Things to do on a Sunday in New York

Starting this Sunday, March 29, The Met is going all in Raphael, in what will be the first comprehensive exhibition of the great master in the U.S. “Raphael: Sublime Poetry” will be on view through June 28, pulling more than 170 of the Renaissance star’s works from museums and collections around the world. The show follows the artist’s entire career, from early days in Urbino (where he was born in 1483 to a painter-poet father) to his rise in Florence, where his peers were Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, and finally to his years in Rome as the go-to artist for the papal court.

There are heavyweights—like “The Alba Madonna,” which is on loan from the National Gallery of Art, and the Louvre’s “Portrait of Baldassarre Castiglione,” considered one of the finest portraits of the High Renaissance—but the exhibition also sheds light on Raphael’s processes. Finished works are shown alongside preparatory drawings, sketches and studies, giving a glimpse into his obsessive dedication to composition, anatomy and emotion.

Spring is finally here, and Coney Island is ready to shake off the winter blues this weekend as Luna Park opens its gates for the 2026 season. The seaside institution will reopen this Saturday, March 28 at 11am, kicking things off with a two-day celebration featuring rides, games, treats and more.

On Sunday, March 29, the spotlight shifts to the legendary Coney Island Cyclone for its annual egg cream christening ceremony, a quirky, very New York tradition that marks the official start of the season. This year, the Cyclone turns 99, so the ceremony marks the beginning of the countdown to its centennial in 2027. To celebrate, the first 99 riders on Sunday will score a free spin on the iconic coaster and a classic egg cream (while supplies last).

Discounted Luna Boardwalk passes will be available on-site all weekend, with a portion of proceeds going to local charitable groups like the Coney Island Sharks, Children of Promise and the Coney Island Public Library.

Does your ideal night out involve dinner and a little spectacle? Clear your calendar for March 27: Sushi by Bou is debuting “Tuna Spectacle,” a one-night-only event that turns the usual quiet omakase counter into something far more high-energy. From 9pm to 11pm at its East Village location, guests will gather around as a team of chefs breaks down an entire 200-pound, premium bluefin tuna in real time.

As the fish is carved—a process that involves incredible precision—guests will also be served a steady flow of freshly prepared nigiri made from the very tuna being sliced moments earlier. The experience includes a welcome sake toast, with additional drinks available to keep the night moving.

New York’s outdoor food festival season is about to get a delicious jumpstart. JAPAN Fes, one of the city’s most beloved street food events, is returning this month to celebrate a major milestone: its 10th anniversary in New York City.

The festival officially launches its 2026 season on March 28 at Astor Place in the East Village, bringing dozens of Japanese food vendors to the streets for a full day of snacking, sipping and exploring. If you miss that first event, another festival will follow the very next day on March 29 on 40th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Midtown.

If you’ve never been, imagine a block party devoted entirely to Japanese street food. Vendors serve everything from teriyaki chicken skewers and crispy karaage to onigiri, ramen, takoyaki and yakisoba. Sweet treats like matcha shaved ice and bubble tea also make frequent appearances, along with Japanese snacks, crafts and cultural booths.

The Midtown Cultural Alliance is hosting its second cross-organizational Open House from Thursday, March 26 through Sunday, April 5, bringing together the Japan Society, the Korea Society, Korean Cultural Center New York, L'Alliance New York and Scandinavia House. All five partner organizations will host a wide range of both free and paid programming intended to invite visitors to explore the Midtown neighborhood, with events ranging from gallery shows and film screenings to language courses and kids' activities. Check out the full lineup of 2026 offerings here.

Taking place on March 28 (from 11am to 7pm) and 29 (from 10am to 7pm), a free Hannah Montana pop-up will land in Greenwich Village, inviting fans to step inside a real-life version of the pop star’s famously fabulous glam closet. The two-day experience arrives as part of celebrations marking the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special, which premieres on March 24 on Disney+ and Hulu.

The activation was created in partnership with Maybelline New York and Disney and recreates one of the most memorable spaces from the beloved series. Inspired by the closet where Miley Stewart famously transformed into her blonde-wigged pop alter ego, the immersive setup turns that TV moment into a walk-through experience.

Inside, visitors will find interactive Maybelline beauty stations where they can try out stage-ready makeup looks inspired by Hannah’s signature pop-star style. Once the glam is complete, guests can strike a pose at a Polaroid photo station designed to capture their inner Hannah Montana moment.

The pop-up is free to attend and open to the public, with no RSVP required. Entry will be first-come, first-served, so fans eager to relive their Disney Channel era may want to arrive early.

A Tokyo-style convenience store is popping up on the Lower East Side—but don’t expect it to stay quiet for long. On March 27, Japanese canned cocktail brand -196 Vodka Seltzer (pronounced “Minus One Nine Six”) is transforming a Bowery address into a neon-drenched tribute to Tokyo nightlife with a one-night-only immersive experience called the Konbini Backroom.

Guests will begin their night in a meticulously designed konbini, the Japanese term for convenience store, stocked with some of Japan’s most iconic grab-and-go snacks alongside refrigerators filled with cans of -196’s fruit-forward vodka seltzers. But the real surprise is hidden behind a secret door. Step through it and the quiet store transforms into a neon-lit nightclub inspired by Tokyo’s late-night party scene. The hidden backroom is designed to evoke the feeling of stumbling into an underground dance floor after what started as a simple snack run, a transition that feels perfectly at home in the nightlife-heavy streets of the Lower East Side.

Providing the soundtrack for the night is viral pop star turned DJ Rebecca Black. Fresh off major festival stages, a sold-out tour and her Boiler Room debut, Black will spin a high-energy set of remixes aimed squarely at the dance floor. The drinks will revolve around -196’s signature vodka seltzers, available in Lemon, Strawberry, Peach and Grapefruit. 

The Konbini Backroom pop-up takes place March 27 from 7 to 11pm at 169 Bowery. Entry is limited to guests 21 and over with a valid ID.

The Easter fun lasts all week during the East Midtown Easter Egg Hunt. From Saturday, March 28 to Saturday, April 4, kids under 12 can visit businesses throughout the East Midtown area to hunt for Easter eggs. 

How it works: Each participating business will have candy-stuffed eggs hidden at their location beginning Saturday, March 28, for kids to look for on a first-come, first-served basis. Each location will also have one golden egg hidden, which is redeemable for an extra special prize for the hunter and their parents. To make sure kids all over the city have the chance to participate all week long, children are kindly asked to hunt one egg per location.

The event is hosted for the fourth year by the East Midtown Partnership, a business improvement district. Here's the full list of participating businesses.

If you’ve ever wished you could crawl inside a Betsey Johnson store circa its heyday, your moment has arrived. From March 27-29, the designer is taking over Shopify’s SoHo space and turning it into “Betsey World,” a fully immersive glitter bomb pop-up.

Set at 131 Greene Street, the experience is designed as a series of themed environments pulled from Johnson’s decades-long creative universe. There will be an art gallery filled with original works, a bedroom and locker room that channel her personal history and a full-blown maximalist floral dreamscape. Rather than just recreating past stores, the new pop-up is a surreal mix that leans nostalgic, but with a slightly trippier edge.

A curated capsule of apparel, handbags, shoes and jewelry—each inspired by Johnson’s own artwork—will be available for purchase on-site, alongside select original pieces for collectors. The idea is that you’re not just browsing racks; you’re also taking home part of the world you just wandered through.

This giddy, wonderfully optimistic intergalactic epic teams Ryan Gosling up with a friendly extraterrestrial rock creature to save the galaxy from a catastrophic solar event. It’s proof, if it was even needed, that it’s impossible not to love the Hollywood star – even if you have a heart of stone. 

With a near-irresistible combination of Steve McQueen charisma and Droopy Dog reluctance, Gosling brings charm and physical comedy chops as scientist-turned-teacher-turned-reluctant astronaut Ryland Grace, who wakes from hypersleep to find that his crew mates are dead and he’s several lightyears into a one-way mission to save the dying sun. He’ll start to tackle the task as soon as he figures out how to float through the ship without braining himself on a console. 

Enter that mysterious rock-shaped alien, ‘Rocky’, who docks alongside Ryland’s ship and makes first contact. The pair are soon finding a way to communicate, pooling their skills and knowledge in common purpose. It’s the bromance of the year, with practical effects and puppeteering giving the most loveable alien this side of E.T. a sense of tactility.

In cinemas worldwide Fri Mar 20.