The 10 Best Events in New York City, New York (NY)

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is about as American as apple pie and has become a Thanksgiving Day tradition for millions since 1924. The parade runs up Central Park West and 6th Ave in New York City and features an impressive display of floats, marching bands, musical acts, and iconic oversized balloons of famed pop culture characters like Snoopy, Kermit, and Bugs Bunny. Other notable moments include performances from original Broadway casts and an impressive lineup of high school marching bands from around the country. All of the sights, sounds, and glamour of New York City in one holiday extravaganza.

The Village Halloween Parade is a New York institution, and was started back in 1974 by master puppeteer Ralph Lee as a festive Halloween celebration for friends and family in his New York City neighbourhood. Over forty years later, the parade has become one of the largest annual Halloween parties in the city, attracting over 100,000 costumed participants and millions of spectators. The parade is packed full of musicians, dancers, artists and incredible large-scale puppets, for everyone’s viewing pleasure. A fun alternative, or add-on, to trick or treating – this parade truly has something for everybody on Halloween night.

You never forget the memories you make at the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes. From the moment you walk into Radio City Music Hall to the very last dazzling dance number, experience the magic that only Rockettes can create. Bring your family for a one-of-a-kind tradition, where wooden soldiers dance, ice skaters glide, snowflakes swirl—and the unmistakable spirit of Christmas in New York City comes alive.

The New York City Wine & Food Festival takes place each October as a benefit for the Food Bank for NYC and Share Our Strength's No Child Hungry campaign, so you can feel good about filling up with food and drink for a good cause. For four days, the calendar is packed with themed seminars, wine pairings, culinary demos, and other events, held at venues throughout the city and hosted by celebrity chefs from the Food Network and Cooking Channel. The largest and most popular are the walk around Grand Tasting events on Saturday and Sunday, where attendees visit tasting stations from hundreds of chefs from around the country, while mingling with celebrity chefs in the crowd.

Two great reasons to visit beautiful Binghamton, New York come together every early August at the Spiedie Fest & Balloon Rally. One is the chance to indulge in the area’s ultimate nosh: a spiedie sandwich, consisting of grilled cubes of marinated meat served in a submarine style roll. The other is to take in the gorgeous Broome County countryside dotted with a dreamy skyline of hot air balloons in flight for the annual rally.

Dramatically set in the middle of the East River on Randall’s Island just off of Manhattan, this 3-day festival features a wide-ranging mix of bands that range from indie rock to hip-hop. Fairly new to the festival scene since it debuted in 2011, it has quickly grown into one of New York’s most popular music events. In between sets, attendees can sample treats from New York’s best food trucks, try their luck with a lawn game or just take in the sweeping views of the city.

Go Green for St. Patty's Day! Celebrated in early spring, the St. Patrick's Day Parade takes over New York's 5th Ave., between 44th and 79th street. Floats, bagpipers, dancers, and more take to the streets in the thousands to celebrate the Patron Saint of Ireland-- with plenty of Irish music to set pace! The city itself erupts into celebration, with bars and pubs filled to the nines with people wearing green and orange. Whether you take to the outdoors to watch the parade as it passes by iconic New York locations, from Central Park to St. Patrick's Cathedral, or watch it from the television of a nearby bar or restaurant, you're sure to get swept up in the high-energy of the event.