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

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.

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, Bryant Park will mark the anniversary with a stirring visual tribute.

On Friday, September 11, the park’s lawn will be filled with 2,753 empty chairs, one for each person killed at the World Trade Center. All of them will face south, toward the site where the Twin Towers once stood. The installation will be open from 8am to 4pm. Visitors can walk among the chairs, write notes of remembrance and place carnations on the empty seats. Then, a free memorial concert from the American Symphony Orchestra will be held on the lawn from 7 to 8:15pm as part of Bryant Park’s Picnic Performances series.

No ticket or reservation is required for the concert. Just bring a blanket, find a place on the lawn and settle in for the performance. A livestream will also be available for anyone unable to attend in person.

Mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11 with an evening of remembrance at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. On Friday, September 11, from 6:30 to 8:30pm, the Morningside Heights cathedral will screen director J.B. Savey's documentary 9/11: Reclaiming Ground Zero, which explores the decision-making process behind the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site. AmericaSpeaks founder Dr. Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer will introduce the film. The event is free, but an RSVP is required.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, who gets to shape the way we remember? 11Reflections: NYC explores that question for two performances at HERE Arts Center on September 11 and 12. Created and directed by Andrea Assaf, the multidisciplinary work combines spoken word, poetry, music, testimony and video to explore the lasting impact of 9/11, including the years of war that followed, centering Middle Eastern, North African and South West Asian artists and other voices often left out of the national conversation. Each 90-minute performance is followed by a community dialogue with the creative team.

The event begins at 7:30pm both evenings, and costs $30 per standard ticket. Other pricing options are available on the HERE site.

Sean Ross and Evan Ross Katz's Survivor deep dive podcast gets the live-show treatment September 12 with Drop Your Buffs: The Live Show!, a night of chaos, strategy and fan-fueled fun. Expect VIP guests, behind-the-scenes stories and plenty of the backstabbing, alliances and questionable decisions that make watching strangers compete for their lives—from the comfort of your couch—so satisfying. Plus, you'll experience the IRL energy that comes from listening to the ever-compelling banter between the two hosts.

Join the fun at the SVA Theater at 7:30pm—general admission will get you first come, first served seating; VIP grants you early entry and a pre-show meet and greet with the hosts at 6pm. And keep the festivities going with the afterparty starting at 10pm at The Dickens.

One stretch of Rockaway Beach is about to become a sprawling (and extremely temporary) outdoor art gallery. Creative Time is reviving its Sandcastle Competition on Sunday, September 13, marking the first edition of the event since 2013. From 1pm to 4pm, a lineup of contemporary artists will descend on the shoreline at Beach 108th Street to transform ordinary sand into elaborate sculptures in front of spectators.

Participating artists include Anthony Akinbola, Dean Millien, Rachel Rossin and Gabriela Ruiz, along with artistic duos Marianna Simnett and Eliza Douglas and Chiffon Thomas and Victoria Martinez. Canal Street Research Association will also compete. Their work will be assessed by a judging panel of professionals.

After a winner is crowned, the celebration will continue at The Rockaway Hotel. A ticketed Sandcastles Benefit Bash will run from 5pm to 7pm, with music from DJ Maya Margarita. Proceeds will support Creative Time’s artist-led public projects.

Bed-Stuy is getting seven straight days of dance, drumming, wellness and live performance when the Art Is Alive Festival returns for its 10th anniversary.

Presented by the Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation—which is marking its own 25th anniversary—the free festival will run from Sunday, September 13, through Saturday, September 19, at Asase Yaa School of the Arts, located on MacDonough Street between Malcolm X Boulevard and Patchen Avenue. This year’s theme, “Rooted 10 Years Deep,” pays tribute to the residents, families, artists and cultural leaders who have helped sustain the event over the past decade.

Programming includes free 90-minute classes spanning West African and Caribbean dance, percussion and wellness. The entire week builds toward the festival’s second annual block party, which will take over the neighborhood from noon to 7pm on Saturday, September 19. 

Textiles are a lot more than couture or the fabric you're sitting on right now—assuming you're on the couch. Untethered Works, a new exhibit at the Textile Art Gallery (529 W 20th St, 6th Fl.), brings together contemporary artists exploring what happens when fiber escapes its traditional boundaries. Artists Peggy Black, Julia Graziano and Sarah Pavlik showcase works that push fabric, thread and other materials into sculptural, tactile and often unexpectedly expressive territory. Forget what you think you know about embroidery—these artists treat textiles as a serious medium for abstraction and experimentation.

There are also two special events on September 10 in celebration of New York Textile Month XI: a talk with the artists midday, and the opening reception in the early evening. All events are free, just register online.

Sometimes karaoke just doesn't cut it. For those who want the joy and release that singing provides, but maybe need to feel a little more confident doing it, there's The Sing Easy. An 80-minute guided group voice session led by NYC voice educator and artist Jess McAvoy, the evening uses breathwork, vocal play and easy-to-learn original songs to help participants explore their voices. No singing experience or music reading abilities required—just show up and make a joyful noise. Sessions take place at Sprout Society (26 Scott Ave.) in Brooklyn and on 150 West 28th Street, suite 303, in Manhattan through December. 

Every Saturday at Xanadu, combine two of the best (and most fun) things to come out of the '70s: disco and roller skating. Starting at noon, the Bushwick roller rink becomes your daytime playground for a glittery afternoon of skating, disco and general good times on wheels. The all-ages skate sesh runs until 6pm, with a soundtrack of disco, house and pop keeping the rink moving. Bring your own skates or rent a pair on-site to boogie down on Xanadu’s 7,000-square-foot maple floor. Olivia Newton-John not included.

Trying to make it a group hang? If you've got seven or more people tagging along, you can reserve a booth.