NYC Life: Fall Events Galore
Happy official fall!! One of the best events of the season is our Tomatoes Got Talent show on Oct. 11. Every season is great at the NY Botanical Garden, so check out Fall-O-Ween. Archtober Fest returns, and they have a great boat tour. Fall is a wonderful time to visit The Tenement Museum. The fall street fairs abound. And Morningside Lights returns with its powerful exhibit of lanterns of “great books” representing our freedom to read. Ready for a road trip? Our roving photographer takes us to Monticello, a town frozen in time.
Now-Nov. 12. FALL-O-WEEN at the NYBG
Make NYBG your pumpkin headquarters this fall! The tricks and treats of the season come to life with plentiful pumpkins, gourds, and ghouls—and all sorts of fun-filled activities to celebrate this season of frights and foliage! Day or night, there’s something for everyone with special weekends of pumpkin parades and pumpkin carving face-offs, as well as the return of our popular beer sampling weekend, Bales & Ales!
Evening events give kids (and adults!) the chance to show off their Halloween costumes in New York City’s most beautiful landscape, while you can savor the flavors of the season with artisan demos, food and drink talks, and so much more as autumn in the Bronx brings vibrant color to your backyard. GET ALL THE DETAILS.
October 1 – October 31. Archtober Festival
Explore the discovery of NYC’s architecture and design during this month-long festival of experiences and special events. One really great event is the AIANY Around Manhattan Architecture Tour. Hope aboard the teak decks of one of their elegant 1920s style yachts, enjoy a narrated tour of NYC’s architectural landmarks – as best seen from the water. GET THE DETAILS.
Roving in Monticello
Our roving photographer, Nicole Freezer Rubens writes:
On a road trip last weekend, I serendipitously stopped for lunch in Monticello NY, a village in Sullivan County that felt frozen in time. The Catskills region, a quick escape from New York City, was home to numerous Jewish resorts that that thrived in the 1950s and ‘60s, trickling through to the ‘80’s. Some of the largest of these Borscht Belt getaways included Grossingers, The Concord and Kutcher’s. These hotels welcomed and entertained guests with celebrity entertainment, unique activities and endless amounts of food.
Walking on Broadway, the main street in town, I easily imagined what this enclave was like back in the day. There is a grand abandoned theatre with a monumental decaying marquis, and an old, empty local newspaper office that caught my eye and reported what the town was like once upon a time.
I had lunch at a mom-and-pop shop Italian bakery, De Filippis that like Monticello, was simple and delicious.
Sometimes when the Waze app redirects you, you are lucky enough to wind up enjoying a slice of classic 7-layer cake at a local joint that has been waiting to welcome you back for decades.
~Nicole Freezer Rubens is the author of poetry/photo book, “The Long Pause and the Short Breath.” Follow her on https://www.instagram.com/nfrconsult/
Tour the Tenement Museum
courtesy Tenement Museum
They’ve just undergone a major renovation of one of the properties on Orchid Street, and if you’ve never taken this tour, put it on your fall list. Visitors can take building tours of the recreated homes of former residents between the 1860s and the 1980s as well as walking tours of the neighborhood they lived in. The Tenement Museum celebrates the enduring stories that define and strengthen what it means to be American.
They share stories of the immigrant and migrant experience through guided tours of their two tenement buildings on Orchard Street and the surrounding neighborhood on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. GET THE DETAILS.
Fall Street Fairs
Photo by Taylor Heery on Unsplash
NYC street fairs in the fall bring a vibrant and eclectic energy to the city’s bustling streets. As the leaves change color and the crisp autumn air settles in, these lively events offer a delightful fusion of cultures, cuisines, and crafts.
Strolling through the maze of stalls, one can savor the aromas of freshly cooked delicacies from around the world, from savory empanadas to sweet funnel cakes. Musicians, street performers, and artists often provide a lively backdrop, adding to the festive atmosphere. Shoppers can browse through an array of handmade jewelry, clothing, and unique art pieces, making it the perfect place to find one-of-a-kind gifts.
Whether you’re a local seeking a taste of seasonal delights or a visitor looking to immerse yourself in the city’s diverse spirit, NYC street fairs in the fall offer an unforgettable experience that captures the essence of this vibrant metropolis during a particularly enchanting season. Here are a few that are coming up.
Sixth Avenue Autumn Fair
Saturday, September 23
6ᵗʰ Avenue From 42th – 56th St.
Bleecker St Fall Fair
Sunday, September 24
Bleecker Street from 8th Avenue to 7th Avenue
College Point Street Fair
Sunday, September 24
14th Avenue to 20th Avenue, Queens
Columbus Circle Food Fair
Sunday, September 24
Broadway From 60th – 61st St.
40th Street Friday Fair
Thursday, September 28
40th Street from Park to Madison
Financial District Autumn Block Party
Thursday, September 28
Fulton Street From Broadway – Nassau St.
Upper Broadway Fall Festival
Saturday, September 30
Broadway (E) from 110th St to 116th St
Greenwich Avenue Fair
Saturday, September 30
Greenwich Ave from 7th Ave to 12th Street
Lexington Avenue Food Fair
Saturday, September 30
Lexington Avenue From 42ⁿᵈ – 57ᵗʰ St.
Central Park Community Block Party
Sunday, October 1
60ᵗʰ Street From 5ᵗʰ – Madison Ave.
Lexington Ave UES Festival
Sunday, October 1
Lexington Avenue from 79th Street to 96th Street
September 30. Morningside Lights
Photo by Jen Phanomrat and Leonardo Samanamud
Morningside Lights returns with The Open Book, a celebration of the free exchange of ideas and an homage to the libraries that preserve access to knowledge and affirm our freedom to read. Presented in partnership with the Columbia University Libraries and The New York Public Library, each of the 50+ community-built lanterns will pay tribute to a book that inspires, enlightens, and shapes how we see the world.
Join in after dusk on September 30 to witness a luminous catalogue of “Great Books” where each glowing volume will honor a unique perspective, while renewing our collective resolve to keep our libraries free and our minds open.
The tomato behind The Three Tomatoes.
Cheryl Benton, aka the “head tomato” is founder and publisher of The Three Tomatoes, a digital lifestyle magazine for “women who aren’t kids”. Having lived and worked for many years in New York City, the land of size zero twenty-somethings, she was truly starting to feel like an invisible woman. She created The Three Tomatoes just for the fun of it as the antidote for invisibility and sent it to 60 friends. Today she has thousands of friends and is chief cheerleader for smart, savvy women who want to live their lives fully at every age and every stage. She is the author of the novel, "Can You See Us Now?" and co-author of a humorous books of quips, "Martini Wisdom." Because she's lived a long time, her full bio won't fit here. If you want the "blah, blah, blah", read more. www.thethreetomatoes.com/about-the-head-tomato
