC festivals

FringeNYC is organized by The Present Company. People can participate this festival as a volunteer, intern, donor, sponsor, advertiser or staff person. To make this event a huge success there are more than 200 shows, 1500 volunteers, 4500 artists and audience of 75.000 people needed to make it all happen. The performances are from 2pm to midnight and in the weekends from noon to midnight.

It all started in 1996 when The Present Company produced Brian Park’s Americana Absurdum. The company started with only one employee and those who hung out after our daily jobs.

It doesn’t matter if you are an alumni, a fan, a volunteer, a participant, a staff member, a writer, an actor, a NY dancer, a teen, child or senior. The New York International Fringe Festival is accessible for everybody.

The entrance price depends on the type of ticket. The prices vary from $8 to $500. The $500 ticket allows you to see all the shows. For visiting 5 shows the price is $ 70.00 and for 10 shows it is $ 120.

Celebrating the 4th of July in New York

Everybody knows this special day…the 4th of July. It is the most important patriotic day America has and the best place to celebrate this special day must be New York City. Independence day is celebrated annually and especially this day New York offers a lot of festivities and activities to do.

Everybody has a day off and nobody is staying home. On the streets it is cozy and busy everywhere. Most of the American families spend this day together with friends and family. You can see the Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest,

NYC fireworks

barbeques, baseball games, picnics, carnivals, political speeches, public events celebrating history and traditions, concerts, cruises and of course the immense Macy’s Fireworks Spectacular.

This massive fireworks is at the end of the day. You can see Macy’s Fireworks Spectacular while eating your dinner on a cruise and listening to live music. This is only one of the many activities that can be done in New York on this day. The 4th of July is, besides Christmas, the only day that is celebrated by the whole United States. If you happen to be in New York this day, just open a newspaper and you will find many activities you can do on this day. It is recommended to foreigners, to experience this national day at least one time in your life.

Celebrate St Patricks day this year in New York

St. Patrick’s Festival 2009 starts on Thursday 12th until Tuesday 17th March 2009.  The main parade will be held on Tuesday 17th March 2009 in New York City.

A most people would imagine, Saint Patrick´s Day is the best celebrated in the country where it originated from; in fact this is no longer the reality.  For many years New Yorkers has celebrated this day with allot of Pride, that it became one of the most fun celebrations to attend.

Paddy’ Dat NYC

Every year locals make time to visit the big apple for this day.  More known in New York as Green Day, the entire city is colored up in green including the Empire State building as New Yorkers festively celebrate this Irish event.
So whether you are Irish or just wish you were, New York is the place to be next March to enjoy Irish culture in a different location.