Best things to do in spring in NYC

Things get super tropical at New York Botanical Garden just in time for spring. The theme for the 17th annual flora festival is The Orchid Show: Singapore. The display features thousands of orchids in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. As usual, there will be special Orchid Evenings during which visitors can enjoy the attraction after dark and see the Supertrees, including a gorgeous display of lights, among the orchids. There will be alcoholic beverages and snacks for purchase, as well as live entertainment. 

Witnessing the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s picturesque cherry blossoms is just the icing on the millennial-pink cake when you attend the always crowded Sakura Matsuri. Taiko drummers, samurai-sword masters, J-rock bands and stand-up comics grace the festival’s two stages. You’ll also find a Japanese tearoom, an art gallery, and a mini flea market that hawks mouthwatering Raaka Chocolate, wall scrolls, silk wraps and a profusion of pretty flowers.

New Yorkers and out-of-towners alike flock to this floral-filled exhibition, where jaw-dropping arrangements decorated to fit a specific theme are on display for two weeks. The subject for 2019's installment at the megachain’s Herald Square location is Journey to Paradisios. Translation? It's a cosmic dream offering revelers an out-of-this-world representation of outer space. Flower arrangements are designed to show off the "mystery of the cosmos," so we imagine there will be nods to comets, stars, planets and more astrological wonders.  

Aesthetes will happily hop on a ferry or bus to Randall’s Island Park for Frieze New York, an expansive art festival that features displays from 200 international galleries. You have all day, so get immersed in the imaginative indoor and outdoor projects, check out the panel discussions, gawk at the new, Daniel Birnbaum–curated exhibition of virtual-reality artwork and soak in those breathtaking Manhattan views.

Robert De Niro and co.'s Tribeca Film Festival has long shown a spotlight on local indie features, documentaries, foreign films, the latest from big-name talent and the greatest from up-and-coming filmmakers. We've got your complete one-stop-shopping guide to Tribeca Film Festival: our personal must-see picks, movie screenings, ticket info, a list of nearby bars and restaurants and oh-so-much more.

Tthe Bronx Night Market not only brings amazing eats, it celebrates all that the incredible northernmost borough has to offer, and it has officially announced their opening weekend date to kick off their third bustling season. On Saturday, May 2, you can cruise uptown to the weekly fete which runs between 4 and 10pm. Every year there's thumping live music, performances, local merchants, and Bronx-based vendors, serving up tamales, soul food, latkes, ice cream, pastries, elotes and vegan creations. This season welcomes new vendors to the mix such as Mao's Baos, Rooster Boys, Wowfulls, Bolivian Llama Party, Fried Lasagna Mama, El Lechon de Negron, Osicala NYC among others. Photographer: @r.ace.me/Richard Acevedo Don’t fret, there are still loads of vendors back by popular demand from last year too, like The Bronx Burger Co, The Fried Kitchen, MozzArepa, Chavas Empanadas, ChefBoyarnetty, DownEast Lobastah, Crabman Mike, La Braza, Wah Gwaan, Mixto Tacos, to name few. After you've snacked, hit the onsite beer garden to loosen up with beer from their rotating list of New York State craft breweries and wait for tunes to start. It will run weekly through October. 

New York’s favorite (and free-of-charge) outdoor theater returns for another season. This year kicks off with Richard II playing May 19 through June 21, 2020, in a production directed by Saheem Ali. Then a musical adaptation of As You Like It is playing July 14 through August 8, 2020, directed by Laurie Woolery. Refer to our handy guide on how to snag tickets. Remember: You snooze, you lose.