Things to do on a Sunday in New York

For anyone who's dreamt of going to The Metropolitan Opera, sitting in those seats as the lights dim and the chandeliers ascend, we've got something for you. It's not quite front-row seats, but it's the next-best view: from anywhere you want!

The Met Opera is streaming Lincoln in the Bardo from composer Missy Mazzoli, for free, all over the world. The showing of Mazzoli's world-premiere opera, plus a libretto by Royce Vavrek, will go live on YouTube on November 14 at 8pm. And if you can't tune in then, don't worry! The recording will stay up through November 18. The Saturday performance is the last in a sold-out run at Lincoln Center. Anyone who misses the boat for the free virtual show will be able to pay to see the recording on Met Opera on Demand starting November 20—you can choose from a range of paid viewing options.

Few things pair better than Nora Ephron, New York City and cheese. On November 14, When Harry Met Sally gets the wine-and-cheese treatment at the Museum of the Moving Image. The evening kicks off with author and cheese educator Anne-Marie Pietersma discussing her book I'll Have What Cheese Having alongside director and podcaster Mackenna Goodrich. Guests will then move into the 68-seat theater for the 35mm screening, followed by a reception inspired by iconic romantic comedies in a rom-com-themed marketplace. The fun runs from 6 to 10pm—and don't fake an orgasm over the brie, we're all better than that.

Chrysanthemum fanatics, get ready to geek out. The New York Botanical Garden is showing off with a Japanese mum (kiku) display that goes way beyond pretty colors. The flowers have been expertly trained over the past 11 months into incredible shapes and styles that are representative of traditional forms—including the ozukuri (“thousand bloom”), which is a cultivation that produces hundreds of chrysanthemum flowers from one single stem.

The exhibition kicks off November 7 and 8 (noon–4pm) inside the Nolen Greenhouses for Living Collections, with Kiku Highlight Weekend featuring a live taiko drumming performance and hands-on crafts. Attendance and viewing is included in the All-Garden Pass ($35 for adults, $31 for seniors and students, $15 for children).

The New York Comedy Festival is where the best of the best comedians of NYC gather each year, and this year, it’s celebrating its 22st anniversary with more than 200 comedians performing more than 100 shows at venues throughout the five boroughs.

If you've laughed at comedy shows in NYC in the past few years, it probably had something to do with at least one of the comics on the super stacked lineup. This year’s headliners include major genre names like Marc Maron, Ilana Glazer, Ziwe, Ben Bankas, Matt Rogers, Sarah Sherman, Daniel Sloss, Adam Friedland, Mojo Brookzz and more. 

The dates for the New York Comedy Festival are Friday, November 6 through Sunday, November 15, 2026. Get tickets on the NYCF website.

New York BagelFest will return on Sunday, November 15, and this year’s carb-loaded showdown is taking over Citi Field, where more than 25 bagel shops from across the U.S. and around the world will compete. Thousands of attendees are expected for unlimited bagels, schmears and sandwiches.

The New York contingent is stacked: Utopia Bagels, Ess-A-Bagel, Bagel Market, Curley’s Bagels, Bagel Joint and Bagizza are just a few. Competitors hail from 10 states and five countries, including Montreal institution St-Viateur Bagel, Madrid’s Si Si Bagels and Bodega Bagels from Belfast. Dallas-based Starship Bagel, the festival’s most decorated competitor, is also returning after winning Best Bagel in both 2023 and 2025.

They'll face off for titles including Best Bagel, Schmear of the Year, Most Creative, Best Showmanship, Best Bialy, People’s Choice and more. There will also be live demonstrations, educational programming, interactive exhibits and a Kids’ Zone, plus plenty of bagel-adjacent provisions. Tickets start at $69.

This November, the humble loaf of Shabbat bread is going on tour. FOODISH, the culinary initiative powered by ANU–Museum of the Jewish People, is launching the inaugural Global ChallahFest from November 6 to 29. Its festivities will land in NYC from November 12 through 15.

But this isn't your standard baking conference. ChallahFest is bringing dance floor energy to this international bread party. The festival features everything from bakery tours and student baking showdowns to VIP brunches and shared Friday-night dinners. Check the full NYC lineup on their website here.

The Bronx-born-and-raised Stanley Kubrick gets a retrospective at the Museaum of the Moving Image. From November 1 through December 27, anyone with a penchant for spooky thrills can get their fill at this two-month-long movie marathon. His work is known for being "eccentric and narratively experimental," so if you've been wanting to see what it's all about, now's your chance. The event highlights the legendary director’s full cinematic body of work—which will be shown at the Redstone Theater—and is timed to The Criterion Collection's new box set, The Complete Kubrick.

Ticket prices vary based on elligibility. Adults are $17.50 each, senior and student tickets cost $12, kids are $10 and MoMI members can get in for just $7.

Here's the schedule of viewings:

A Clockwork Orange: Friday, Nov 6 at 6:30pm

The Killing: Sunday, Nov 8 at noon

Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb: Saturday, Nov 14 at 6:30pm

Lolita: Friday, Nov 20 at 6:30pm

Paths of Glory: Saturday, Nov 21 at 3:30pm

Barry Lyndon: Friday, Nov 27 at 3pm; Saturday, Nov 28 at 5:30pm

Full Metal Jacket: Saturday, Dec 5 at 6pm

2001: A Space Odyssey: Friday, Dec 11 at 6:30pm

Fear and Desire + Kubrick Shorts: Sunday, Dec 13 at noon

Killer’s Kiss: Sunday, Dec 13 at 2pm

Eyes Wide Shut: Friday, Dec 18 at 6:30pm; Saturday, Dec 26 at 6pm

Spartacus: Sunday, Dec 27 at 3:15pm

One of the best things about fall is that we get to watch the most wonderful, classic, feel-good films with the knowledge that the city outside looks kinda (of not exactly) like the foliage-filled sets. Foxtail cocktail lounge is hosting a cozy movie series every Friday evening (7–10pm) in November at the Living Room at Arlo SoHo. The weekly screenings are not ticketed, but they do require a two-item minimum purchase of food or drinks. Choose between seasonal bites and themed cocktails priced at $18 to $20 or a $19 movie-night special featuring a sandwich, chips and a cookie. 

The November lineup includes Good Will Hunting (Nov 6), When Harry Met Sally (Nov 13), You've Got Mail (Nov 20) and Planes, Trains and Automobiles (Nov 27).

Two girls. One cup. What could go wrong? Eliya Smith's potentially shocking two-hander, developed with the Goat Exchange and inspired by the viral scat-porn clip that scandalized and titillated the world in 2007, does not try to dramatize the experience of Karla and Latifa, the stars of the Brazilian fetish film Hungry Bitches. Instead, it is drawn verbatim from conversations with men who have watched their scene—which inspired countless reaction videos online—and explores what they remember about it and how much about their own sexuality they are willing to share. Chloe Claudel and Juliana Sass play all the roles in what sounds like both an exercise in docutheater and a subversion of it; Claudel also co-directs it with Mitchell Polonsky.

Shop 'til you drop at FAD Market, a curated fashion, art and design pop-up marketplace, which is back for 2026. Expect to see your favorite makers plus brand new creatives, all offering goods to help you live smarter, gift better and support local businesses.

FAD—which stands for Fashion, Art and Design—takes over different venues with a horde of independent vendors and creators. Admission is free and dogs are welcome!

Peruse handmade jewelry, apparel, skincare products, tableware, artisanal packaged food, and more. Whether you're shopping for you or a friend (or even getting an early on that holiday shopping), there are plenty of local gems to pick up. 

Here's the fall schedule: 

• November 7–8: Fall pop-up at Empire Stores in Dumbo
• November 30–December 20: Holiday pop-up at Empire Stores in Dumbo