The best NYC events in August 2022

The much-anticipated Jackie Robinson Museum is finally open! The 19,380-square-foot space was designed by architecture firm Gensler and features a permanent exhibition space, a classroom and rotating galleries that play host to 40,000 historical images and over 4,000 artifacts that celebrate the late Robinson, who was the first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era. Among the many items on display will be the Presidential Medal of Freedom that Robinson received posthumously in 1984, his United States Army uniform and an original Baseball Hall of Fame plaque. Expect a gift shop and educational programming for all ages to round out your trip to the new museum.

The Museum of Modern Art’s UNIQLO NYC Night, which offers free admission to NYC residents after hours, will take place on Friday, August 5, from 4 to 8pm. On these first Fridays, all visitors will have extended-hours access to enjoy MoMA’s must-see dynamic collection and temporary exhibitions, while the second-floor café and Museum store also remain open late. For first Fridays during the summer months, enjoy music by DJs from The Lot Radio along with beer, cocktails, and more at a pop-up bar (with free drink tickets for members). Free tickets for New Yorkers must be reserved in advance, will be released on MoMA’s website one week in advance of each UNIQLO NYC Night and are subject to proof of residency. Same-day film tickets for screenings after 4pm on first Fridays are also free for New Yorkers and will be available on-site.

Theater for the New City is back with its Dream Up Festival, which is dedicated to the joy of discovering new authors and edgy, innovative performances. Across nearly a month, you can catch some of 23 plays, 21 of which are world premieres and two of which are American premieres for between $12 and $20.

Enjoy a day-long celebration of Pan-African artistry, intellectuality, and musicality on Saturday, August 13, from the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI), in partnership with the Friends of Harlem Art Park
Alliance (FAPA). From 11:30am to 7pm, at the Harlem Art Park and throughout E 120th Street between Lexington and Third Avenues, artists will perform such as Eddie Montalvo y Su Orquesta, Batalá New York, Legacy Women, BombaYo, Rasin Okan, Sidiki Conde and the Tokounou Dance Company. There will also be live DJ sets by Madame Vacile and DJ Mickey Perez while the smell of comfort food from the SoulFull Food Plaza will entice attendees to enjoy the savory, sweet and spicy flavors of a wide variety of Diasporic dishes. Best of all, it’s free for everyone.

Take the elevator up to Serafina in the Sky for the ultimate Creole Food Festival with top-notch chefs, music, performances, and incredible food. On August 6 and 7, you’ll meet rising star chefs and beverage connoisseurs and enjoy signature NYCCFF drinks, dishes, and much more. Tickets start at $35.

Hard seltzer fans (or at least those who like to admit it) can sample from over 100 unique hard seltzers at Pier 36 on Saturday, August 6, at Seltzerland! Mike’s Hard Lemonade Seltzer, Vizzy, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, BuzzBallz, the nationally acclaimed Happy Dad and REFRSHR, the newest release from White Claw, will all be there. Of course, there will be entertainment for bubbly folks, including seltzer pong, lemonade ladder golf, cornhole and a bubble blow-up photo booth and White Claw lifeguard stand set to music from a DJ. There will be tons of swag and pizza from Zazzy’s and from the local Meatoss food truck. A portion of proceeds from all Seltzerland events are donated to Forage Forward, a national organization dedicated to supporting local and national non-profit organizations, with a specific focus on social justice, food banks, food sustainability and food education. Tickets begin at $39 and there are three sessions to pick from.

Hekate, a new “sober bar” at 167 Avenue B between 10th and 11th Streets in the East Village, is marketed as a “bar for sober people,” Hekate is the brainchild of one Abby Ehmann, who also owns “traditional” bar Lucky right across the street. Examples of mocktails include the AF Pina Colada, made with Ritual’s spiced rum, pineapple juice and coconut milk, and the aptly named The Healer, prepared with Apothekary’s Blue Me Away, lemonade, seltzer and lavender simple syrup. Non-alcoholic beers, champagnes and a variety of liquor-free spirits round out the menu.

The Opera Next Store, an opera company created in the summer of 2020, is bringing live performance back to New York with a Summer Stoop Concert Series, free for all to enjoy. To enjoy the performance, neighbors bring blankets and chairs, plus picnics if they desire, filling the public space with an attentive audience eager to listen to the free music. Those who want to contribute financially can all share donations, which help make future performances possible. 

NYC Cycleboats is back in New York Harbor this summer with the only boat you can drink and cycle on in the city’s waters. You and your crew can sign up (individually starting at $39 or $649 for the whole boat) for a 90-minute, boozed-up jaunt across the water. It’s completely BYOB so you can enjoy the beer, wine or hard seltzer of your choice (there’s ice, water coolers and cup holders on board) and take a seat on your respective pedal stations. You move your legs like you would on a bike and with your collective power, you help move the boat.

The U.S. Open—New York’s exhilarating summer sports event—is one of the most exciting things to do in Queens. It returns August 29 with all of the exciting festivities!

Lovers of ethnic foods, rejoice: New York's renowned Queens Night Market is back, running every Saturday through October 30. As usual, vendors of all sorts will take over Flushing Meadows Corona Park, serving everything from Indian tandoori kebabs to Bengali fuska, Hong Kongese soy sauce noodles and Puerto Rican papas rellenos. There will still be a $5-$6 price cap on food orders, to make sure you get to eat all that's available without breaking your wallet, plus beer and wine on offer for purchase. In terms of music, you can expect live gigs to capture your attention as well. 

A 6-foot platform functions as a stage for 11 different interactive art exhibits that run the gamut in terms of genre. Expect dance performances, music-related shows, painting installations, poetry sessions and much more to make use of the platform as a home base through September 10 from 1pm through 8pm. You can a calendar of performances right here, including the upcoming show "A Day in Dumbo," led by artist MingLiang Lu. Throughout his time on stage, Lu will ask spectators to volunteer as models for 3D paper portrait cuttings.

New York City Restaurant Week is July 18-August 21 this summer and price tiers are $30, $45 and $60. You can see the full list of NYC Restaurant Week participants right here on July 6.

Portside, Brookfield Place's second seasonal waterfront pop-up, is officially open for business now through September and its on-site schedule of activities and programs looks incredibly fun. From 9am through 9pm daily, the free and open-to-the-public outpost will look like a nautical-inspired oasis complete with beautiful views of the New York Harbor. You'll basically feel like you're away from the hustle-and-bustle of the city without having to board a plane or ride a train. You can also sip on champagne while learning how to shuck oysters from professionals that belong to Red Oyster USA, enjoy an outdoor dance party, create a monogrammed beach tote that you'll likely use for the rest of the summer and partake in a seashell crafts hour. Outdoor seatings for groups of any size plus food and beverage options from Tartinery round out the awesome experience.

There's a new spot in NYC to take in the gorgeous summer sunsets—it's on Governors Island. Through October 31, the island's historic Soissons Landing and its bars and restaurants will be open late every night of the week. Previously, the last ferry off the island typically left before the sun set. The area will be open until 10pm Sunday through Thursday, and until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays so that visitors can enjoy delicious food and drink from Island Oyster, Taco Vista and Gitano Island, and stay later at QC NY Spa.

There's more than one kind of New York City music festival. The first events that come to mind might be the big-tent fests like Governors Ball, but just as important are staple series like CityParks SummerStage and BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!, which keep crowds coming out to our beloved green spaces all season long. Overwhelmed by all the choices? Check out our hand-picked this guide to the very best summer music festivals hitting town this year. 

Poster House is hosting its first-ever block party on August 6 from noon–5pm in the Flatiron Plaza for a fun-filled day of free activities, performances, giveaways, and more! Attendees also get free admission to Poster House all day. Enjoy live screenprinting with gig poster legend Mike King, wheatpasting your very own poster, inserting yourself into our custom photo booth, live dance and musical performances, and much more.

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 outdoor movie screenings you can attend in the warmer months.

The DiscOasis is a new roller disco in the middle of Central Park from Nile Rodgers, who has curated its playlist. There will be a variety of programs and theatrical performances with live DJs and special guests throughout the experience's run. There are open skate sessions during the day and food and beverage offerings all around the area. 

Swingers NoMad, a "crazy mini-golf course" and entertainment complex straight from London, boasts three nine-hole golf courses across 23,000 square feet under 20-foot-high ceilings. "Crazy golf" is a British spin on mini-golf, but it's for a 21-and-over audience since craft cocktails are served by caddies on the course, and at Swingers NoMad, there will be six cocktail bars with signature classic cocktails from London and D.C., as well as 12 cocktails created specifically for Swingers NoMad, private rooms you can rent, an opulent clubhouse and four gourmet street food vendors—Sauce Pizzeria, Miznon, Fonda and Mah Ze Dahr Bakery.

Refreshing agave-based spirits and tasty tacos are now being served onboard a three-story boat in the Hudson River. La Barca Cantina, the only Mexican restaurant on a boat in NYC, serves a summer street food-inspired menu that'll get the party started for you and your friends. Based at Pier 81, next to its sister-restaurant North River Lobster Company, La Barca spans three levels with an expansive outdoor top deck with a bar and table seating, a bi-level interior space with two bars, table seating and booth-like tables—perfect for large groups. Even better, it takes short cruises multiple times per day, five days a week, offering up sweeping views of the NYC skyline. (It's a must to reserve a table for cocktails at sunset.)

Rock The Bells, a brand new day-long music festival will take place on August 6 at Forest Hills Stadium. Curated by LL Cool J in his hometown of Queens, the day is designed to be a celebration of hip-hop featuring classic hip-hop music, local food, interactive experiences, art exhibits, style and more. It's LL Cool J's love letter to his genre, highlighting performers who believes have made and are making significant impacts on the culture. So far, the lineup includes Ice Cube, Lil Kim, The Diplomats, Fat Joe & Remy Ma, Rick Ross, Trina and many more artists, with more to be announced closer to the event. DJ Mister Cee and DJ Scratch will also provide music throughout the day. 

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.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's new "Date Nights" give visitors an opportunity to become acquainted with artwork with informal drop-in gallery chats, the chance to listen in on gorgeous live music and sip on yummy cocktails. These "Date Nights" will be held every Friday and Saturday nights in the American Wing Café from 5pm to 9pm.

Known affectionately by locals as the “Willy Wall,” the Manhattan Yacht Club’s floating clubhouse is anchored near Ellis Island in the New York harbor and is accessible only by ticketed ferry. Head to the open-to-the-public upper deck for top-notch views and no-frills drinks, including bottled beers, well drinks and wines doled out in plastic cups. 

The speedboat-thrill ride The Beast, which takes people on a rollicking jaunt down the Hudson River while doing figure eights and doughnuts, is back for the summer. You might've seen it tearing down the river in summers past—it would be hard to miss since it is New York’s only jet-powered speedboat attraction that goes about 45 mph to party music. The Beast’s route takes guests from Pier 83 to the Statue of Liberty and back again with splash-filled action all the way. The crew also gives some narrative and historical information while speeding down the river.

This “lightship”—a floating lighthouse once used by the Coast Guard—sank while docked in Maryland and spent three years underwater. Later salvaged, the vessel is now a floating boat bar near Chelsea Piers that slings burgers and buckets of beer seasonally from May to October. Walk right on the bi-level railroad barge from Pier 66 to order booze and nautical bites like fish and chips or lobster rolls, then kick back on the Frying Pan or its accompanying fire boat caboose, which is moored alongside.

The Bronx Night Market, a pillar of the city's festival and dining scene, is back. In even better news, the destination is now official open for the season, set to feature around 20 food vendors each Saturday from NOON to 7pm through November. Although the culinary festival ended up being the only open-air market to operate in New York in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic, the organizers had to deal with a slew of new restrictions, a shortened season and the uncertainty that has plagued the entire world throughout this past year. And yet, things are looking up: the 2021 calendar is set to become the market's longest to date and will include community-oriented programs seeking to support local businesses, in addition to the gastronomical offerings that the event is known for. Among the rotating lineup of vendors are San Antonio's Wood Fired Pizza, Downeast Lobstah, La Braza, Osicala NYC, Sechebel Catering Co. and Sweet and Salty Empanads. Dessert-wise, visitors can indulge in Island Love Cake's aged-rum cakes, Dre's Water Ice and Ice Cream Southern-style treats and baked goods from Sweet Obsessions, among others.

"Whitney Biennial 2022: Quiet as It’s Kept," is broken up into two experiences on the fifth and sixth floors of the Meatpacking District building. Each one presents a completely different atmosphere—on the sixth floor is a cavernous, labyrinth-like gallery, and on the fifth floor is an open and airy room where works are displayed together. Artworks—even walls—will change and performance will "animate" the galleries and objects. The changing nature of the exhibition reflects these uncertain times.

Smorgasburg is the food bazaar spectacular that unofficially announces summer in New York City every year. Founded by Brooklyn Flea’s Eric Demby and Jonathan Butler, the culinary extravaganza typically spotlights about 100 vendors across its locations. Smorg has four spots in 2022, two in Brooklyn, in Williamsburg and Prospect Park.

There’s a 4,000-square-foot outdoor deck where you can order lobster rolls, burgers and drinks. While it’s not as massive as the Intrepid—at 125 feet long, it’s nowhere near the 820 feet or so of the more iconic ship—the Baylander was used to train helicopter pilots who needed to learn how to land on a boat. According to the ship’s website, it moved around after the Vietnam War and the Trenk Family Foundation purchased it in 2012.

As entertainment has yet to be given the green light to reopen, there are many nightlife staples New Yorkers miss. But one beloved and inclusive venue, Nowadays, is abiding by the current standards and bringing back its sprawling backyard to the public. For the uninitiated, Nowadays is like a massive backyard barbecue. It’s tough to beat hanging out in the 16,000-square-foot space with string lights, picnic tables, and massive birch and honey locus trees above (the most shade you’ll find for miles in industrial Ridgewood). This summer, while its live music programming is halted, you and your friends can still head to the summery haven by reservation and a $5 cover (groups up to 10 and families with kids are welcome). At the all-outdoor urban oasis bar you’ll find craft beer, cocktails, natural wine, and non-alcoholic drinks like mate and kombucha. And as for food, its backyard food truck run by Diner by Izakaya will be open with bites including wagyu hamburgers, pork katsu sandwiches, fish & chips, and snacks for a bevy of diets, like a vegan tempeh and lotus root sandwich (with gluten-free buns available), shishito peppers, an edamame and cucumber salad.

Have you ever considered boating down the Gowanus Canal? Yeah, that Gowanus Canal. Famed for its “black mayonnaise,” the waterway nicknamed lavender lake seems like an unlikely destination for such an expedition, and admittedly, the idea sounds as crazy as swimming there, but people have done it. (In fact, they’ve have done both.) If you’re so inclined, however, we’ve got good news: Untapped New York is now offering canoe tours of the canal. Sponsored in concert with The Gowanus Dredgers, a volunteer group dedicated to providing access to and education about the canal since 1999, the excursion is described as a “a secret, one of a kind, personal sunset cruise,” which will set sail for two excursions on August 13 and August 18 at 7pm. You’ll be outfitted with life vests that have been sanitized and isolated for at least 72 hours before use, and wearing masks and other social distancing measures will be required. A tour guide will narrate your journey, offering tidbits on Gowanus history and landmarks of interest. With the federal EPA now it the midst of a massive clean-up of the canal, it’s only a matter of time before its gritty industrial charms fade from memory. So, if you want to catch the Gowanus in all of its toxic glory, a canoe is waiting for you. Tickets are $35 for the one-and-a-half hour tour, and you can book them here. 

New York is already rising to steamy temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s—but luckily, NYC pools are opening up in a few weeks for New Yorkers to cool off with a swim. Mayor Bill de Blasio officially announced that 15 NYC public pools will reopen across the five boroughs by August 1.

The ope pools include: Bronx: Crotona Park, Mullaly Park, Haffen Park Brooklyn: Sunset, Betsy Head Park, Kosciuszko Manhattan: Hamilton Fish Park, Jackie Robinson Park, Wagner, Marcus Garvey Park Queens: Astoria Park, Liberty, Fisher Staten Island and more.