The best NYC events in August 2025

Central Park's newly renovated Delacorte Theater is set open on August 7 for Shakespeare in the Park's free performances of Twelfth Night. The renovation focused on improving accessibility and modernizing the space for artists and audiences. 

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Peter Dinklage, Lupita Nyong’o, and Sandra Oh will perform in this year's shows, which run through September 14. Tickets are free, but you'll have to wait in line; here's how to get them.

Dancing with thousands of strangers on a moonlit beach may sound like a dream, but this summer it’s a "Dreamscape." The Pines Party, New York’s largest summer queer nightlife event, is back this year with a trippy, dreamy theme. Think: surreal visuals, hypnotic beats, lapping waves and plenty of strange surprises. The massive annual Fire Island beach party is more than just a hedonistic celebration, however, it’s also a charitable event that raises millions for non-profits like The Pines Foundation, Stonewall Community Foundation and the Seashore Defense Fund.

Still, if you’re looking for an epic East Coast summertime bacchanal, this is your weekend. Tickets are available to this year’s event here which features music by The Carry Nation, David Harness, Tedd Patterson and more. Attendees can opt for either a full “weekend pass” or individual admission to the Pool Party, Beach Party, Lucid Party or Closing Party. (Just remember when deciding which events to hit up that sometimes the biggest nightmare of all is FOMO.)

Don’t bother with Orlando. Coney Island is its very own magical kingdom, setting off free, sensational fireworks every Friday night all summer long. Grab a frank and get yourself a comfortable spot on the boardwalk to celebrate the end of the work-week every week.

Friday Night Fireworks run from Friday, June 20 through Labor Day. Fireworks begin at approximately 9:45pm and launch in front of Deno's Wonderwheel Park providing a breathtaking backdrop to the iconic boardwalk and amusement parks.

The spectacular show is presented by the Alliance for Coney Island. 

A bevy of open-air night markets are popping up around town this summer, from the upper reaches of the Bronx to Queens. On the menu: Mexican-style hot dogs, tacos, empanadas, shish kebabs, Lebanese wraps, sweet crepes (including a Dubai Chocolate creation), and lots more. 

We've rounded up details on all of them, so grab some cash and make plans to eat locally—and deliciously. 

Watermark—the 10,000-square-foot bar and restaurant in the Seaport—has gone tropical for summer. Colorful umbrellas, towering palm trees, and surf-inspired decorations have taken over the outdoor terrace, making the space feel more like Saint Lucia than the Seaport. Keep an eye out for the playful presence of flamingos for a photo opp. Twinkling overhead lights will keep the party going even after the sun sets.

The menu offers a tropical twist as well with oysters, crispy coconut shrimp, lobster rolls and more. As for drinks, there's a long list of boozy beverages served pouches—like the Kiwi West, BeachSide Bourbon, and Suavemente. If margaritas are more your style, there are a bunch of options, including the "mega fishbowl." Or if shots are your thing, there's a whole list of options called "The Shot Clinic."

Make a reservation in advance here.

Smorgasburg, the food bazaar spectacular, is back with dozens of great local vendors across three locations. Smorgasburg WTC runs on Fridays; Williamsburg is on Saturdays; and Prospect Park is on Sundays. Each location is open weekly through October. 

For its 15th year of outdoor food and fun, Smorgasburg will showcase more than 70 vendors. The food festival will be filled with fragrant Ethiopian stews, Hawaii-style street comforts, explosive pani puri, potato puff poutine and lots more.

It's another summer of fun in the sun. New York City beaches are now open for swimming and sunbathing. From vintage nostalgia at Coney Island to The Bronx’s only public beach, we've got a detailed round-up of where to soak up the sun this summer—don't forget the sunscreen!

There's nothing more "summer in NYC" than taking in a movie in the great outdoors, under the hardly-seen stars and set to the humming soundtrack of the city.

New Yorkers love to take in films on the nicest rooftops, on the best beaches, and in our city's greatest parks (preferably with a drink or popcorn in hand). Luckily, NYC has no shortage of places to catch free outdoor movie screenings you can attend in the warmer months.

We certainly have our pick of options as there are dozens of public swimming pools scattered around New York’s five boroughs. Here's our comprehensive list of the squeaky clean—and totally free—swimming pools in NYC.

Perhaps you're looking for a swankier experience than your standard public pool. We get it, and NYC is on it.

Several of New York’s finest hotels offer day passes for their rooftop pools, most of which include chaises and cabanas for lounging in addition to a full-service bar. The combination of two of New York's favorite things—swimming pools and rooftop bars—creates an elevated summer oasis worth throwing down some cash for. Make sure to cross one, if not all, of these pool off your things to do in the summer bucket list.

One of the hottest events of the summer is the aptly named MoMA PS1 Warm Up, and it's back for 2025 with an impressive lineup. This party turns the museum's courtyard into a dancefloor with DJ sets and live performances on six Friday evenings in July and August.

Every year since 1998, the summer-long music festival at this Long Island City art museum explores how music can be a work of art, and this year is no exception. Think Ballroom icons, spoken word artists, dystopian Darkwave producers, and techno legends. The lineup features innovators in electronic music and celebrates new sounds from New York City and around the world. A few can't-miss names include MikeQ, John Glacier, Sarz, OK Williams, Special Request, and DJ Stingray 313.

Shop 'til you drop at FAD Market, a curated fashion, art and design pop-up marketplace, which is back for 2025. Expect to see your favorite makers plus brand new creatives to help you live smarter, gift better and support local businesses. 

FAD—which stands for Fashion, Art and Design—takes over different venues with a horde of independent vendors and creators. Admission is free and dogs are welcome!

Here's the upcoming FAD Market schedule for August: 

• August 9-10: Summer Market at Empire Stores in Dumbo
• August 16-17: Governors Island market

One of the best live music venues in the city has announced its summer concerts schedule. Here's what's coming to the Seaport's Rooftop at Pier 17 this August:

August 1 – Yacht Rock Revue
August 2 – Lost 80’s Live
August 5 – The Fray
August 13 – Cody Jinks
August 14 – Fitz and The Tantrums
August 22 – The Struts
August 23 – Andy Grammer
August 26 – Chevelle
August 28 – Voss Events Presents RuPaul’s Drag Race

You can purchase tickets here or in-person at the AXS Box Office at Pier 17.

It's nearly impossible to imagine nowadays with limp hot dogs served on Amtrak and unpalatable mystery meats offered on commercial flights, but dining on trains and in the air actually used to be delightful. A new exhibit at The New York Historical showcases the culinary excellence served aboard airplanes, trains and ocean liners in the first half of the 20th century. 

Titled "Dining in Transit," the exhibit explores how travel dining evolved—from hiring French chefs to crafting signature dishes to unveiling the deeper stories of race and gender that shaped the industry. It also features some fascinating artifacts, such as souvenir menus, promotional recipe books, employee handbooks, collectible tableware and a stewardess hat. 

One souvenir menu from United Airlines dated for Valentine's Day in 1942 is adorned with red ribbon drawings and tiny hearts. The meal included hearts of lettuce salad, a roast larded tenderloin of beef, and "Cupid's Ice Cream." 

Time Out tip: For a fun and historic treat, stop by the museum's new restaurant, Clara, for a special dessert menu inspired by the exhibit. The menu includes fresh strawberry Bavarois from a 1938 voyage on the SS Normandie, dreamed up by star Chef Alex Guarnaschelli.

Summer Streets is back for 2025—and it's bigger than ever! 

This epic annual tradition opens up miles of thoroughfares for walkers, runners, bicyclists and people-watchers of all ages. This year, it's expanded to all five boroughs! In honor of New York City's 400th anniversary, Summer Streets will feature more than 400 blocks of car-free fun, fitness and entertainment. 

Summer Streets takes place across five consecutive Saturdays from July 26 through August 23, running from 7am-3pm, rain or shine.

Forget the 14-hour flight from NYC to Tokyo, you can now discover the tastes of Japan with just a short subway ride to JAPAN Fes. The massive annual food festival just announced its 2025 dates, and the schedule is packed with events.

The organization is hosting nearly 30 outdoor events in NYC this year. What used to be just a summertime festival is now a year-round celebration across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Event organizers say it's the largest Japanese food festival in the world, attracting 300,000 visitors and featuring 1,000 vendors every year.

Here's the lineup for August: August 3 on the Upper West Side; August 9 in Greenwich Village; and August 24 in the East Village. 

Only people in the know go to these secret jazz speakeasy shows, but don't worry, we're about to let you in on the secret. These underground live jazz performances called Daddy Rabbit are the epitome of cool.

Musician extraordinaire Misha Piatigorsky launched Daddy Rabbit a few years ago, and the series has gained a well-earned following. Audiences are delighted by the immersive musical experience; you won't just be tapping your toes, you'll even be singing along with incredible performers from across the globe. It all makes for a memorable, only-in-NYC experience.

Grab a ticket here for upcoming shows at LOULOU in Chelsea. Here's the lineup:

— Friday, August 1: Daddy Rabbit featuring Rudy Royston
— Friday, August 29: Daddy Rabbit featuring Jackie Ribas 

New York City's musical love language? Free summer concerts across the city's most most incredible parks. Case in point: the annual Bryant Park Picnic Performances lineup presented by Bank of America.

This year, illustrious institutions like the New York City Opera and Carnegie Hall Citywide will put on a wide range of 25 free performances, 15 of which will be livestreamed as well (just in case you can't make it to them all). Here's the lineup for August:

— Friday, August 1: Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band
— Friday, August 8 : Dez Duron
— Friday, August 15: Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East + Gamelan Dharma Swara
— Saturday, August 16: Sxip Shirey Sound Action Ensemble, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, ABCirque, Hybrid Movement Co., Dzul Dance, Company 29 and Minty Fresh Circus
— Friday, August 22: Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
— Friday, August 29: featuring Livia Mattos from Brazil, among others
— Saturday, August 30: New York Loves Sly! Feat. Steven Bernstein

The city's most beloved free concert series is back with events across the five boroughs through October 9. Events happen just about every week of the summer including free concerts, dance performances and film screenings.

The official line-up, which is right here, includes artists T-Pain, Snail Mail, Madison Cunningham, Corinne Bailey Rae, The Metropolitan Opera, Trixie Mattel and Amanda Lepore, Counting Crows, Ghostface Killah, The Gaslight Anthem and more.

Let internet boyfriend Pedro Pascal be your guide on a tour of the universe. The famous actor is the narrator for a new space show at the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium titled Encounters in the Milky Way. 

Encounters in the Milky Way takes a 20-minute voyage through outer space with stunning visualizations of dazzling stars, constellations and planets. Stirring music complements Pascal's narration, and you'll even feel your seats move as if you could blast off to space yourself. 

Don't miss out on the return of renowned Austrian artist Gustav Klimt in a new captivating exhibit this summer, Gustav Klimt: The Immersive Experience. From July 15 until August 31, the Hall Des Lumières in Lower Manhattan will host a rare opportunity to step inside of Gustav Klimt's legendary work brought to life through music, color and intricate visuals.

The show is one-hour long, and tickets start at $29, with an opportunity to buy a family pack for $78, or reduced rates of $19 per ticket for youth, senior, veterans, or those with disabilities. Guests are welcomed daily from 11am to 5pm, except for Mondays.

"This space breathes new life into Klimt's masterpieces, surrounding visitors with history, light, and the bold spirit of artistic revolution," per Harley Hendrix, managing director of Hall des Lumières.

The Brooklyn Flea is undoubtedly one of the most popular flea markets to hit in NYC if you're looking for the best selection of throwback wares and records.

The Brooklyn Flea DUMBO is now underway on the cobblestone streets of Pearl Plaza, where it spotlights roughly more than 40 vendors that display their goods beneath the Manhattan Bridge. Brooklyn Flea also operates in Chelsea year-round on Saturdays and Sundays, 8am-5pm.  

New York’s ultimate open-air yoga studio is back. Bryant Park just announced the return of its wildly popular free yoga series, with sessions running through September 17. Now in its 22nd year, the beloved al fresco fitness tradition has grown from a few mats on the lawn to one of the city’s largest and most consistent community workout programs, often drawing more than 1,000 yogis per class. Led by over 30 of the region’s top instructors, each session offers a fresh flow, welcoming all skill levels and ages.

Classes take place twice a week: Tuesdays at 10am on the Upper Terrace and Wednesdays at 6pm on the Lawn. Registration is required (and spots go fast), so snag yours early and don't forget to BYO mat and water. Mats are not provided, and trust us, you don’t want to be the one practicing on bare concrete while your neighbor nails a headstand.

A new musical event has entered the scene: The inaugural Nomad Jazz Festival will debut from August 9 to 10, with events happening across Flatiron and Nomad. 

The highlight of the festival will take place in Madison Square Park. Expect headlining performers such as Lizz Wright, Ravi Coltrane and the Roy Hargrove Big Band, along with some dance sets, including tap performers. You'll have the opportunity to participate in interactive performances from Asase Yaa Dance Theater Ensemble. Also expect face painting and try-it stations hosted by ABCirque, inviting children to explore the magic of the circus. 

The best part: it's completely free. Just show up with a blanket or lawn chair and some snacks, then spend an hour (or whole day) listening to live music and enjoying the company of your neighbors.

Vincent van Gogh had a knack for making flowers seem to spring to life from his canvases. Now, his lilies, sunflowers, trees and more have truly come to life at New York Botanical Garden's newest exhibit. Titled "Van Gogh's Flowers," the massive exhibition transforms the garden's 250 acres into a kaleidoscopic celebration of the artist's lifelong passion for nature.

This isn’t just a flower show. The exhibition brings Van Gogh’s expressive canvases off the wall and into the wild, pairing his iconic works with contemporary interpretations and living installations. At the heart of the experience is a towering field of real and sculptural sunflowers designed by French artist Cyril Lancelin, an immersive environment where guests can wander through Van Gogh’s signature motif on a monumental scale. Other installations feature reflecting pools, sculptures and playful programming. 

See it in The Bronx through October 26, 2025.

Clear your calendar: Summer for the City is back, with Lincoln Center once again turning its Manhattan campus into the ultimate cultural playground. 

The fourth annual festival runs through August 9 this year, bringing more than 200 events to the city, nearly all of them free or pay-what-you-wish. Expect global dance parties, experimental opera, kids’ storytimes, jazz nights, pop-ups and tons more.

Bottom line? This year’s Summer for the City isn’t just a festival—it’s a citywide celebration. While most events are free or pay-what-you-wish (the suggested ticket price is $35), you do have to snag tickets in advance.

Every summer, Hudson Yards hosts a slate of free community programs that undoubtedly turns even the biggest area skeptic into a curious wanderer—and for good reason: the lineup is great.

This year, for example, Backyard at Hudson Yards presented by Wells Fargo is bringing outdoor fitness classes to the masses alongside Lululemon; hard-hitting concerts; kid-friendly activations; and even pet adoption days. Sure, the whole thing might be sponsored by a mega-bank, but your glutes won’t notice as you're getting that free workout in.

To keep track of all the programming and any changes, make sure you're checking on Hudson Yard’s website before you plan your visit.  

Rooftop Cinema Club takes movie-going to a whole new level—literally. This rooftop film series at a midtown skyscraper offers stunning views and an impressive lineup of films. 

In addition to the movie magic, the venue also offers movie snacks, a full bar and cute photo opps. Ticket prices range from $23-$29/person depending on your seating preference and movie time.

Concerts, plays, dance shows, operas: These and more can be found on Little Island all summer long, whether at its 687-seat open-air amphitheater (the Amph), its smaller performance stage (the Glade) or at pop-up locations throughout the space.

A few highlights this August include:

— The Tune Up, July 30–August 3 ($25): Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks debuts an evening of new work
— The Lights, August 2–3 (free): A world premiere choral song cycle setting of poetry by Ben Lerner, in his first collaboration with composer Matthew Aucoin
— Arthur Russell: The Platform on the Ocean, August 10 (free):
Six-hour marathon of free music and performance throughout the park with special performers
— Seven Scenes: August 22–28 ($25): A world premiere dance and music collaboration between Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber and Ringdown

Many of the shows are free, and those that aren't cost just $25; to buy tickets to them, visit Little Island's ticketing page on TodayTix.  

Grab your paddles, pickleball fans, because the popular sport is back in Central Park all summer long. CityPickle is now open at the park's Wollman Rink through the early fall. 

This is the third season for pickleball on 14 courts in the center of Manhattan—the largest pickleball offering in the Northeast. This tennis/ping-pong/badminton hybrid has become the country's fastest-growing sport, with more than 130,000 New Yorkers flocking to Wollman Rink's courts in past years. All skill levels are welcome for court rentals, clinics, open play, and private events from 8am to 9pm daily. Plus, expect summer camps, events, and special free programming. 

It was touch and go there for a second whether NYC concertgoers would get yet another season of outdoor shows at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, but once the bureaucracy of it all calmed down, we were happily left with the return of one of New York's best al fresco concert venues as well as a killer lineup of musical acts for the season. 

Here's the lineup for August:

— Friday, August 1: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s
— Saturday, August 2: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s
— Friday, August 8: Mumford & Sons with Lucius
— Saturday, August 9: Mumford & Sons with Lucius
— Wednesday, August 13: The Black Keys with Gary Clark Jr.

Anybody who has taken a high school English class is likely familiar with the name Jane Austen, but that wasn't the case when Austen was alive. Instead, she published her works—even the famed Pride and Prejudice—anonymously. It wasn't until after her death in 1817 that Austen's name became famous as one of the great English novelists. 

That interesting legacy, as well as much more Austen lore, is part of a new exhibition at The Morgan Library & Museum titled "A Lively Mind: Jane Austen at 250." It features first-edition copies of her novels, corresponding artworks, personal letters, historical documents and artifacts from Jane Austen's House in Chawton, England. This major exhibition celebrating Austen's 250th birthday is now open through September 14, 2025.

Head to the iconic Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park for an evening of free classical music. This free concert series has been providing New Yorkers with classical music for the last 120 years, making it the oldest continuously free outdoor concert series in the world. 

On Tuesday, Aug. 5, ECCO: East Coast Chamber Orchestra will perform pieces by George Gershwin, David Ludwig and more.  Shows begin at 7:30pm, but seating is first-come, first-served, so get there early. 

Hitting a Yankees game couldn’t be more quintessentially New York. The Major League Baseball team, which won the World Series in 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009, made it to the World Series again in 2024! To date, the Yankees have won 27 World Series in 42 appearances, the most in the MLB in addition to major North American professional sports leagues. Through 2024, their all-time regular season winning percentage is .569 (a 10,778 – 8,148 record)—the best of any team in MLB history.

Grab your tickets now to see NYC in action.

Uh, how did we get here? If you've ever pondered that question, this immersive VR journey called Life Chronicles is worth your time. The experience will take you on a journey through Earth's history, from the origins of life 3.5 billion years ago to the rise of humans.

During the adventure, get up close to iconic creatures like the Tyrannosaurus, Cambrian marine life, Cretaceous dinosaurs—and even early humans. As the story unfolds, you'll witness evolutionary milestones of each great geological period. 

The show isn't just fun, it's also scientifically accurate. Life Chronicles was creatd by Excurio in collaboration with experts from the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle of Paris, so you know you can believe what you see. It's virtual reality—and actual reality, too. See it at Eclipso, located at 555 West 57th Street.  

Peanuts, the beloved comic strip from the mind of Charles M. Schultz, turns the big 7-5 this year and to celebrate, The Pit is hosting a monthly storytelling event for the adult admirer who appreciates the wit and wisdom of the strip's 1960s golden era.

On Sundays (July 27, August 24 and September 14) beginning at 8:30pm, attendees will have five minutes to tell a personal story related to a preselected strip or series of strips—think relatable, grief-filled stuff like losing a baseball game, having your kite being eaten by a tree or getting a rock in your trick-or-treat bag.

The first flat track roller derby league in the metropolitan New York area, Gotham Roller Derby is celebrating its 21st year with a season of hard-hitting games featuring the league's four home teams: the Manhattan Mayhem, the Queens of Pain, the Brooklyn Bombshells and the Bronx Gridlock. On one Saturday night each month (August 16, September 20 and October 4), you can head to the Lefrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park for back-to-back match-ups of rockin,' rollin' fun courtesy of some of NYC's best up-and-coming derby talent. ️

Gotham Roller Derby, New York City's only skater-operated roller derby league for cisgender, transgender and intersex women and gender non-conforming participants.

Amid the Hollywood Red Scare nearly eight decades ago, Paul V. McNutt offered these words that still ring true today: “It does not require a law to cripple the right of free speech. Intimidation and coercion will do it.”

McNutt, who was serving as lead counsel for the Motion Picture Alliance, went on to explain that the film industry cannot be a free medium if it’s called “un-American” any time it introduces a new idea or produces a film critical of the status quo. His words, which encapsulate the Hollywood Blacklist era, are now part of a new exhibit at The New York Historical titled “Blacklisted: An American Story.” It’s on view at the Upper West Side museum through October 19, 2025; it's included with general admission ($24/adult).

The U.S. Open—New York’s exhilarating summer sports event—is one of the most exciting things to do in Queens each year, and it's coming back soon. Let the games begin!

The U.S. Open runs from August 18-September 7, beginning with qualifying matches, then moving onto mixed doubles, quad wheelchair matches, and men's and women's singles. The main draw runs from August 24–September 7. 

Qualifying matches will be held August 18–23. This is during Fan Week, which occurs just before the main draw. Fan Week is free to attend, though you will need a paid ticket to get into certain experiences. Activities include player practices, on-court activities, and other activations across the grounds, all anchored by the US Open Qualifying Tournament.

Here's the full schedule of events.

From old New York throwbacks to party destinations and seaside terraces practically fashioned for Instagram, these rooftop bars offer booze, some kind of view and an invitation for you to get high.