Courtesy CC/Flickr/Susan Sermoneta
Courtesy CC/Flickr/Susan Sermoneta

Are people who FaceTime while walking down the street literally insane?

This is what’s driving us bonkers in NYC right now and making us (almost) want to move

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We live in a walk-and-talk kind of town—I get it. When I’m on my morning commute or running between meetings, you can bet your ass I’m using that precious time to “catch up on calls,” which is code for “calling my mother.” However, I see more and more people roaming the streets while FaceTiming. This behavior is unacceptable.

RECOMMENDED: See more New York rants

Listen, I can understand that the occasional tourist would want to share their trip to the Best City on Earth through the lens of their iPhone for someone back home. But this is not what’s happening here. These distracted lollygaggers are always discussing some meaningless nonsense (personally, my conversations are witty, informative and brief) with some groggy pal in a disheveled bed right here in the tristate area.

While I get the allure of a face-to-face convo, these FaceTimers are pinballing into pedestrians and completely ignoring the flow of traffic. Must I get bumped around so that you can whisper sweet nothings to your boyfriend in Yonkers?

Let’s bring back the days when New Yorkers just obnoxiously shouted into their phones with a robust disregard for others. At least then they would see where they were going.

Not all of NYC is annoying!

  • Musicals
  • Midtown West
  • Open run

The songs of Québécois nightingale Celine Dion are the stately vessel—or are they the iceberg?—in this campy spoof of James Cameron's 1997 romantic disaster film, written by Marla Mindelle (Sister Act) and Constantine Rousouli (Cruel Intentions) with director Tye Blue. After more than 1,000 performances Off Broadway, the ship sails onto the Main Stem this spring; original stars Mindelle, Rousouli and Frankie Grande are newly flanked by Jim Parsons (!) as meddling mother Ruth Dewitt Bukater and Deborah Cox as the ever-unsinkable Molly Brown. Time Out readers can enjoy a discount of up to 50% on select tickets thru 9/06 by using this link with code TONY26.

  • Things to do
  • Festivals

The U.S. Open runs from August 23 to September 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. Qualifying matches kick things off, with mixed doubles, quad wheelchair matches, and men's and women's singles all rounding out the three-weeks of competition. The main draw runs from August 30 through the tournament's end. Here's the full schedule of events.

 

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  • Things to do
  • Festivals

Opera under the stars? Yes, please. The Metropolitan Opera’s free Summer HD Festival returns to Lincoln Center’s Josie Robertson Plaza September 2 through 7, screening five productions from the company’s Live in HD series on a giant outdoor screen. The lineup begins with Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde (Act I on Sept. 2, II–III on Sept. 3), followed by Bellini’s I Puritani on September 4, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin on September 5, Gabriela Lena Frank’s El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego on September 6 and Puccini’s La Bohème on September 7. Admission (and a feeling of superiority for spending your evening engaged in such a lofty pursuit) is free, with about 2,500 first-come, first-served seats each night.

  • Things to do
  • Concerts

If your idea of Labor Day weekend involves absolutely no lawns, pools or barbecue, SocaFest 2026 is calling your name. The Caribbean music extravaganza takes over the Brooklyn Museum on Friday, September 4, from 8pm and runs until 3am on Saturday, September 5. Kes the Band, Bunji Garlin, Fay-Ann Lyons and the Viking Band and WCK are bringing the beats, and more artists are still to be announced. Consider this your excuse to start practicing your jumps now.

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  • Things to do
  • Fireworks

Every week feels like a fantastical celebration at Coney Island with its spectacular showing of fireworks each Friday night through September 4. Grab a Nathan's Famous frank and snag a comfortable spot on the boardwalk to celebrate the end of the summer's last few work weeks. Fireworks begin at approximately 9:45pm and launch in front of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, providing a breathtaking backdrop to the iconic boardwalk and amusement parks. The show is presented by the Alliance for Coney Island.

  • Things to do

Make your outdoor eating this Labor Day weekend a little more musical—and a lot fancier than hot dogs on the grill. At Smorgasburg Williamsburg, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music is throwing a free community party on Saturday, September 5. Pull Up a Plate features live bands and DJs all day, $9 “Smorgin’ on a Budget” specials from vendors and an Instrument Zoo where music lovers of all ages get hands-on. Java Street Community Garden will also be on hand with gardening info, composting tips and a signature shiso gimlet just for the event. It runs from 11am to 6pm and is free to enter.

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  • Comedy
  • Stand-up

Immigrant Jam brings a distinctly international flavor to the comedy stage at Caveat (21A Clinton St.) on September 4. Hosted by German-born, New York-raised comedian and actress Lucie Pohl, the long-running show highlights some of NYC’s funniest immigrant and first-generation comedians, celebrating the particular absurdity of navigating American life when you come from somewhere else. The lineup includes Sahib Singh, Daniel Simonsen, Salma Hindy, Santi Espinosa and Alyce Chan, delivering plenty of sly observations and jokes about culture clashes, identity, language and all the other delightful complications of being “not from here.”

Doors open at 6:30pm and the show starts at 7pm. It is for ages 21 and up. Catch a discount with early bird tickets ($18.76) on sale until August 28 at 7pm—otherwise, expect to shell out $25.

  • Things to do

Labor Day weekend gets a decidedly more rhythmic sendoff at Watermark, where Perreo on the Pier turns Pier 15 into an open-air Latin dance floor. Spend the evening of Thursday, September 3 dancing into the night with DJs spinning reggaeton, Latin trap, dembow, salsa and more. The celebration kicks off with an after-work happy hour because, well, why wait 'till Friday night to start the long weekend? The party goes from 5pm to midnight.

There’s a full food menu, waterfront views and plenty of cocktails to keep things moving. Bottle service is available with table reservations—though, those tables come with a minimum spend between $300 and $900 depending on how many people you're planning to sit with.

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  • Things to do

Breeze Hill in Prospect Park gets a Caribbean makeover on Sunday, September 6, as Smorgasburg teams up with I Am CaribBeing for a full day of food, music and community. The afternoon will feature DJs, live steel pan, Caribbean vendors and an all-ages arts and crafts experience, plus special guest chef Scotley Innis serving up jerk chicken. Smorgasburg favorites including Wah Gwaan, Tanty Darlene’s Kitchen and Tosh’s Patties will also be dishing out some can't-miss meals. The party runs 11am to 6pm at Smorgasburg Prospect Park. Admission is free.

  • Things to do
  • Festivals

Grab the fam and head to Historic Richmond Town, a preserved museum village dating from the late 17th century, for its annual county fair—this year marking 46 years of summer fun. The Richmond County Fair combines classic fairground festivities with a unique touch of Staten Island history, including signature demonstrations of historical trades by costumed interpreters.

Play bingo, try a three-legged race, see aerial shows, be awed by stilt walkers, shop for local crafts, hear from storytellers and lots more. Plus, come hungry for fair fare like empanadas, lobster rolls, rice balls, funnel cakes and zeppole.  

All the fun is for a good cause, as proceeds support Historic Richmond Town's mission to preserve and share local history.

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