Manhattan
Part of more than 1.4 million feet of painted, hand-knotted-rope by artist Orly Gender titled “Red, Yellow and Blue,” is installed in Madison Square Park on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 in New York. The installation will be on view until Sept. 8. (AP)
Children cool off in the Washington Square Park fountain last summer, but this year over Memorial Day weekend the park will be host to a slew of local artists. (Chad Rachman/New York Post)
A colorful street performer entertains a young attendee and the crowd at a recent Lower East Side Festival of the Arts. (Max Ruby )
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. (Chad Rachman/New York Post)
This picture shows the painting “Nighthawks” by Edward Hopper. A series of Hopper’s drawings will be on display at the Whitney Museum. (AFP/Getty Images)
Sculptures by artist Jeff Koons related to the Celebration series: Balloon Swan (Blue), Balloon Rabbit (Yellow), and Balloon Monkey (Red) are on display during a press preview for Koons’ first major exhibition in the last decade at Gagosian New York. (AFP/Getty Images)
A design, center, by Christopher Bailey for Burberry is shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibit, “Punk: Chaos to Couture.” The show, which examines punk’s impact on high fashion from the movement’s birth in the 1970s through its continuing influence today, is open May 9 through August 14. (AP)
The Brooklyn Flea Market in Fort Greene. (Kate Glicksberg)
Patrons sit and talk, enjoying their food at communal tables set up in the middle of Smorgasburg in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (Rebecca Sahn)
A veteran participates in the Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade. (Ellis Kaplan)
The Big Apple Circus lets you experience the nostalgic thrills of by gone Big Tops and get a first-hand view of beauties, daredevils, and clowns from another era. (Bertrand Guay/Big Apple Circus )
A view of the Statue of Liberty from Governors Island. (Handout)
CitiBike kicks off on Memorial Day when the 7,000 people who have already signed up for the service will get their first chance to experience the city’s new bike-share program. (Gabriella Bass)
• SmorgasBar opens at the South Street Seaport
The smash hit weekly Brooklyn food fair finally makes its way across the river to satisfy the palates of hungry Manhattanites. Unlike it’s bigger Brooklyn siblings, this version will be scaled around a 300-foot beer garden and will feature foods from the likes of Milk Truck Grilled Cheese, Landhaus, Brooklyn Oyster Party and more.
Address: South Street Seaport, Front and Fulton St.
Grand opening: May 25
Hours: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sun-Thur, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Fri-Sat.
More information here.
• Last weekend for Mad. Sq. Eats
If you’re in the Flatiron District, check out the last weekend of this popular outdoor eating extravaganza. Thirty pop-up vendors from some of the city’s best spots — including Bushwick’s popular pizza mecca Roberta’s — provide mini menus with big flavor.
Address: Madison Square Park at 25th St. and Fifth Avenue
Hours: Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m..’
More information here.
• Orly Genger, Red, Yellow and Blue art exhibit in Madison Square Park
After grabbing a bite at Mad. Sq. Eats, head over to the park to check out the latest from Madison Square Park’s Conservancy. New York-based artist Orly Genger has created gigantic painted rope sculptures that enclose the natural beauty of the park in colorful alcoves.
Address: Madison Square Park at 23rd St and 5th Ave
Hours: 6 a.m. – 11 p.m.
More information here.
• Washington Square Park Outdoor Art Exhibit
Keeping the Village’s history with the art world intact, over 100 artists and artisans will show off their work ranging from painting to jewelry and even glassblowers.
Address: Washington Square Park at Washington Square North and Fifth Avenue
Hours: May 25, 26 and 27th from noon to 6 p.m.
More information here.
• The 18th Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts
A three-day event celebrating the Lower East Side’s eclectic performance past. The festival will feature theater, dance, comedy, poetry, aerialists, performance art, film, video and all sorts of fine art. The best time to go is probably on Saturday when 10th Street will be full of food, vendors and a rotating cast of performers.
Address: The Theater for New City, 155 First Ave, between 9th and 10th Streets.
Hours: Varied, check out the event’s Web site for details.
More information here.
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Complex has a whole series of events celebrating Memorial Day
There are all sorts of events happening at the USS Intrepid including a full program memorializing fallen vets on Monday but the creme de la creme comes on Friday night. As a kickoff to the Intrepid’s Summer Movie Series bring a picnic and chair so you can sit on the deck of the aircraft carrier, take in the sunset and watch the Tom Cruise classic “Top Gun.” Doors open at 7:30 p.m. but we suggest getting there early.
Address: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Complex: Pier 86 between 46th St and 12th Avenue
Hours: Varied, check event’s Web site for details
Highlight: Free Summer Movie Night Series on the Flight Deck
• Hopper Drawing at the Whitney Museum
Hopper’s iconic “Nighthawks” captures the essence of New York as few other works of art ever have. So head over to the Whitney Museum to see that famous work among many others in an show featuring over 200 of the artist’s drawings.
The Whitney Museum: 945 Madison Ave at 75th Street
Hours: Friday 1 p.m. – 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
More information here.
• Jeff Koons
Jeff Koons is the most successful American artist alive, with one of his pieces having fetched $33.6 million at auction. Now his newest works are going on display at the showrooms of mega art dealers Larry Gagosian and David Swirner.
Address:
Gagosian Gallery: 555 W. 24th St.
David Zwirner Gallery: 533 W 19th St.
Hours: Tue–Sat 10 a.m.– 6p.m.
• Punk: Chaos to Couture at the MET
Following in the heels of 2011’s insanely popular “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” exhibit comes this new show at the MET exploring the connection between punk culture and fashion. See how bands like the Ramones, Sex Pistols and the Clash influenced designers like Vivienne Westwood, Laura Mulleavy (Rodarte), Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel) and Gianna Versace.
Address: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue
Hours: Tue–Thu, Sun 9:30 a.m.– 5:30 p.m.; Fri, Sat 9:30 a.m.– 9 p.m.
More information here.
Brooklyn
• Brooklyn Flea
Hundreds of vendors hock their wares in one of the city’s most popular weekend activities. Check out everything from old furniture to repurposed jewelry created by local artisans. Two locations, May 24 in Fort Greene 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., May 25 in Williamsburg, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Address:
Fort Greene, 176 Lafayette Ave. (between Clermont and Vanderbilt Avenues)
Williamsburg, East River State Park (90 Kent Ave. at N. 7 St.)
Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
More information here.
• Smorgasborg
Grab some local grub and artisanally made packaged goods at this Brooklyn food fair. Featuring vendors from all over New York City and across the tri-state area, expect to find wares from between 75 and 100 different stalls. Two locations, May 24 in Williamsburg 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., May 25 in DUMBO 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Address:
Williamsburg, East River State Park (90 Kent Ave at N. 7 St.)
DUMBO, Tobacco Warehouse (30 Water St.)
Hours: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
More information here.
• Big Mark’s Action Park opens
Operator Mark Zientek owns and runs a play-equipment company for his day job so it makes sense that he’d set up a 50-foot rock climbing wall, an obstacle course, a skydiving simulator and bar in the heart of Coney Island. Also check out the Mega Whirl, destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, which has been converted into an elevated cantina. Opening May 25.
Address: Coney Island, 3049 Stillwell Avenue, Brooklyn, New York
Hours: Thursday 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. – midnight; Sunday 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
More information here.
Harlem
• Harlem Flea Market
Run by the PTA of PS/IS 180, this flea market usually has around 20 vendors selling the usual flea market fare — everything.
Address: Harlem Flea Market, 370 West 120th St
Hours: May 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More information here.
Queens
• Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade
Queens hosts what is billed as the largest Memorial Day parade in the nation. This year’s parade grand marshal is Master Sergeant Chester L. Marcus, Jr. of the US Army Reserve along with Mayor Bloomberg and Queens Borough president Helen Marshall as honorary grand marshals.
Address: Great Neck, Queen, Northern Blvd. and Jayson St in Great Neck. Route is along Northern Blvd. from Jayson St in Great Neck, west to St. Anastasia’s courtyard at Alameda Blvd. in Douglaston
Hours: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
• Big Apple Circus
A classic one-ring circus with horses, acrobats and clowns. Big enough to wow kids but small enough that you actually feel close to the action, the Big Apple Circus is the real deal.
Address: Cunningham Park: 19622 Union Turnpike, Fresh Meadows
Hours: Varied, check event’s Web site for specific showtimes.
More information here.
Full City
• Governors Island opens
Pack a picnic basket and head out to the island starting on May 25. The first event of the park’s season is a Family Festival with storytellers, singing and performances, but you can also just find a quiet lawn to lay around on if the weather is right.
Address: Ferry leaves Battery Maritime Building located at 10 South Street
Hours: May 25-26 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
More information here.
• CitiBike starts
You’ve probably seen the base stations popping up all over the city and now the accompanying bikes will finally get the program’s wheels turning in full force. Memorial Day is the official kickoff for the nearly 7,000 people who have already signed up for the program. If you’re one of the lucky few, Monday will be the perfect time to give the program a try as the city that never sleeps enjoys the holiday weekend.
Bike stations are positioned all over the city, check out details here.
• Memorial Day Parades
The holiday weekend isn’t all about barbecues and getting outside, it is also the time when the country honors those who have served in the US armed forces. Each of the five boroughs has it’s own parade (the one in Queens is usually the biggest) so check out the City’s events calendar for specific details. Insert link below.
More information here.