Hope everyone had a relaxing long weekend! This week marks the start of the fall fests in NYC, and we’ve included some of our favorites in this week’s event picks. An eclectic mix awaits, including the annual Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy, a Fall Family Festival celebrating Chinese culture, the sweet NYC Honey Fest on Rockaway Beach, an amazin’ Mets Jam Music Festival, and last, but by no means least, Sesame Street Live!
Beginning Thursday, September 10
89th Annual Feast of San Gennaro
Mulberry Street (between Canal Street and Houston Street)
Sunday-Thursday: 11:30am-11pm; Friday & Saturday: 11:30am-midnight
Celebrate Italian culture at the Feast of San Gennaro in Manhattan’s Little Italy neighborhood. For its 89th year, this 11-day street festival will feature parades, processions, live musical entertainment, mouth-watering Italian food, and more! Plus be sure to cheer on the competitors of the Feast’s “world-famous” cannoli-eating contest. This year’s Grand Procession’s Grand Marshal will be actor Tony Danza. Admission is free. Runs though Sunday, September 20.
Saturday, September 12
Fall Family Festival
The China Institute
10:30am-3pm
The China Institute will welcome families to its new downtown location with a Fall Family Festival on Saturday. Fest-goers can enjoy film screenings for kids, delicious Chinese food, arts and crafts workshops, a Kung Fu performance, a children’s Tai Chi session, wonton making, a learn-to-speak Mandarin class and tons more! Admission is free. Registration is not required.
NYC Honey Fest
Rockaway Beach (97th Street and the Boardwalk)
11am-sunset
Rockaway Beach will be buzzin’ this Saturday during the fifth annual NYC Honey Fest! This year, this bee-utiful festival will feature honey tastings from local hives such as Andrew’s Honey, The Commuter Bee, Brooklyn Grange, Johnston’s Honeybee Farm and others. Activities for children include face painting, bee-hat and costume making, honey extraction demos, interactive activity stations, a tie-dye booth, and a raffle. Plus stick around for live music, food, film screenings and much more. Admission is free. The rain date for this event is Sunday, September 13.
Mets Jam Music Festival
Brooklyn Bridge Park
12pm-4pm
Join Z100 New York for the Mets Jam Music Festival at Pier 2 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The park will host an afternoon of free fun for baseball fans and families with children of all ages. Festivities include live performances from Tori Kelly and A Great Big World, batting cage and pitching practice for kids, a Mets players meet and greet session with legends like Darryl Strawberry, Howard Johnson, and Edgardo Alfonzo, and free swag giveaways. This event is free.
Saturday, September 12-Sunday, September 13
Sesame Street Live: “Make A New Friend”
Kings Theatre
Various times
Your little Sesame Street fan will love Sesame Street Live’s newest show, “Make A New Friend” at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre. This weekend, Grover, Elmo and Abby Cadabby will meet Chamki, an Indian girl who will teach everyone that friendships can exist between different cultures. Tickets start at $25.