Fall leaves in NYC
Photograph: Shutterstock
Photograph: Shutterstock

Things to do on a Sunday in New York

Have fun like there’s no tomorrow with the best things to do on a Sunday in New York including events, brunch and more.

Rossilynne Skena Culgan
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There’s a reason Sunday rhymes with Funday. It’s another chance to make it a great day here in New York City!

Whether you’re planning a day trip from NYC, looking for an awesome festival, or finally have the time to see some of the best museum exhibitions in NYC, we’ve scoured all our listings to put together our favorite things to do on Sunday in NYC right here (as well as on Saturday and this weekend. And if you blew all your cash on Saturday, stick with our picks for the best free things to do in town.

RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in NYC right now

Things to do on Sunday

  • Things to do

This summer, Portugal meets NYC. 

Just in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Brooklyn's Time Out Market is collaborating with the Portugal Football Federation for a one-of-a-kind cultural celebration. Starting Saturday, June 13, the Dumbo market hall will transform into the multi-sensory activation, Portugal House. Not only will the Market turn into the ultimate fan experience for World Cup fans, but the immersive experience held on the 5th-floor rooftop will bring the region's food, drink and culture to NYC. A hub of Portugal's finest exports, the pop-up includes exclusive wine masterclasses and live cooking demonstrations, as well as interactive games and cultural events that are sure to transport you there. And for a true getaway, one lucky guest will win a trip to Portugal. 

Portugal House runs from Saturday, June 13, to July 18. Stay up-to-date on all of our happenings here

  • Things to do
  • Recommended
Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks
Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks

This might be America's 250th birthday, but it's also the 50th anniversary of the Macy's Fourth of July fireworks display. And you'd better believe it's bigger than ever before, with the usual live performances and pyrotechnics. This year, fireworks will take over the night sky above the Brooklyn Bridge, the East River near the Seaport District and the Hudson River (in collaboration with Jersey). Stake out a nice spot along the water, a rooftop or just watch it all unfold on NBC with a picnic basket and beverages to toast our country's birthday. 

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  • Things to do
  • Quirky events

What’s more American than overeating? Overeating hot dogs. For sport. The world’s best-known competitive chow-down, Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, is back at Coney Island for another Independence Day blowout. Each year, thousands gather to watch as the world's most talented gluttons prove just how many franks they can swallow (and keep down) in 10 minutes. Who will go home with the mustard belt this year? Show up and experience the excitement (and vicarious nausea) firsthand.

  • Things to do

Fleet Week gets a supersized makeover from July 3–8 as New York City hosts International Naval Review 250, part of the nation’s big 250th birthday celebration. The expanded event will bring military vessels from around the world into New York Harbor, honoring members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. Expect ship tours, demonstrations and special exhibitions across the city, offering a rare chance to step aboard working vessels and get an up-close look at maritime history in motion.

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  • Things to do

Few summer traditions are as quintessentially New York as watching a movie beneath the stars with the Manhattan skyline glowing in the background. Brooklyn Bridge Park’s beloved Movies With A View series returns for its 26th season, bringing free outdoor screenings to Pier 1’s Harbor View Lawn on Thursday nights throughout July and August, plus a special family movie night in September. This year’s lineup will be Hamilton (July 2), When Harry Met Sally (July 9), Bend It Like Beckham (July 16), The Talented Mr. Ripley (July 23), Clueless (July 30), Jurassic Park (August 6), Do the Right Thing (August 13), Bridesmaids (August 20), Public Choice Screening (August 27) and How to Train Your Dragon (September 18). Bring a blanket, arrive early and settle in for one of the city’s most scenic movie nights.

  • Things to do

Not all Declarations of Independence are written out equally, as the New York Public Library will make clear from July 1–7 when the institution displays an original manuscript copy of the founding document, handwritten by Thomas Jefferson himself, that differs radically from the one we all know—as in, this copy includes a lengthy condemnation of slavery. The rare manuscript is part of the library's larger celebration of the nation's semiquincentennial, with additional exhibits and events still to be announced.

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  • Things to do

Jazz in July returns to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, turning Thursday evenings into one of the city's most idyllic outdoor concerts. Held on July 2, 9, 16 and 23 from 6pm to 8pm, the series pairs live jazz performances with activities, artist talks and tours, making it easy to spend an entire afternoon wandering among the blooms before settling onto the lawn. This year's lineup includes Fernando García & the Lux Quintet, Gashford Guillaume & the Creole Fusion Ensemble, Itai Kriss and Telavana, and Prince Emagine & Friends. Bring a blanket, grab a drink from the pop-up bar and soak in golden-hour vibes—just leave the outside food and folding chairs at home. All performances are included with regular admission. 

  • Time Out Market
  • DUMBO

This year's Macy's 4th of July Fireworks will be one for the books. Celebrating both America's 250th and the 50th anniversary of the fireworks display, Macy's is setting off more than 85,000 shells and putting on a laser show from the Brooklyn Bridge at the same time! It'll all take place where the East River and the Hudson River meet by the Brooklyn Bridge. That's why one of the best seats in the house will be at Time Out Market New York!

To mark the occasion, our fifth-floor rooftop is throwing an epic Independence Day Celebration with specialty cocktails, access to the city's best restaurants, including Rogue PandaBark Barbecue and Fornino, an open bar (5-10pm) and jams by DJ Fatfingaz of the Heavy Hitters all night with a break at 9pm for the fireworks.

Tickets are priced at $300 (plus fees) and the event runs from 5pm to midnight. Don’t miss your chance to enjoy a front-row view of this special fireworks display paired with some of the city's finest eats and drinks. Buy yours here.

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  • Sports and fitness
  • Sports & Fitness

Want to get the Wimbledon experience without dropping major flight money? You don't have to travel across the pond to get a taste of the famous British tennis tournament: Wimbledon is coming right to Wollman Rink later this month.

From Friday, June 26 through Monday, June 29, a four-day immersive activation dubbed The Wimbledon Court in Central Park” will bring a playable, full-scale tennis court (made from the tournament’s iconic grass and maintained by Wimbledon’s expert grounds staff) right there on the rink. Headlining the sporty event is "The Wimbledon Court Invitational" on Friday at 2pm, an exhibition match that will see two pairs of tennis icons—Andre Agassi and Genie Bouchard taking on James Blake and Caroline Wozniacki—go head-to-head in a friendly doubles match. (You can apply for free tickets to the match here.)

But they're not the only one allowed to get in on the serve-and-volley fun: On Saturday and Sunday, a number of lucky attendees will get the chance to flex their own tennis skills with free slots to play on the pop-up court. (You can enter the public ballot for those slots here.)

  • Sports and fitness
  • Sports & Fitness

A free FIFA Arena soccer field has quietly opened inside Central Park, giving New Yorkers a chance to play on a dedicated World Cup-themed pitch through July 18. Installed in the parking lot near Tavern on the Green, the temporary small-sided field is open to players of all ages and skill levels, and best of all, it won't cost you a dime.

The field is open daily through July 18, with two sessions each day: 10am to 2pm and 4pm to 8pm. Most days are dedicated to open play, allowing visitors to jump into pickup games or kick a ball around with friends.

Several special events are also scheduled throughout the activation, including a Youth Skills Academy for kids ages 6 to 14 on June 20 from 10am to 2pm, a Neighborhood Cup community tournament on June 27 from 4pm to 8pm, a Soccer in Schools educator event on July 8 from 6pm to 8pm and the U.S. Soccer Girls Summit on July 11 from 10am to 2pm. The installation wraps up with a closing celebration on July 18 from 4pm to 8pm.

Free things to do this Sunday

  • Shakespeare
  • Upper West Side
As the middle show of its summer schedule, Hudson Classical Theater Company presents Shakespeare's wordy revenge tragedy, where a ghost and a prince meet and everyone ends in mincemeat. Company honcho Nicholas Martin-Smith directs; attendance is free and reservations are not required.
  • Shakespeare
  • Central Park
Boomerang Theatre Company returns—as boomerangs are wont to do!—with Shakespeare's rollicking comedy, a battle of the sexes to which the Geneva Conventions don't apply: A swaggering gold digger breaks the spirit of his headstrong bride through starvation, brainwashing and sleep deprivation. Philip Emeott directs the production, which stars Thane Madsen and Katy Castaldi as the contentious couple and is performed for free at 2pm on weekends in Central Park (enter from Central Park West at 69th St). Tickets can be reserved in advance. 
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  • Shakespeare
  • Midtown West
Who says you need huge movie stars to do Othello? Classical Theatre of Harlem's annual series of free outdoor performances in Marcus Garvey Park—sometimes known as Uptown Shakespeare in the Park—presents Shakespeare's fast-paced tragedy of jealousy, race and misplaced trust, in which a villain preys on the insecurities of a dark-skinned war hero married to a Venetian woman. Carl Cofield directs the full production, which stars James Udom, Nick Westrate, Isabel Arraiza, Orlando Grant, Keren Lugo and Hiram Delgado. Tickets are free but reservations (and donations) are suggested.
  • Shakespeare
  • Central Park
The industrious New York Classical Theatre devotes its latest summer season to the Bard's historical tragedy, in which Roman senators bloodily veto a popular general after his leadership turns toward tyranny. If you missed the Public Theater's controversial Trump-themed production in 2017, here's another chance to see the play, minus the orange Julius. Stephen Burdman directs this peripatetic staging; the cast of nine includes Oneika Phillips and Carine Montbertrand as the honorable Brutus and Cassius, Clay Storseth as the ambitious Caesar and Paul Deo Jr. as the Roman ear borrower Mark Antony. The show kicks off in Central Park (June 2–21) before moving east to Carl Schurz Park (June 23–28) and south to Battery Park (June 30–July 5). Attendance is free, but reservations are suggested and donations are welcome. 

Looking for the perfect Sunday brunch?

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