Looking for things to do this week in NYC, or even today? Scroll no further, we’ve found perfectly selected events and happenings that you should check out! From brand new museum exhibitions to the best spring activities, there’s so much to do! Here’s Secret NYC’s picks for the best things to do in NYC before the weekend rolls around:
1. Governors Ball
NYC’s biggest music festival kicks off this week, starting Friday June 7 in Queens! Governors Ball is back again this year hosting headliners Post Malone, The Killers, and SZA alongside so many more incredible artists this weekend. Plus, there’s plenty of amazing food and drink vendors, brand activations, and surprises waiting to happen. Learn everything you need to know before going to this weekend’s festival here!
2. Tribeca Festival
Tribeca Festival, the ultimate film and experience festival, is kicking this week for its 2024 iteration starting this Wednesday, June 5. Theaters and venues across NYC will host all sorts of film debuts, from blockbusters directed by celebrities to smaller indie films. Alongside that, expect plenty of panels (with Andy Cohen, Robert de Niro + more), live podcasts, game debuts, immersive experiences, and more. Learn more about this week’s kickoff here!
3. Films on the Green Festival
Beloved French film festival Films on the Green is kicking off this week with a screening of Sink or Swim by Gilles Lellouche in Central Park. The film follows a group of middle-aged men who meet and conquer synchronized swimming as a form of coping with mid life crises. The screening is a part of Olympics-themed films leading up to this summer’s games in Paris. The movie begins at sunset and is free and open to the public! Learn more here.
Where: Central Park – Cedar Hill
4. Bryant Park Picnic Performances
One of our favorite summertime outdoor concert series continues this week in Bryant Park on Thursday and Friday! Two contemporary dance performances headline this week, including Naomi Funaki + Jared Alexander feat. Ayodele Casel, Sidra Bell Dance New York, and It’s Showtime NYC on Thursday, and David Dorfman, Soles of Duende, and Joffrey Concert Group on Friday. They start at 7 pm on the lawn and it’s completely free! Learn more and see the whole summer’s Picnic Performances lineup here.
5. Kayaking at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Now in full swing, Brooklyn Bridge Park is hosting their annual free kayaking program, which grants access to boats all summer long! No matter your skill, you’ll be able to partake in a free 20 minute kayak session around NYC waters. Sessions this week will happen on Wednesday and Thursday from 5 – 7 pm. Learn more about it and RSVP here!
6. GO PUBLIC! (Shakespeare in the Park)
Although Shakespeare in the Park is on temporary pause at the Delacorte Theater this year due to renovations, the show must go on and the season kicks off this week! This year, the Public Theater will be in charge of managing The Mobile Unit’s bilingual musical adaptation of “The Comedy of Errors,” which will tour around various NYC venues this summer. See below where you can watch this week:
- June 4: Wolfe’s Pond at 420 Cornelia Ave (Staten Island)
- June 5: J. Hood Wright Park at 351 Fort Washington Ave (Manhattan)
- June 6: Hudson Yards at Public Square & Gardens (Manhattan)
Learn more about the performance and how to grab tickets here!
7. Brooklyn Film Festival
The Brooklyn Film Festival continues its 10-day run of competition for independent films this week! The festival will have debuted 138 features and shorts from 35 countries over the course of its stay. You’ll be able to watch screenings at the festivals main venue, Windmill Studios in Greenpoint, as well as additional screenings at Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg and online. See the full list of films debuting and grab tickets here!
8. GO PUBLIC! (Shakespeare in the Park)
Although Shakespeare in the Park is on temporary pause at the Delacorte Theater this year due to renovations, the show must go on and the is happening this week! This year, the Public Theater will be in charge of managing The Mobile Unit’s bilingual musical adaptation of “The Comedy of Errors,” which will tour around various NYC venues this summer. Learn more about the performance and how to grab tickets here!
9. Wonderland: Curious Nature
The New York Botanical Garden just unveiled a brand new, enchanting exhibition, Wonderland: Curious Nature, which is based off the popular fairytale of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The one-of-a-kind botanical experience lets you get up close and personal with settings, sights, and scents inspired by the classic tale and its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There.
We’re talking magnificent flower displays, contemporary art installations, fantastical tea parties and a whole lot more. It’s officially open now, and you can learn more about the exhibit here!
10. Banksy Museum
New York City officially has a brand new Banksy-inspired museum! The Banksy Museum has opened up on Canal Street and features over 160 Banksy-inspired works created by a number of other anonymous street artists…including the likes of “Girl with Balloon” and “Flower Thrower.” It’s 15,000 square feet of greatness, and a must-visit for any fan of the artist.
🎈 Grab tickets to The Banksy Museum here!
11. Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry
Stop by the American Museum of Natural History this week, who just unveiled a new exhibition last Friday showcasing stunning jewelry pieces that trace the history of hip-hop from the 1980s to today. It celebrates hip-hop’s cultural influence through stunning jewelry, boasting some of the most impressive chains and accessories you’ve ever seen…like Nicki Minaj’s sparkling ‘Barbie’ pendant, and pieces from Erykah Badu, A$AP Rocky, Joey Bada$$, FERG, and Tyler, the Creator, among others. It’s open now and you can learn more about it here.
12. Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion
The Met Gala is now behind us, but that now means The Met’s exhibit in which the night’s theme was centered around, Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, is open to the public! The Costume Institute’s spring 2024 exhibition features approximately 220 garments and accessories spanning four centuries, and taps into themes of nature. What makes it incredible is the exhibit invokes sensory elements, allowing you to hear, touch, and smell it too. Learn more about the exhibit here!
13. The Roof Garden Commission: Petrit Halilaj
The Metropolitan Museum of Art officially have unveiled their newest rooftop exhibition for 2024, and this year’s commission is courtesy of Kosovar artist Petrit Halilaj. His exhibition, Arbetare, is inspired by inspired by childhood doodles and other upbringing memories from the traumatic environmental conflicts in the ’90s in his region. Learn more about the exhibition here!
14. Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm
Stop by the Brooklyn Museum to check out a brand new photography exhibition straight from the camera of The Beatles star Paul McCartney! The collection showcases 250+ photos from his traveling Pentax camera, portraying an inside look at the frenzy of Beatlemania in 1963–64. From chronicles on their buzzing US tour to never-before-seen images of the bandmates, this personal exhibit is not to be missed by Beatles fans! Learn more about the exhibit and plan your visit here!
15. BLOOMTANICA
A first-of-its-kind floral exhibition by celebrity floral artist Jeff Leatham just opened in the Meatpacking District titled BLOOMTANICA! This immersive oasis invites guests to embark on a journey through a surreal world of floral reflections and digital immersions that highlight the harmony and balance between nature and technology.
Inspired by the lush atmosphere of traditional Korean gardens and Leatham’s signature design aesthetic, you’ll be able to get up close and personal with multi-dimensional, sensory flowers that are absolutely beautiful. It’s happening at Genesis House on the west side through June 9!
Where: 40A 10th Ave
16. Outdoor street fairs
Get your walking shoes on because NYC’s summer street fairs are officially open for business! This week alone we have plenty of choose from, like the 52nd St Fair and Hester Street Fair, but you can see the whole list of places to shop outdoors this week here!
17. Pickleball at Wollman Rink
CityPickle’s pickleball courts are officially back in Central Park this year, after a smashing debut last summer! Wollman Rink has transformed into 14 pickleball courts, where players can come put their skills to the test! Court hours run from 8 am to 9 pm, with prices of $10 per player during off-peak times and $12.50 per player during peak hours. Learn more about CityPickle’s return and reserve your spot here!
18. “The Insect World” at IMAGINARI
IMAGINARI, an immersive gallery experience in Hudson Square just opened a brand new exhibit called “The Insect World”, and we suggest checking it out this week! This larger-than-life experience allows visitors to get up close and personal with bugs, with features like towering 6-foot bees and flowers, a magnificent 12-foot cherry blossom tree adorned with over 200 monarch butterflies, a metamorphosis milkweed garden teeming with caterpillars, and 6-foot tall clouds surrounded by giant morpho butterflies.
Plus there will be tons of interactive programs like beekeeping, floral design workshops, and more! Learn more about the exhibit here!
19. The Great Gatsby on Broadway
Get ready to follow the green light…because one of Broadway’s most anticipated productions, The Great Gatsby, is now on Broadway! Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada star in the stage adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless novel at Broadway Theatre.
The Secret NYC staff got a sneak preview of the show a few weeks ago and we can confidently say it’s one of the best Broadway shows we’ve ever seen. The acting, the music, the stage design…chef’s kiss. Learn more about the show and grab tickets here.
20. Whitney Biennial: Even Better Than the Real Thing
The Whitney Museum of American Art’s annual Whitney Biennial is officially up and running! The longest-running survey of contemporary art in the country features 71 artists and collectives, displaying different works and exhibits themed on today’s most important issues. This year’s rendition, Even Better Than the Real Thing dives deep into how the world of AI is affecting society. Learn more about the Whitney Biennial 2024 here.
21. Apollo: When We Went to the Moon
The Intrepid Museum recently opened a brand new astronomical exhibit exploring the history of the Apollo program and setting the stage for NASA’s current Moon to Mars campaign. Apollo: When We Went to the Moon shows off rare media, photographs, and rarely-seen artifacts from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center® archives, and tells the tale of what it took to beat the Soviet Union and be the first on the moon. Learn more about this enthralling new exhibit here!
22. The Masked Singer: Behind the Mask! Spotlighting the Costumes That Captivated America
The Paley Center just debuted their latest blockbuster exhibit, which showcases the stunning costumes from FOX’s hit show, The Masked Singer. Open now, you’re able to get up close and personal with fan favorites like fan-favorites Miss Monster, Flamingo, Chameleon and Gazelle. Plus, there are also video highlights from the show, artifacts, photography, and family arts & crafts. Learn more about the exhibit here.
23. Smorgasburg
Our favorite open-air food market is officially back open for the 2024 season, and they’ll be popping up all weekend long, starting Friday in the Financial District! You’ll be able to stop by the row of vendors selling mouthwatering food from 11 am – 6 pm at The Oculus, near Fulton St and Church St. Plus, during the weekend their Saturday location in Williamsburg and Sunday location in Prospect Park will be open too. Learn more here.
24. Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys
A brand new exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum opened, and it’s straight from the collection of music icons Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys! Giants is a collection of works straight from the pair’s personal vault, which highlights works by Black diasporic artists including Gordon Parks, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and many more! Learn more about Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys here.
25. The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism
This brand new exhibit just opened up at The Met over the weekend, and it pays homage to the influential Harlem Renaissance era of 1920s-40s NYC. It features over 160 works highlighting the booming rise of Harlem as many African Americans fled from the segregated South during the Great Migration. Featured artists include Charles Alston, Aaron Douglas, Meta Warrick Fuller, and more. Learn more about the exhibit here.
26. Amateur Night at The Apollo
Legendary Harlem venue The Apollo Theater is hosting their 90th anniversary of the theater’s signature program, Amateur Night at The Apollo on Wednesday! The show will feature a dynamic new group of artists who will battle it out in one of NYC’s most famous talent shows for a $20,o00 grand prize. Over the years the event series has launched the careers of stars like Ella Fitzgerald, Lauryn Hill, and H.E.R (just to name a few), so you don’t want to miss it! Learn more about Amateur Night at The Apollo and grab tickets here.
27. Four Seasons of Central Park
A brand new NYC-themed exhibit just opened up at the Museum of the City of New York called Four Seasons of Central Park, which you should check out this week. They’re 4 watercolor masterpieces of the iconic Central Park, crafted by New York artist Frederick Brosen. Capturing the landmark across summer, fall, winter, and spring, these paintings “capture a year in some of the most historic places in this verdant urban masterpiece.” Learn more about the exhibit here.
28. Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature
The Morgan Library & Museum recently welcomed a new exhibition showcasing the works 0f famed children’s author and illustrator Beatrix Potter! Take a trip down memory lane and get up close and personal with old friends like Peter Rabbit, Mr. Jeremy Fisher, and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle…or step inside a recreation of her home where you can hang out with a book and read for a while. It’s on show through June 9. Learn more about the exhibit here.
29. Broadway Shows
The theater is always alive during the week, with nearly every Broadway show offering weekday performances. From Aladdin to The Book of Mormon, there’s many options to choose from. Check out every show that’s playing on Broadway this week here.
30. Brunch in NYC
Start off your New York City morning with a tasty martini, scrumptious stack of pancakes, and avocado toast! Brunch in NYC is now a food and drink staple in the city, and there are so many great places to try out. Grab a late morning/early afternoon reservation at one of these NYC brunch spots!
31. Night clubs in NYC
Looking for somewhere to dance out on the town this week? From Manhattan dancefloors to under-the-radar Brooklyn clubs, there’s so many spots for nightlife in NYC. Check out our favorite places to dance in New York City right now here.
32. Best restaurants in NYC
Treat yourself to a lovely midweek dinner at one of NYC’s most tastiest restaurants! From pasta and Italian to the finest sushi around, there’s so many great dining spots to be discovered! Check out the best restaurants in NYC right now here.