From Autumn food festivals and Broadway returns to Halloween nights and cultural pop-ups, here are the best things to do in NYC October: your insider guide to the city’s most dynamic month.
October in New York is a poised moment of alchemy—the city tilts into amber light, leaves flutter like confetti, and the cultural beat accelerates. Rooftop cocktails yield to candlelit dinners, outdoor festivals give way to immersive experiences, and every corner seems to whisper possibility.
In this guide, you will find signature events, hidden corners, and luminous installations that together map the essence of October in NYC. A month of bold transitions, unexpected encounters, and seasonal splendor.
Here are the things to add to your calendar.
Table of Contents Show
Featured Listings
The standout experiences defining October—exclusive tastings, culinary collaborations, and limited-time pop-ups worth planning for.
Restaurant Shuji at Restaurant Yuu — A Two-Week Culinary Takeover
📍 Location: Restaurant Yuu, 55 Nassau Avenue, 1A — Greenpoint, Brooklyn | 📅 Date: October 21 to 27, 2025, and October 30 to November 1, 2025 | Tasting Menu: $250 per guest | Seating Times: 6 PM and 8:30 PM
Acclaimed Michelin-starred Greenpoint dining destination Restaurant Yuu, recently ranked #12 out of 610 on the OAD North American Dining Guide, will undergo a rare transformation this month. As Executive Chef-Owner Yuu Shimano travels abroad, the kitchen will be turned over to Co-Executive Chef Shuji Furukawa, who will debut an exclusive pop-up under the name Restaurant Shuji.
For this limited engagement, Chef Shuji will craft a multi-course tasting menu that reflects his distinct culinary voice. Precise, expressive, and rooted in the beauty of peak autumn ingredients. Each course draws from his French training and Japanese sensibility, offering guests an intimate portrait of a chef coming into his own.
Before his tenure in New York, Chef Shuji honed his craft in some of France’s most celebrated kitchens, including Les Berceaux in Champagne and Ze Kitchen Galerie in Paris. In New York, he earned critical acclaim at Kyo Ya [Three Stars – The New York Times, One Michelin Star] before going on to lead Autre Kyo Ya and The Gallery by ODO.
Make a reservation: Restaurant Yuu
Taste Louisiana in New York City
📍 Location: Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Avenue — Chelsea, Manhattan | 📅 Date: October 28, 2025 | 🕒 Time: 7 PM – 9:30 PM | Tickets: tastelouisiana.org
Louisiana—recently named the nation’s #1 foodie destination by Tripadvisor—brings its culinary heritage to New York for one unforgettable night. Taste Louisiana in NYC brings together eleven of the state’s most exciting chefs, from James Beard Award winners to rising stars, for an evening that unites food, music, and storytelling with unmistakable Southern flair.
Following New Orleans’ recent recognition as one of North America’s best restaurant cities, the event spotlights a region whose talent and traditions are capturing long-overdue national attention. Set against the lively backdrop of Chelsea Market, guests will experience the spirit of Louisiana through bold coastal flavors, inventive Cajun dishes, regional cocktails, and live performances by award-winning musicians Wayne Toups and David St. Romain.
This is not just a tasting. It is a full-scale Louisiana celebration, complete with surprises, soul, and hospitality you will feel long after the last note fades.
Experience the flavor of Louisiana: Tickets at TasteLouisiana.org
Mixology in Motion: Aaron Kim x Giulio Guarini’s One-Night Bar Takeover
📍 Location: 53 West 53rd Street — Midtown West, Manhattan | 📅 Date: Thursday, October 30, 2025 | 🕕 Time: 6 PM – 11 PM
Two of New York’s most inventive bartenders—Aaron Kim of 53/BA53MENT and Giulio Guarini of The Dover Yard—join forces for a one-night collaboration in Midtown. Presented by Tequila Enemigo, the bar pop-up features an artful cocktail menu and light bites inspired by the season’s transition.
Highlights include the Jasmine Drift [Enemigo Blanco Tequila, banana, Mancino Ambrato, lime, jasmine, and lavender] and a Spiced Pumpkin Latte riff with fig, ginger, and bitters—both layered, aromatic, and unapologetically creative. Guests are invited to embrace the festive spirit with Calavera-inspired attire for an evening where mixology meets imagination.
Make it a night to remember: Reserve tickets
Unfiltered: Amy Racine x Jordan Salcito at IRIS
📍 Location: IRIS, 1740 Broadway — Midtown West, Manhattan | 📅 Date: Wednesday, October 30, 2025 | 🕒 Time: 6:30 PM
For one evening only, IRIS hosts an extraordinary installment of Unfiltered, the ongoing dinner series led by Beverage Director and JF Restaurants Partner Amy Racine. This special edition welcomes celebrated sommelier and RAMONA founder Jordan Salcito for an evening of dialogue, discovery, and Aegean-inspired dining.
Together, Amy and Jordan guide guests through a multi-course tasting menu with curated wine pairings and thoughtful conversation—a celebration of women shaping the future of food and beverage. Guests will also receive a copy of Smart Mouth by Jordan Salcito, and a portion of the evening’s proceeds will benefit Earthjustice, an organization dedicated to environmental advocacy.
Priced at $145 per guest, Unfiltered at IRIS is both a culinary and cultural experience—one that blends purpose-driven hospitality with elegant ease.
Reserve your seat: IRIS
Evening in Bushwick: A Vegan Wine Tasting
📍 Location: Brooklyn Roots Collective, 100 Scott Avenue — Bushwick, Brooklyn | 📅 Date: Friday, October 24, 2025 | 🕔 Time: 6:30 PM – 8 PM
Start the evening at Brooklyn Roots Collective with a guided vegan wine tasting led by wine expert Preeti—an immersive introduction to mindful drinking and conscious winemaking. Guests will learn about the process behind vegan wines while savoring curated pours in a community-forward space that celebrates sustainability and connection.
Afterward, take a short stroll to The Red Pavilion for Chinatown Jazz Noir—a sultry live performance pairing old Chinatown jazz with signature Wuism cocktails and small bites like onigiri and rice crisps. It is a night that moves effortlessly from reflection to rhythm, from glass to groove.
Sip, stroll, and savor: Reserve your spot
NERINA: Two Nights with the Whites of the Ionian
📍 Location: 35 Commercial Street — Greenpoint, Brooklyn | 📅 Date: October 3, 2025, and October 10, 2025
Join NERINA for an intimate evening celebrating the white wines of Greece’s Ionian Islands. Bottles that taste of sea air, rocky cliffs, and endless sunshine. From Robola of Kefalonia to hidden gems of Zakynthos, these pours bring freshness and mineral depth—sun-drenched, sea-kissed, and wildly expressive.
The evening includes tastings of three Ionian whites:
- Kakotrygis, Nicoluzo [Corfu]: Coastal and old-school, with a whisper of salt and citrus.
- Robola, Sclavos “Lacomatia” [Kefalonia]: Bright and linear, yet soulful and wild at heart.
- Zakinthino, Petrakopoulos “Gold” [Kefalonia]: Rare and bold, with a captivating personality.
Guests will also enjoy a curated Greek cheese plate with dolmades and olives, alongside stories from Greece’s ancient winemaking tradition. An evening made for wine lovers, island dreamers, and those curious about Greece beyond Assyrtiko.
Reserve your seat: NERINA Wine Class
Ionian Wine Dinner at NERINA
📍 Location: 35 Commercial Street — Greenpoint, Brooklyn | 📅 Date: October 15, 2025 | Experience: 5-course tasting menu paired with Ionian wines
Following the early October tastings, NERINA continues its exploration of Greece’s western islands with an immersive Ionian Wine Dinner. This one-night experience pairs small-production wines from Corfu and Kefalonia with a seasonal five-course menu—a slow journey through Greece’s coastal flavors, where every pour feels kissed by the sea.
Each dish highlights the region’s understated richness, from olive and fig tapenade with fresh pita to duck stifado with skordalia and beets. Wines like the 2021 Robola “Old Vines” from Kefalonia and 2022 Kakotrygis from Corfu bring lift and salinity, while a 2023 Muscat from Kefalonia closes the evening with quiet sweetness.
It is an intimate dinner that balances curiosity and comfort—an Ionian reverie designed for those who savor detail and discovery in equal measure.
Book your table: NERINA Ionian Wine Dinner
Orange Glou Wine Fair
📍 Location: Home Studios, 873 Broadway — Flatiron, Manhattan | 📅 Date: October 26, 2025 | Tickets: orangegloufair.com
The 4th Annual Orange Glou Wine Fair returns this autumn, bringing together more than 150 skin-contact wines from Austria, France, Slovenia, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, and the U.S. Founded by natural wine sommelier Doreen Winkler, the event remains the only wine fair in America devoted exclusively to orange wines.
Across two tasting sessions, guests can meet winemakers, explore rare vintages, and experience the ancient art of orange winemaking—a method dating back over 8,000 years to the country of Georgia. Each ticket includes a keepsake Orange Glou wine glass [valued at $15].
With its glowing amber hues, vibrant energy, and community of passionate makers, the Orange Glou Wine Fair captures the spirit of New York’s autumn season. Curious, creative, and endlessly expressive.
Book your tasting: Orange Glou Wine Fair
Charity + Community
Meaningful gatherings that celebrate generosity, local impact, and connection across the city.
Harlem Shake x Citymeals “Big Apple PigOut”
📍 Location: 100 West 124th Street at Lenox Avenue — Harlem, Manhattan + 119 5th Avenue at Sterling Place — Park Slope, Brooklyn | 📅 Date: October 1, 2025 through November 1, 2025
Harlem Shake partners with Citymeals on Wheels for the Big Apple PigOut, a limited-time menu that turns comfort food into a cause. The indulgent combo includes the Pigskin Burger. Two Pat LaFrieda patties layered with brined pork rinds, pickles, onions, and special sauce—paired with Bacon Cheese Fries and a Double Chocolate Bacon Milkshake finished with bacon crumbs.
Priced at $35, 20% of each sale supports Citymeals on Wheels, helping to provide meals for older New Yorkers across the city. Available for both dine-in and delivery, with opportunities for guests to contribute further.
Explore the menu: Harlem Shake
Taste of the Seaport
📍 Location: Pier 16 & Pier 17 — Seaport District, Financial District, Manhattan | 📅 Date: October 25, 2025
Downtown’s annual culinary celebration returns to the riverfront, spotlighting neighborhood restaurants, small businesses, and local chefs. Guests can enjoy seasonal tastings, live music, and family-friendly activities—all set against sweeping harbor views.
A day of food, community, and connection in support of Lower Manhattan’s public schools.
Buy Tickers: Taste of the Seaport
Kid-Friendly + Family
Wholesome, creative ways to spend the season together—from pumpkin patches to neighborhood parades.
Kings County Fiber Festival
📍 Location: The Old Stone House at Washington Park, 336 Third Street [between 4th & 5th Avenues] — Park Slope, Brooklyn | 📅 Date: October 11, 2025 | Rain date: October 25, 2025
A celebration of fiber artistry and handmade traditions, this annual gathering brings together crocheters, knitters, spinners, weavers, and quilters from across the region. Browse a lively outdoor marketplace of natural fibers and one-of-a-kind creations. Watch live demonstrations, and meet the artisans preserving timeless techniques through modern design.
Plan your visit: Kings County Fiber Festival
Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day
📍 Location: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue — Crown Heights, Brooklyn | 📅 Dates: October 12–13, 2025 | 🕒 Time: 10 AM – 5 PM
This two-day celebration honors the heritage and contemporary artistry of Indigenous communities through dance, storytelling, and hands-on creative workshops. Presented in partnership with the North American Indigenous Center of New York, the program features live performances by the Northeastern Haudenosaunee Dance Troupe, interactive social and hoop dance sessions, and children’s art-making in beadwork, screen printing, and terra cotta pottery.
Guests can also enjoy cooking demonstrations and a bustling vendor marketplace showcasing Native artisans whose crafts carry forward cultural traditions.
Admission is free with museum entry [$15 general, $14 for grandparents, and free for children under one year old].
Plan your visit: Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Greg’s Great Pumpkin Patch
📍 Location: Greenwood Park Beer Garden, 555 7th Avenue — South Slope, Brooklyn | 📅 Dates: Through October 31, 2025
Greg’s Great Pumpkin Patch transforms Greenwood Park into a festive autumn destination, overflowing with pumpkins, gourds, and Halloween décor. Expect pumpkin painting for kids and adults, photo-ready corners filled with hay bales and corn stalks, and plenty of cozy autumn atmosphere.
This year’s programming features Paint & Sip Thursdays, a Pumpkin Smashing event, and the beloved Dog Parade. For founder Greg Walsh Jr., it is more than seasonal fun. It is a continuation of a family tradition started by his late father, keeping New York’s fall festivities alive year after year.
Pick your pumpkin: Greg’s Great Pumpkin Patch
Bebê + Me Cafecito
📍 Location: Arlo Williamsburg, 96 Wythe Avenue — Williamsburg, Brooklyn | 📅 Date: October 16, 2025 | 🕒 Time: 10 AM – 12 PM
A cozy morning designed for new moms, moms-to-be, and little ones [ages 0–2]. Bebê + Me Cafecito at Arlo Williamsburg invites parents to slow down and connect over coffee, conversation, and shared experiences. It Is an uplifting space where community meets comfort—whether your baby is napping or ready for their first playdate. Tickets are $20 and include your drink of choice plus a few sweet surprises.
Join the morning meetup: RSVP on Eventbrite
FL!P Circus: A Modern Big-Top Spectacle
📍 Location: The Mall at Bay Plaza, 200 Baychester Avenue — Bronx | 📅 Dates: October 17 – November 4, 2025 | 💵 Tickets: flipcircus.com
Step into the red-and-white tent of FL!P Circus, a family-run show redefining the great American circus tradition. Led by fourth-generation performers Jan and Carolina Vazquez, this year’s edition brings a new cast of international talent—from aerial pole artists and Finnish acrobats to Ukrainian slack wire performers.
Under the intimate big top, every seat sits within 50 feet of the ring, creating an up-close experience filled with music, color, and nostalgia. With just 800 seats, a live band, and a concession stand brimming with classic treats, FL!P Circus captures the timeless joy of wonder in motion.
Plan your visit: FL!P Circus
Read our full 2025 feature: FL!P Circus: Behind the Big Top
Halloween x Kawaii Creature Festival
📍 Location: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue — Crown Heights, Brooklyn | 📅 Date: October 26, 2025 | 🕒 Time: 10 AM – 6:30 PM
Halloween meets Japanese culture in this vibrant, family-friendly celebration. Children are invited to trick-or-treat throughout the museum, walk the costume runway, meet live creepy crawlies, and take part in hands-on art workshops inspired by Japanese creativity. Guests can also enjoy anime screenings and live performances—making it one of the season’s most playful cross-cultural experiences.
Plan your visit: Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Culture, Festivals & Citywide
Where the city’s creative essence comes alive—art, performance, and the moments that make October in New York unforgettable.
Law & Order “Dun Dun Diner” Pop-Up
📍 Location: 1 Rockefeller Plaza — Midtown, Manhattan | 📅 Date: October 3, 2025 through October 5, 2025
Step into an immersive Law & Order-themed diner that brings one of New York’s most enduring television worlds to life. The three-day pop-up transforms 1 Rockefeller Plaza into a nostalgic nod to the city’s crime-show legacy. Complete with Easter eggs, interactive moments, and a menu inspired by the series’ famous diner scenes.
Created in collaboration with Milk Bar and Dinner Service NY, the experience blurs fiction and flavor through cheeky culinary touches and photo-worthy details. It’s part nostalgia trip, part edible tribute — and a reminder that no city stages drama (or dessert) quite like New York.
Plan your visit: Law & Order-themed Diner
CultureCon NYC
📍 Location: Brooklyn Navy Yard | 📅 Date: October 4, 2025 through October 5, 2025
Known as “the ultimate creative homecoming,” CultureCon NYC gathers Black and BIPOC innovators shaping the future of entertainment, tech, fashion, art, and media. Across two days of panels, performances, and brand activations. The festival celebrates culture as currency—a space where ideas, opportunity, and community meet.
Buy tickets: CultureCon NYC
Atlantic Antic
📍 Location: Atlantic Avenue from 4th Avenue to Hicks Street — Brooklyn | 📅 Date: October 5, 2025 | 🕒 Time: 12 PM – 6 PM
Brooklyn’s largest street festival stretches across ten vibrant blocks, filling Atlantic Avenue with live music, local flavors, and the unmistakable rhythm of fall in the city. With more than 300 vendors, multiple performance stages, and family activities. From pony rides to face painting. The Antic captures the borough’s creative energy and community spirit.
This year’s edition adds a ’70s-themed throwback, complete with a fashion show, singing contest, and “Legacy Balloons” honoring long-standing Atlantic Avenue businesses. A timeless neighborhood tradition that continues to evolve while staying unmistakably Brooklyn.
Plan your visit: Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation
Advertising Week New York
📍 Location: The Penn District, 100 West 33rd Street — Midtown Manhattan, Manhattan | 📅 Date: October 6, 2025 through October 9, 2025
Where creativity meets commerce, Advertising Week New York returns for four days of ideas, insight, and inspiration. More than 1,200 speakers and 500 sessions bring together voices from media, marketing, entertainment, and culture—exploring how storytelling, technology, and community shape what we see and share.
Register: Advertising Week New York
Beetlejuice The Musical
📍 Location: The Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway—Midtown West, Manhattan | 📅 Dates: Starting October 8, 2025, through January 3, 2026 — Limited Engagement [13 Weeks Only]
The mischievous ghost with the most returns to Broadway. Beetlejuice The Musical rises again for a strictly limited 13-week run at the newly restored Palace Theatre, blending outrageous comedy, spectacular visuals, and a darkly funny score inspired by Tim Burton’s cult classic.
Expect supernatural antics, larger-than-life performances, and that signature dose of chaos that made Beetlejuice a Broadway favorite the first time around. It is equal parts wild, weird, and wonderfully New York—but only through January 3, 2026.
Book tickets: Beetlejuice The Musical
Madame George: Broadway Night Off
📍 Location: 45 West 45th Street — Midtown West, Manhattan | 📅 Date: Every Monday | 🕒 Time: 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM
At Madame George, Broadway’s brightest talents take the stage—off-script and up close. Broadway Night Off transforms Monday evenings into a musical salon, where current Broadway stars swap their usual roles for something unexpected.
Recent performers have included Diva Lamar, Alphonso Horne, and Jennie Harney-Fleming — artists from Hamilton, The Color Purple, Hell’s Kitchen, and Just in Time. Backed by a live band, the night blends show tunes, jazz, and spontaneous energy in one of Midtown’s most intimate cocktail lounges.
Experience Broadway offstage: Reserve a table
New York Comic Con
📍 Location: Javits Center, 429 11th Avenue — Midtown West, Manhattan | 📅 Date: October 9, 2025 through October 12, 2025
The city’s largest pop culture convention returns to the Javits Center for four days of fandom in full force—spanning comics, film, anime, gaming, and more. Expect celebrity panels, cosplay showcases, limited-edition collectibles, and immersive activations from major studios. From Marvel to indie creators, Comic Con transforms Hudson Yards into a world where imagination and community collide.
Buy tickets: New York Comic Con
We Belong Here EDM Festival
📍 Location: Wollman Rink, Central Park, 830 5th Avenue — Central Park, Manhattan | 📅 Date: October 10, 2025 through October 12, 2025
A three-day celebration of electronic and house music unfolds at Wollman Rink, where the city’s skyline becomes part of the stage. Featuring Lane 8, Porter Robinson [DJ set], Nora En Pure, and more. We Belong Here transforms one of New York’s most iconic outdoor venues into a world of light, sound, and rhythm.
With limited capacity, curated art installations, gourmet food, and elevated amenities, the festival creates an immersive balance of nature and nightlife. A rare chance to dance beneath the open sky in the heart of Central Park.
Explore the lineup: We Belong Here
Diwali: Festival of Bites
📍 Location: Smorgasburg, 90 Kent Avenue — Williamsburg, Brooklyn | 📅 Date: October 11, 2025 through October 12, 2025 | 🕒 Time: 11 AM – 6 PM
A two-day celebration of South Asian food, art, and community unfolds across Williamsburg and Prospect Park. Guest vendors join Smorgasburg favorites to serve traditional bites alongside contemporary twists. While live performances, art installations, and festive surprises capture the joy and color of Diwali in New York.
Plan your visit: Diwali: Festival of Bites
Murder Mystery Dinner at The Ivy Room
📍 Location: The Ivy Room, 420 Park Avenue South — NoMad, Manhattan | 📅 Date: October 14, 2025, and October 30, 2025
Two evenings of suspense and sophistication unfold inside The Ivy Room, blending fine dining with interactive theater. The night begins on the terrace with champagne and light bites before guests are ushered into a candlelit whodunit paired with a three-course prix fixe menu and cocktails.
The experience starts at 6:00 PM with terrace service and continues at 7:00 PM as the mystery begins—a decadent mix of dining, drama, and delicious tension.
Make reservations: The Ivy Room
Arlo’s Living Room Gallery Opening: Cabell Molina
📍 Location: Arlo Midtown, 351 West 38th Street — Midtown West, Manhattan | 📅 Date: October 15, 2025 | 🕒 Time: 6 PM – 8 PM
Arlo Hotels’ Living Room Gallery Series—curated by Jasmine Arakel and presented in partnership with Agora Gallery—invites guests to experience In Bloom, a new exhibition by painter Cabell Molina. The evening includes a live cello performance inspired by autumn in New York. Plus the chance to meet the artist and mingle with fellow art lovers. Open to the public, the reception offers a relaxed, elegant night of fine art, music, and conversation.
Join the reception: RSVP on Eventbrite
Happenings at Arlo Williamsburg
📍 Location: Arlo Williamsburg, 96 Wythe Avenue — Williamsburg, Brooklyn | 📅 Various dates in October
Arlo Williamsburg brings a full weekend lineup of connection, culture, and entertainment to Brooklyn.
Don’t Tell Comedy | October 18
The cult-favorite secret comedy series pops up at Arlo Williamsburg for one night only, bringing its signature blend of spontaneity and sharp wit. Expect a surprise lineup of comedians, an intimate room buzzing with laughter, and craft drinks available for purchase. Doors open at 7:30 PM; early arrival is encouraged. General admission starts at $30, with limited complimentary access for hotel guests. 21+.
Get tickets: Don’t Tell Comedy
STAMPED: AYA & Friends x Arlo After Dark | October 18
Arlo Williamsburg and STAMPED join forces for a special Arlo After Dark edition of the AYA & Friends experience. A late-night celebration of music, movement, and modern African culture. From 9 PM to 3 AM, the Ballroom transforms into a vibrant #UnapologeticallyAfrican gathering filled with rhythm, style, and community. Tickets start at $17 and are complimentary for hotel guests.
Dance the night away: Reserve on Eventbrite
So Bam Fun x Arlo Williamsburg: American Mahjong Lesson | October 19
Spend the afternoon at Sungold, Arlo Williamsburg’s on-site restaurant, for an evening of learning, laughter, and friendly competition. Whether you’re new to Mahjong or returning to the tiles, this social workshop blends great company, craft drinks, and a touch of strategy. Come solo or bring a friend — spots are limited for this relaxed yet lively game night.
Book your table: RSVP here
New York City Wine & Food Festival
📍 Location: Seaport District — Financial District, Manhattan | 📅 Date: October 15, 2025 through October 19, 2025
Presented by Invesco QQQ, the New York City Wine & Food Festival returns for five days of exceptional flavor and creativity. More than 300 chefs, mixologists, winemakers, and culinary personalities come together for over 60 events across the city. From waterfront tastings and intimate brunches to master classes, cocktail parties, and exclusive chef-hosted dinners.
Anchored at the Invesco QQQ Festival Campus, the reimagined layout creates an immersive culinary experience where guests can savor New York’s most inventive dishes and drinks. Beyond indulgence, the festival also gives back, supporting the James Beard Foundation and the Event Zero Foundation in their ongoing charitable efforts.
Explore the events: NYCWFF
Open House New York Weekend
📍 Location: Various locations — All Five Boroughs of NYC | 📅 Date: October 17, 2025 through October 19, 2025
A citywide invitation to explore the spaces that shape New York. From historic landmarks and hidden studios to cutting-edge design projects. Over one weekend, Open House New York unlocks hundreds of sites that are rarely accessible to the public.
Expect guided tours, architecture walks, and intimate conversations with the visionaries behind some of the city’s most compelling spaces. It is one of October’s most anticipated events. A celebration of design, civic imagination, and the stories embedded in New York’s built environment.
Plan your weekend: Open House New York
EPIC Players Presents: Y2Kabaret
📍 Location: Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street — NoHo, Manhattan | 📅 Date: October 26, 2025
A neuro-inclusive cabaret that rewinds to the early 2000s with humor, heart, and powerhouse vocals. EPIC Players, alongside surprise Broadway guests, celebrate the era’s defining sounds—from pop and punk rebellion to R&B slow jams and indie anthems.
Expect playful nods to flip phones, MySpace drama, and the unmistakable joy of Y2K nostalgia brought to life by an ensemble of neurodivergent and disabled artists.
Get tickets: Joe’s Pub at The Public
Village Halloween Parade
📍 Location: Sixth Avenue from Canal Street to 15th Street — Greenwich Village, Manhattan | 📅 Date: October 31, 2025 | 🕒 Time: 7 PM
An NYC classic returns: thousands of costumed revelers, giant puppets, dancers, and marching bands flood Sixth Avenue for the annual Village Halloween Parade. Open to anyone in costume, it is a glowing night of creativity and community—part performance, part street celebration, and entirely New York.
Plan your night: BKLS Halloween Parade Guide
Ongoing Exhibitions & Installations
Garden of Shadows
📍 Location: Edge NYC, 30 Hudson Yards — Hudson Yards, Manhattan | 📅 Date: September 26, 2025, through November 3, 2025 | 🕒 Time: October 5, 19, and 26, 11 AM – 2 PM + October 7, 21, and 28, 6 PM – 9 PM
Created by world-renowned floral design house Fleurs de Villes, this immersive installation transforms Edge into a gothic dreamscape high above the city. Towering installations of shadowed blooms, sculpted branches, and darkened petals form an otherworldly maze. Equal parts romance and reverie—with the skyline shimmering beyond.
Guests can sip Halloween-inspired cocktails crafted by TAO and experience the installation in two distinct moods: family-friendly daytime performances [October 5, 19, and 26, 11 AM–2 PM] and evening shows [October 7, 21, and 28, 6 PM–9 PM], where live music and performance art unfold between the blooms.
More than a photo moment, Garden of Shadows captures the city’s autumn duality—fleeting, theatrical, and quietly unforgettable.
Get Tickets: Edge NYC
Shucks & Aww
📍 Location: Salon 94 Design, 3 East 89th Street — Upper East Side, Manhattan | 📅 Date: Through November 1, 2025
Swiss-born, Los Angeles–based artist Urs Fischer turns functional design into artful play in Shucks & Aww, his first solo design exhibition at Salon 94 Design. The show debuts whimsical, technically refined objects. From bronze cats and fruit-shaped cushions to lamps balanced on eggs—that blur the line between sculpture and furniture. A witty, tactile exploration of form, humor, and precision.
Plan your visit: Salon 94 Design
Reflecting on the Best Things to Do in NYC October
October is a month when New York feels alive in every corner. From quiet neighborhood festivals to Broadway lights and Halloween streets brimming with imagination. Whether you are savoring food, exploring art, or stepping into costume, the city is at its most cinematic this season.
Find more ways to embrace the season in our Halloween in NYC Guide.
