It’s fall and spice and everything nice in Downtown NYC! So much to see and do in October, read on and mark your calendar!
HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH
DOWNTOWN’s Annual Barktoberfest
Oct. 23 The Fourth Annual Barktoberfest hosted by yours truly at DOWNTOWN Magazine returns to The Seaport, 3pm-6pm. Strut your pooch in the coolest costume. There will be more than $4,000 in prizes!! Goodies bags, doggie treats, and treats for humans, too ! $10 entry. Registration required. RSVP [email protected]
Eataly’s Last Call for Saletember
Sept. 30-Oct. 2 Eataly is offering 30% OFF select cuts of A5 Japanese Wagyu, while supplies last. With its exquisite marbling, complex flavor profiles and mouth-watering tenderness, A5 produces a memorable eating experience with every bite. Pick up a prized cut of Japanese Wagyu for a special price one weekend only! Visit here for more information on events going on in Downtown NYC in September
BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL
Oct. 1-Oct. 3 The popular Brooklyn Book Festival returns this fall, and hundreds of authors will be participating! Literary events will be taking place at various locations around the city, with Children’s Day (Oct. 1), and the main festival day taking place by Borough Hall. Scheduled so far: Elif Batuman, Angeline Boulley, Joyce Carol Oates, Paisley Currah, Hernan Diaz, David Duchovny, Jennifer Egan, Kate Gavino, Keith Gessen, Ayana Gray, Mohsin Hamid, Heather Havrilesky, Sheila Heti, Marlon James, Margo Jefferson, Mariame Kaba, Meiko Kawakami, Ryan La Sala, Yiyun Lee, E. Lockart, Casey McQuiston, Ottessa Moshfegh, Meghan O’Rourke, Jess Ruliffson, Salman Rushdie, Esmeralda Santiago, Namwali Serpell, Nadia Shammus, Warsan Shire, Vladimir Sorokin, James Spooner, Ryann Stevenson, Emma Straub, Gengoroh Tagame, Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, Linda Villarosa and Jacqueline Woodson, and many more. Keep checking for updates. brooklynbookfestival.org
NEW YORK BURLESQUE FESTIVAL
Sept. 29-Oct. 2 Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, The popular New York Burlesque Festival is hotter than ever. The kickoff party begins Sept. 29 at Brooklyn Bowl, with additional events at The Bell House, Sony Hall, culminating with The Golden Pastie Awards at Le Poisson Rouge. thenewyorkburlesquefestival.com
SEAPORT Pumpkin Fest
Oct. 1-Nov. 7 The Howard Hughes Corporation (R) hosts its first ever Seaport Pumpkin Fest. This month-long celebration will feature pumpkin installations, special menu items, and festive neighborhood activations, including DOWNTOWN’s own BARKTOBERFEST on Oct. 23, from 3pm-6pm, to encourage New Yorkers to get into the fall spirit. There will be various community initiatives, from pumpkin painting activities to a Halloween Block Party, bringing the spirit of the season at every corner.
New York Coffee Festival
Oct. 7-9 After a two year break because of the pandemic, the New York Coffee Festival returns to the Metropolitan Pavilion, at 125 W. 18th Street. Enjoy presentations from experts, live latte art, workshops, coffee of course, and more. newyorkcoffeefestival.com
Dr. Deepak Chopra, at The Seaport-Mental Health Day
Oct. 12 The Seaport hosts Dr. Deepak Chopra for a community meditation in honor of Mental Health Day. Free and open to all ages. At The Rooftop at Pier 17. Doors open 6pm. Event at 7pm.
Tickets will be required for entry and can be accessed here. Guests will have the option to include a small donation to The Chopra Foundation upon check out. Concessions will also be available on The Rooftop following the event.
Lunch Box-A Dine Around Town Downtown Event
Oct. 13- Chow down at Downtown’s new pop-up food fair featuring some fresh additions to the neighborhood’s dining scene and offering 10 lunch boxes for 10 bucks each! 11:30am-2:30pm. Each unique lunch box from some of Lower Manhattan’s newer restaurants you may have yet to meet, contains a tasty protein and two sides. Check for participating restaurants. downtownny.com/lunch-box
Edward Hopper ‘S NEW YORK at The Whitney
Oct. 19 Edward Hopper’s New York will take a comprehensive look at Hopper’s life and work through his city pictures, from his early impressions of New York in sketches, prints, and illustrations, to his late paintings, in which the city served as a backdrop for his evocative distillations of urban experience. thewhitney.org.
Pumpkin Point at Governors Island
Oct. 22-23, Oct. 29-30 The Trust for Governors Island and the Friends of Governors Island today announced the return of Pumpkin Point, a free annual pumpkin patch and fall festival on Governors Island. Located in historic Nolan Park, Pumpkin Point will bring over 1,000 pumpkins of all shapes and sizes to the Island’s historic district, transforming the idyllic setting along with its naturally stunning fall foliage into a delightfully autumnal escape with free programs and activities for visitors of all ages. Visitors are invited to pick out their own pumpkins (free with suggested donation) on the weekends from 10am to 5pm.
Ny’s 49th Annual Village Halloween Parade
Oct. 31-A New York City annual tradition, with a parade along 6th Avenue. Lineup begins at Canal St and 6th Avenue at 7pm. The 2022 parade theme is ‘Freedom’! This year’s Grand Marshall is The Brooklyn United Marching Band with a special guest, they will be performing Jon Batiste’s song Freedom! The after party will be at Webster Hall. halloween-nyc.com
JACKIE ROBINSON MUSEUM
Now open. Nearly 75 years after Jackie Robinson made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF), founded by Robinson’s wife Rachel, finally opens its doors, at 75 Varick Street. The nearly 20,000 square-foot space honors the life and legacy of a ballplayer who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, but also played an integral role in the Civil Rights movement. jackierobinson.org.
HALL DES LUMIERES: GUSTAV KLIMT: GOLD IN MOTION
Ongoing The Hall des Lumieres is the brainchild of Culturespaces, the creators of the original immersive digital art centers including Ateliers des Lumieres, with international event leaders IMG. The inaugural exhibition, Gustav Klimt: Gold In Motion, explores the revolutionary art of the Viennese painter, and has been created exclusively for Hall des Lumieres by an artistic team led by Gianfranco Iannuzzi. Hall des Lumieres will present new art experiences based on the work of world-renowned artists every 10 to 12 months Tickets on sale now. halldeslumieres.com
THE HOLOCAUST: WHAT HATE CAN DO
Now open at The Museum of Jewish Heritage, the new core, 12,000 square-foot exhibition features more than 700 original objects and survivor testimonies from the Museum’s collection, in objects donated by survivors and their families. Many of the items are from Ukraine. mjhnyc.org.
TIN BUILDING
Now open, the latest from restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten, is Tin Building, a sprawling 53,000 square foot market down by The Seaport. It includes six full service restaurants, six fast casual outlets, four bars, along with a food market and curated gourmet grocery packed with specialty ingredients, meats, cheeses, and fresh produce. tinbuilding.com
QUEER MAXIMALISM X MACHINE DAZZLE Opens At MAD MUSEUM
Now-Feb. 19, 2023 Boundary-breaking, “living sculpture” designer Machine Dazzle (né Matthew Flower) is having his first solo museum exhibition, at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD). He is best known for the genre-defying sets and pieces worn by Taylor Mac and Justin Vivian Bond, that are an integral aspect of New York’s cabaret and drag scene. The Pulitzer prize-nominated designer is showcasing over 80 creations spanning two floors of the Museum, running through February 19, 2023. Throughout the duration of the exhibit there will also be talks, screenings of films that inspired Machine Dazzle such as Clash of the Titans , Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and Xanadu, and other events. Machine Dazzle is also completing his first album, due out this fall. madmuseum.org
QC NY SPA
Ongoing QC NY Spa at Governors Island. Recently opened in March 2022, now you can take advantage of a spa filled day on Governors Island any day of the year, enjoying the most incredible views of the Manhattan skyline. There are steam rooms, saunas, and architecturally stunning relaxation rooms. qcny.com
Check out more things to do in Downtown NYC here.