Get a head start on your holiday shopping with some fun holiday fairs. Love opera? Check out our Opera and Brunch find. And if you want the grownup version of the Holiday Train Show at the Botanical Gardens, check out Bar Car Nights.

Nov. 5. Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church Fair

Get an early start on your holiday shopping, at the annual sale of new and gently used designer clothing, accessories, artwork, gourmet foods, jewelry and holiday gifts. Sixty percent of the proceeds go directly to support FAPC ministries and programs, including Meals on Heels and the Deacons’ service projects. Enter at 7 W. 55th St. and take the elevator or stairs to the lower level. 10 am until 4 pm on Saturday.

Nov. 12.  TTN’s Arts and Artisans Fair

Our friends at The Transition Network are hosting their fabulous Arts and Artisans Fair featuring 30 of their very talented members showing and selling their unique art pieces. Some pretty amazing stuff! You’re sure to find unique holiday gifts. Saturday, Nov 12, 11:00am-6:00pm at the LGBT Center on 13th Street.

 Nov. 12-13. Renegade Craft Fair at Metropolitan Pavilion

Enjoy a festive weekend of design, food, music, holiday shopping, and more! Celebrate the very best of emerging and established handcrafted goods and DIY culture,  and take a peek at an array of thoughtfully curated items ideal for gift-giving from over 200 makers and artisans. You’ll find a vast array of  artisanal items including  jewelry and accessories, home decor, apothecary, and art! The event has music and tasty treats and beverages too.  Free admission. Get the details.

Nov. 19-Jan. 14. Bar Car Nights at the Holiday Train Show  – Discount Tickets

On select Friday and Saturday evenings through January, the New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show offers “Bar Car Nights” for guests 21 and over.  Tickets include a complimentary beer, wine, or cocktail at this after-dark viewing of the expanded train show (now featuring a tribute to the iconic Coney Island amusement park). The quarter-mile track passes through an enchanting display of 150 city landmarks—like the Brooklyn Bridge and Rockefeller Center—crafted from nuts, bark, leaves, and other natural materials. When you’ve finished watching the trains zip around the track, enjoy ice sculpture carving demonstrations, pop-up performances by NYC street performers, and delicious snacks and drinks at Pine Tree Cafe. New York Botanical Garden – 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx.  Get discount tickets for $29 (vs. $35) via Goldstar.

Sunday Opera & Brunch at Pepela – Discount Tickets

Head to Pepela Restaurant on E. 30^th for brunch and champagne and enjoy top-shelf opera soloists performing while you dine.  Hosted by French baritone David Serero, this brunch show features an elegant three-course meal, including a glass of champagne, dessert and live arias provided courtesy of talented soloists. Get discounted tickets via Goldstar for $40 (regular price is $100.)