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

Take a break from Christmas shopping and check out the state-of-the-art holiday light display at The Shops at Columbus Circle. This year, the seasonal spectacle has been pumped up with 300,000 shimmering lights and 44 floating stars illuminating the entire complex in holiday cheer. Holiday Under the Stars runs from November 10 to January 3, 2026.

You’ll be so moved, you won’t even care that you maxed out your MasterCard getting Aunt Judy that back massager she’s been wanting. Color-changing stars will perform choreographed light shows every 30 minutes from 5pm to midnight, casting a kaleidoscope of color across the shopping center. Also look for illuminated stars at the 58th Street and 60th Street entrances and sparkling photo moments throughout the complex.  

It's free to visit, and there are plenty of shops and restaurants to stop by along the way. 

Catch a free Broadway performance under the glittering holiday lights at Columbus Circle during Broadway Under the Stars. This series of free performances inside The Shops at Columbus Circle brings performers from some of the hottest shows right now for music and intimate conversations moderated by Broadway alumnus George Psomas.

Performances happen on Thursday evenings from 5-6pm on the second-floor stage. While you're there, enjoy the seasonal spectacle with 300,000 shimmering lights and 44 floating stars illuminating the entire complex in holiday cheer. 

Here's the full lineup:

• November 20: MAMMA MIA!, The Outsiders, Maybe Happy Ending
• December 4: The Lion King, Aladdin, Hell’s Kitchen
• December 11: SIX The Musical, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), The Queen of Versailles
• December 18: Operation Mincemeat, The Book of Mormon, Chicago

A brand new double-decker carousel is set to spin holiday cheer throughout the season in Greeley Square at 33rd Street and Broadway on November 21, offering rides through January 6, 2026.

The two-story swirl of lights, music and storybook creatures will spin from 10am to 10pm daily, offering plenty of opportunity to catch a ride before, during or after your holiday shopping. Tickets cost $7/person.

Speaking of shopping: the carousel will be in the perfect location. It will sit just steps from Macy’s Herald Square, where the holidays are already in full swing.

Time Warp is coming back. The world-famous German techno institution—Mannheim-born, globally beloved and responsible for turning warehouses into cathedrals of strobes since the ’90s—returns to New York on November 21–22 for its eighth U.S. edition, once again in partnership with nightlife powerhouse Teksupport.

The party lands at Brooklyn Storehouse with cavernous rooms, merciless lasers and production that seems physically incapable of chill. Time Warp’s two-room takeover is built for maximum sensory overload.

This year’s lineup feels like a European mega-festival air-dropped straight into the borough. At the top: Cocoon boss and techno lifer Sven Väth, French heavy-hitter Nico Moreno, HEKATE founder Sara Landry and genre-mutating futurist Trym. Deborah De Luca, fresh off continued momentum with her Sola_mente label, also anchors the bill.

Tickets are on sale now. Comfortable shoes, however, are on you.

Imagine the best kind of dinner party—but it's for 3,000 people, and the vibes are off the charts. That’s The Big Shabbat, set to take over Javits North in New York City on November 21. And it’s not just any Shabbat dinner: This is a bid for the Guinness World Record, aiming to eclipse Berlin’s current record of 2,322 attendees.

This year, it's New York's turn to show what community looks like. Picture a sweeping family-style, kosher vegetarian spread, curated by heavyweights like Adeena Sussman, Joan Nathan, Beejhy Barhany and Jake Cohen. There will be 300 challahs, 1,500 pounds of salmon and thousands of hors d'oeuvres, all orchestrated by 10 chefs, 45 assistant chefs and 156 servers. 

To break the Guinness World Record, attendees must check in by 6:30pm and remain physically present until 8:30pm. Tickets are $54 and can be purchased here.

Train aficionados of all ages are certain to be transfixed by the scenic components of this show, featuring model trains, toy stations and miniatures from the Jerni Collection at The New York Historical. The dispaly illustrates the design evolution from the early 20th century to the era of World War II. 

Lighting and accompanying music make for an immersive experience on the first floor of the Upper West Side museum. This year, families can explore the objects on view with a special scavenger hunt and train-themed storytimes on select dates. 

The exhibit's on view from November 21 until February 22, 2026.

Ladies, are you tired of swiping on dating apps and getting no results? In a new dating experiment, Love Isn't Blind, hosted and created by Allison Goldberg, the men have to do all the work, with one little caveat—they're not allowed to talk! 

On November 21 at Brooklyn venue Littlefield, a group of lucky men will compete on stage for one bachelorette through a series of games—including calling the guy's moms and searching through their phones. Once it's narrowed down to the final two men and they finally get to speak, the lucky winner is sent out immediately on a date with the bachelorette to see if it's a match made in heaven (or not). 

Audience members, don't fret—this is a chance for you to find love, too. After the show, you'll be given wristbands according to your relationship status and encouraged to mingle. If you're too shy to make a move, a "wingcouple" (who are wearing actual wings) will step in to help. 

You can apply here to be in the show or nominate your single friends here. If you want to be a spectator to the fun, you can purchase your ticket here. Doors open at 7pm and the show goes from 8 to 10:30pm.

The Bronx Zoo's sparkling seasonal outdoor celebration featuring animated lights and LED displays of animals from around the world is back. Expect the zoo to dazzle with millions of lights and hundreds wildlife lanterns spread across six lantern trails. 

Beloved favorites return, including the holiday train and Enchanted Sea, plus look for new additions such as snow tube slides, an illuminated ice-themed throne and virtual snowball throwing.

Holiday Lights will run at the Bronx Zoo on select dates from November 21, 2025 through January 4, 2026. Pricing starts at $26.95 for kids under 13 and $41.95 for adults. 

Lightscape, Brooklyn Botanic Garden's gorgeous, after-dark illuminated spectacular promises a glittering winter wonderland where you'll feel like you're strolling through an enchanted forest. More than 1 million lights combine to form illuminated trail of art by local and international artists.

Don't miss the iconic Winter Cathedral, where you'll definitely want to snap a selfie. Plus, expect firefly fields, glowing bluebonnets, flocks of luminous birds and a reimagined Sea of Light.  

As always, a curated playlist of music brings the light art to life, and there will be food concessions along the trail that offering seasonal treats like hot cocoa, hot cider, and mulled wine as well as light bites, cookies and sweets.

Tickets are now on sale for the event, which runs from November 21, 2025 through January 4, 2026. This year’s show offers off-peak and peak pricing, ranging from $29-$44 for adults and $15 to $28 for kids.

For the first time, a holiday market is popping up in Chinatown. The non-profit Welcome to Chinatown is transforming the second floor of Canal Street's Kam Man Market into a month-long holiday market featuring more than 35 AAPI-owned retail and food vendors.

The festive market will celebrate Chinatown's brick-and-mortars. Featured vendors include the streetwear brand DAWANG, children's books creators The ABC Digest, It's Ahn-Thu Ceramics and Favor Coffee. Plus, a different pop-up will take over each weekend serving treats all day long. A percentage of benefits will support Welcome to Chinatown's mission to ensure Chinatown remains open as a beacon of cultural and economic resilience. 

The market will be open every Friday through Sunday from 12-6pm from November 21 until December 21 on the second floor of Kam Man Market (200 Canal Street).