Best Things To Do In New York City This Weekend
This weekend you can play games, pet dogs, celebrate water, and make your own prayer beads. Read on for details about our picks for the best eating, drinking, and merrymaking in New York City on Saturday and Sunday — and into Monday. By Jessica Allen.
Not just for the kiddies, the Come Out and Play Festival encourages everyone to get active, learn something, and have fun. To celebrate its 10th anniversary this year, the festival will offer several different activities, ranging from After Dark, which transforms DUMBO with "technology enabled live-action game experiences," to an all-day extravaganza of play on Governors Island. Some games require smartphones, some games use kickballs, all guarantee loads of fun. Friday, July 17, through Saturday, July 18, free, see schedule for details.
Standing among its concrete canyons and steamy streets, one can be forgiven for forgetting that not only is Manhattan an island, but New York City itself is largely surrounded by water. The annual City of Water Day seeks to remind you of this via boat tours, live music, kid-friendly games, and, our personal favorite, a build-your-own cardboard kayak race. Will your vessel be seaworthy? There's only one way to find out . . . (Activities will also be taking place in Maxwell Place Park, New Jersey.) Saturday, July 18, 10 am to 4 pm, free.
Inspired by the museum's exhibit Becoming Another: The Power of Masks, the Rubin's block party will feature a costume contest, yoga, arts and crafts (including opportunities to make your own prayer beads, origami, and bird rattles), and performances of Indian classical music by Brooklyn Raga Massive and modern and contemporary Indian dance by Ajna Dance, among other performers. Plus, the museum itself will be free, and guides will be on hand to show you all the coolest stuff. Sunday, July 19, 1 to 4 pm, free.
The world's largest dog party! Activities include an adoption station, just in case you're in the mood for more; a "farts and crafts" zone, where you can draw pictures of your pooch; a splash area to cool off in; a photoboth; dog-friendly fireworks; and an agility course. Celebrity guests range from Doug the Pug (self-proclaimed King of Pop Culture [pictured]) to Marnie the Dog to Menswear Dog. Plus, you can just hang out with fellow humans and make some new four-legged friends. Sunday, July 19, 2 to 9 pm, free with RSVP.
OK, we're cheating a bit here, but this one's definitely calendar-worthy: NYC Restaurant Week starts up again on Monday, three full weeks of great, great meals for low, low prices. $25 for lunch, $38 for dinner, to be exact. Participating restaurants will be offering three courses, and include A Voce Madison, Bann, Beauty & Essex, Brasserie, Catch NYC, Craftbar, The Dutch, Fung Tu, and many, many others. Monday, July 20, through Friday, August 14, prices vary, reservations recommended.
