The best things to do in NYC this weekend

Whether you love to slurp them straight out of the shell or just happen to appreciate their role in the ocean's ecosystem, Oyster Week has an event for you. The week kicks off with a fundraiser for the Billion Oyster Project and their plan to replenish the oyster population in New York harbor by 2035 at Pier A Harbor House, mingle with oyster experts while tasting signature bites and enjoying premium cocktails. Other events include a SHUCKeasy pairing oysters with cocktails, a rare showcase of Mexican oysters and Oystoberfest with all-you-can-drink Radeberger beer. 

In its 93rd year, the celebration of the patron saint of Naples will fill the streets of Little Italy with carnival games, parades, live music and more food than one could possibly imagine. In addition to vendors in town specifically for the festival, most of the local eateries will be set up to serve the dishes that put Little Italy on the map. This is a feast, afterall, so why not have a few eating contests? In addition to the famous cannoli challenge, this year also has meatball and zeppole competitions. The 11-day long festival is one that every New Yorker must experience at least once. The festival is set up along Mulberry St between Canal and Houston Sts; Grand St and Hester St between Baxter and Mott Sts.

Art is a many splendored thing that touches our soul in so many different ways that it's imposssible to number them. The YES Block Party pays homage to the overwhelming joy we find in all forms of artistic expression. The indoor/outdoor event features installations, performances, exhibits and a lively dance party to the tunes of Soul Summit Music. All ages are welcome at this all day extravaganza.

Photoville is back! And your Insta is about to get meta. NYC hosts a bounty of beautiful photography exhibitions, but only Photoville can claim to be as pretty as the photographs it showcases. Held in and around giant shipping containers in Brooklyn Bridge Park, the massive celebration of pictures features more than 600 artists, 80 exhibitions, talks, screenings, seminars and hands-on photography workshops for budding shutterbugs. There's also a food & beer garden from Smorgasburg. The best part: Photoville is totally free, and dog-friendly! Find a full list of hours and events on Photoville's website.

Deal with your dating hang-ups front and center at this live romantic experiment. Two New Yorkers will be paired on-stage for a blind date, and you get to join in on the magic (or the meltdown). 

This annual literary celebration brings together spectacular writers from across the globe for a full week of talks, shopping and even yoga to satisfy the borough’s brainiacs. Bookend events will be taking place all week, including an editors roundtable and a reading of Walt Whitman while traipsing around in the dark. The full schedule of these events can be found here. All those events lead up to the main draws: Saturday's Children's Day and Sunday's Festival day. This year boasts appearances by authors Jonathan Safran Foer, Ebony Flowers, Joyce Carol Oates, Tina Chang, Ilya Kaminsky, Nick Bruel and many more.   

Today, New York City has over 30,000 restaurants but back in 1837 that number was much much smaller—one. When Delmonico's opened its doors it was thought to be the first restaurant in the United States to allow people to order á la carte, have a printed menu and wine list, to have tablecloths and to allow women to dine by themselves. In other words, it radically changed the American dining experience. The Museum of Food and Drink is partnering with Delmonico's for an evening exploring the rich culinary history that lies within. Delmonico's Executive Chef Billy Olivia and MOFAD Executive Chef Eric Kwan have created a menu that offers a modern take on nearly 200 years of history.

A brunch with fresh beats out at sea? Count us in. Hornblower’s Bubbles, Beats & Brunch Cruise every Saturday until October offers unlimited mimosas, a brunch smorgasbord, onboard DJ, and bottomless champagne, all while on a boat cruising the waterways around NYC. Boarding begins at 12.30pm and you'll cruise from 1:30pm-2:45pm, returning at 3pm. Now that’s a brunch worth waking up for.

This open-air, food-centric market features Bronx-based vendors serving up tamales, soul food, latkes, ice cream, pastries, elotes and vegan creations, plus libations from the Bronx Brewery and others. In addition to all of the delicious provisions, the market offers nifty wares from local artisans and live music performances from Bonx musicians. Come appreciate all that NYC's northernmost borough has to offer.

Everything you need to know about visiting Smorgasburg (90 Kent Ave; East Dr at Lincoln Rd). At this massive grub hub, there’s only one rule: Come hungry. The Brooklyn Flea spin-off draws more than 20,000 to 30,000 visitors per week, with a slew of 75 to 100 incredible food vendors doling out everything from Dutch waffles to pasta doughnuts. Where is it?Depends on when you go. For the spring/summer 2019 season, the fest is in Williamsburg’s East River State Park (90 Kent Ave) on Saturdays and Prospect Park’s Breeze Hill (East Dr at Lincoln Rd) on Sundays. Additionally, starting April 12 2019, Manhattanites won’t have to cross the river to taste the treats. A Smorgasburg market at Westfield World Trade Center, Oculus Plaza is open every Friday from 11:30am to 7pm.  When can I go?Smorgasburg is open year-round. The summer months might be the most popular, running from April through October at 11am to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays, but in the winter months (November to March), the market joins forces with Brooklyn Flea and moves indoors. This past winter, the indoor Smorg was located at Atlantic Center (625 Atlantic Ave) on weekends from 10am to 6pm. Is there anywhere to sit?There are some picnic tables set up by the Smorgasburg team, but don’t plan on snatching one unless you have patience of steel. The organizers encourage you to bring picnic blankets with which to sit on the lawns of East River State Park or Prospect Park. Are there rain dates?Nope. The grub will be there rai