EVENTS...... With the arrival of spring, Macy's becomes a botanical paradise, displaying over 30,000 varieties of flowers, plants and trees from around the world. www.macys.com (212) 494-2922 The Cherry Blossom Festival, Brooklyn Botanic Garden Late April or early May To celebrate the blooming of the Garden's 200 cherry trees, this festival features classical Japanese dance performances accompanied by bamboo flutes and taiko drums. There is storytelling, as well as lessons in calligraphy, flower arranging, oriental brush painting, block painting and origami. Check the Web site for an update of the blossom status. www.bbg.org (718) 622-4433 TriBeCa Film Festival, Venues throughout the neighborhood May This brand-new film festival, the brainchild of Robert De Niro and producer Jane Rosenthal, made a splashy debut in 2002 by premiering Star Wars Episode II and drawing a flock of celebrities. The festival was launched to help revitalize Downtown New York after the 9/11 attacks, and it was so successful that it's sure to be a major event in years to come. Buy tickets well in advance on the festival's Web site. www.tribecafilmfestival.org Bike New York: The Great Five Boro Bike Tour Early May America's largest bicycling event draws 30,000 riders who traverse 42 miles (68k) and five boroughs. The tour starts in Battery Park with a sendoff by the mayor and ends with a ride across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to Staten Island. A post-ride festival and picnic given by sponsors features food, concessions and activities. www.bikenewyork.org (212) 932-BIKE Ninth Avenue International Food Festival Mid-May Hundreds of stalls are set up along Ninth Avenue for two days to serve every type of ethic food you can imagine-from Thai to Italian. Live music keeps things festive, and vendors sell plants, crafts and T-shirts while over a million people sample the gamut of New York's ethnic cuisines. (212) 581-7217. Bird Watching in Central Park May-June With 275 species sighted at last count, Central Park is one of the 14 best bird watching places in North America. From parrots to bald eagles to the red-tailed hawks that nest along Fifth Avenue, all manner of birds show up for springtime in the park. Many of the more exotic species arrive en route from southern states, Mexico and even the tropical rain forests. (212) 427-4040 (212) 427-4040 Fleet Week U.S.S. Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum Late May Fifteen to 20 battleships, aircraft carriers and other ships from the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard as well as foreign fleets sail up the Hudson, past the Statue of Liberty, and dock at Pier 86, where 10,000 uniformed personnel disembark so curious New Yorkers can explore their vessels for free. During the week there are also parachute drops and air displays that are sure to impress the kids. www.uss-intrepid.com (212) 245-0072 Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibition, Washington Square Park Starts Memorial Day For nearly 70 years, the 20 blocks in and around the park have been transformed into an arts and crafts fairground on Memorial Day and continuing for the three following weekends. Around 600 exhibitors participate each day of the fair from noon until sundown. (212) 982-6255 Lower East Side Festival of the Arts, Theater for the New City, Early June This annual three-day cabaret-style festival featuring more than 20 theatrical troupes celebrates the culture of the Lower East Side. (212) 245-1109 Metropolitan Opera Parks Concerts, Various parks throughout the five boroughs June Each year the Met presents free performances of two operas in Central Park and other locations throughout the city. Bring a picnic and grab a patch of grass early if you want to get a good view. www.metopera.org (212) 362-6000 Bryant Park Free Summer Season June-August Lunchtime concerts and performances are a favorite of Midtown workers throughout the summer. The free classic movies under the stars on Monday evenings have become a beloved New York tradition. Bring a blanket and a picnic and arrive early for some prime lawn space. (212) 922-9393 Celebrate Brooklyn! Performing Arts Festival Park Bandshell June-August Some 25 free outdoor performances in music, dance, film and theater are offered for nine weeks in Prospect Park. The city's longest-running free performing arts festival attracts top-notch acts from around the country and the world. Check the Web site for a schedule of events. www.bkny.net/celebrate (718) 855-7882 Central Park SummerStage June-August Since its founding in 1986, SummerStage has presented over 500 free weekend afternoon concerts and performances for over 5 million people. Everyone from the latest pop stars to up-and-coming artists have graced the stage; the 2002 season featured an array of world music acts, plus headliners like Lucinda Williams, the B-52s, the Tom Tom Club and John Mayer. Occasional benefit shows charge admission to help fund the program. www.summerstage.com/celebrate (212)-360-2777 Puerto Rican Day Parade, Fifth Avenue Second Sunday in June With sizzling music, colorful floats and an enthusiastic crowd, this is one of New York's most festive parades. (718) 401-0404. Belmont Stakes Belmont Race Track, Elmont Sunday in early June The final leg of the Triple Crown is a major event on the horse-racing circuit. www.nyracing.com/belmont (516) 488-6000 Toyota Comedy Festival, Various venues throughout the city Early-mid June Thirty venues host a hundred big-name comedy acts; 2002 brought Bill Cosby, Lewis Black, Steven Wright, Dave Attell, Jon Stewart and many more. www.toyotacomedy.com. Museum Mile Festival, Various locations Second Tuesday in June For one day in June, you can get into nine of the city's major museums for free, enjoying live entertainment along Fifth Avenue (82nd-104th Sts.) as you stroll from one to the other. www.museummilefestival.org (212) 606-2296 JVC Jazz Festival Mid- to late June From small clubs to Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, world-class jazz musicians and lesser-known artists take to New York's stages for performances and jam sessions. www.festivalproductions.net/jvc/ny (212) 501-1390 Mermaid Parade Boardwalk at Coney Island Saturday after summer solstice To kick off the summer, hundreds of mermaids, as well as mermen, merchildren and other sea creatures march down the boardwalk in a colorful display. Elaborate floats and outlandish costumes make this one of the city's most unique parades. www.coneyisland.com (718) 372-5159 Lesbian and Gay Pride Week and March, Fifth Ave. Late June Thousands take to the streets to celebrate the birth of the gay liberation movement in the world's largest gay pride parade. A week of events surrounds the flamboyant parade, including an outdoor dance party at the West Side Piers, a film festival, club events throughout the city and many other activities. (212) 807-7433. Restaurant Week Late June A prix-fixe lunch at over 100 of the city's top restaurants is only $20.03 for a week in June. Check the Web site for a list of participants; as soon as they're announced in mid- to late May, reserve immediately-places fill up fast. Some restaurants continue the deal throughout the summer. www.restaurantweek.com Midsummer Night Swing, Lincoln Center Plaza Late June-late July Nothing can quite compare to dancing under the stars with Lincoln Center's famed fountain as a backdrop. Top dance bands play everything from swing to salsa. Dance lessons, which are included in the price of admission, begin at 6:30 P.M. and the featured band goes on at 8 P.M. The dance floor can get awfully crowded, so you might just listen in for free on the edges of the plaza. www.lincolncenter.org (212) 875-5766 Midsummer Night Swing, Lincoln Center Plaza Late June-late July Nothing can quite compare to dancing under the stars with Lincoln Center's famed fountain as a backdrop. Top dance bands play everything from swing to salsa. Dance lessons, which are included in the price of admission, begin at 6:30 P.M. and the featured band goes on at 8 P.M. The dance floor can get awfully crowded, so you might just listen in for free on the edges of the plaza. www.lincolncenter.org (212) 875-5766 Lincoln Center Festival, Lincoln Center July This festival showcases dance, theater, music and opera in and around Lincoln Center's several venues, with performances by the Center's regular companies and other artists from around the world. The festival also offers special symposia about and inspired by the festival's performances. www.lincolncenter.org. (212) 875-5928 New York Shakespeare Festival Delacorte Theater, Central Park July-August Sponsored by the Joseph Papp Public Theater, this is New York's quintessential summer event. Celebrity performers often headline these free outdoor performances; the 2002 season featured Julia Stiles, Jimmy Smits and Kristen Johnston in Twelfth Night. Available at the Public Theater and the Delacorte Theater starting at 1 P.M. on the day of the performance, tickets can be difficult to come by. www.publictheater.org (212) 539-8750 Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular, Over the East River July 4 The FDR Drive is closed to traffic for a few hours so pedestrians can get a better look at the lavish 30-minute display launched from two points on the East River beginning at 9 P.M. www.macys.com (212) 484-1222 New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks, Various locations Late July-early August The Philharmonic presents free evening concerts in parks throughout the city. (212) 875-5656 Mostly Mozart Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center Late July-late August The Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra-along with world-class soloists and guest performers-presents around 30 concerts in a four-week period each summer. www.lincolncenter.org (212) 875-5030 Harlem Week, Throughout Harlem August The Taste of Harlem food festival, the Black Film Festival and a lively street fair along Fifth Avenue (125th-135th St.) are highlights, along with open houses, block parties, outdoor concerts and special events at area jazz clubs. www.harlemweek.com (212) 484-1222 Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, The Lake at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Mid-August More than 80 teams from across the U.S. and Canada race traditional 39-foot boats decorated like Chinese dragons in a spectacular display. Admission is free. www.hkdbf-ny.org (718) 539-8974 Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, Lincoln Center August-September Everything from classical music and dancing to children's puppet shows is featured in this series of free performances on the plazas of Lincoln Center. www.lincolncenter.org (212) 875-5108 U.S. Open Tennis Championships, USTA National Tennis Center Late August-Labor Day This Grand Slam event is the premier U.S. tournament on the tour. Fans can pay top dollar for a seat at the showcased matches, or purchase grounds admission, which entitles them to wander from one early-round match to another; prices go up and the tournament progresses. Buy tickets well in advance; they go on sale in June. www.usopen.org (718) 760-6200 or (888) Wigstock Labor Day weekend With up to 10,000 bewigged spectators and around 60 performers, this drag festival may be the city's most colorful. Tickets run about $25. www.wigstock.nu. (800) 494-8497 or (212) 439-5139 West Indian Day Carnival, Brooklyn Labor Day A crowd of nearly 2 million revelers turns out to celebrate Caribbean culture in New York's biggest and most energetic parade. The parade of extravagant costumes and colorful floats caps a weekend of festivities beginning Friday evening with reggae, salsa and calypso at the Brooklyn Museum. (212) 484-1222, (718) 625-1515 Broadway on Broadway Mid-September For a couple of hours each year, Broadway is accessible to everyone. On a stage erected in the middle of Times Square, a free concert of highlights from the season's biggest shows features big stars and splashy production numbers. www.timessquarebid.org (212) 768-1560 Feast of San Gennaro, Mulberry St. Mid-September Since 1926, Little Italy's main drag, Mulberry Street, has been transformed into a fairground for 11 days each September. Three million people turn out each year for food, fun and music at this festival honoring the patron saint of Naples. www.sangennaro.org (212) 764-6330 Atlantic Antic, Atlantic Ave. Last Sunday in September With music, food, arts and crafts, a children's circus and over 450 vendors, the Antic is one of Brooklyn's largest street fairs, drawing nearly 1 million people each year. www.atlanticave.org (718) 875-8993 New York Film Festival, Lincoln Center Late September-early October Approximately 20 independent, foreign and big-studio films are screened in a two-week run at Lincoln Center. Held annually since 1965, the festival has premiered films by directors such as Martin Scorsese, Jean-Luc Godard and Robert Altman. www.filmlinc.com. (212) 875-5601 January - March | April - June | July - September | October - December October - December New York Film Festival, Lincoln Center Late September-early October Approximately 20 independent, foreign and big-studio films are screened in a two-week run at Lincoln Center. Held annually since 1965, the festival has premiered films by directors such as Martin Scorsese, Jean-Luc Godard and Robert Altman. www.filmlinc.com (212) 875-5601 Columbus Day Parade Fifth Ave. Columbus Day, second Monday in October Columbus may have landed far from New York on a Spanish ship, but he was born in Italy. That's enough for the city's Italian-Americans, who are front and center for this parade up Fifth Avenue. (212) 484-1222 Halloween Parade, Sixth Ave. October 31 Over 25,000 participants take to the streets of Greenwich Village for the most famous Halloween parade in the country. Join the crowd of elaborately costumed revelers or have nearly as much fun watching from the sidelines. www.halloween-nyc.com (212) 475-3333, ext. 4044 BAM Next Wave Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music October-December BAM showcases experimental works by both established and lesser-known contemporary artists from around the world in music, theater and dance. www.bam.org (718) 636-4100 New York City Marathon, Starts Staten Island side of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge Last Sunday in October or first Sunday in November This 26.2-mile race, one of the most prestigious in the world, finishes in Central Park as a crowd cheers on the 35,000 participants each year. Spectators line the streets handing out drinks all along the course, which hits each of the five boroughs. The 2002 event will be held on November 3. www.nycmarathon.org (212) 860-4455 The Nutcracker November-December The New York City Ballet performs this holiday classic each year with students from the School of American Ballet. New York State Theater at Lincoln Center www.nycballet.com (212) 870-5570 Big Apple Circus, Lincoln Center November-January With its local roots, intimate one-ring big top and kid-friendly mission, the Big Apple Circus has staked out its own ground between the glitz of the Ringling Brothers circus and the adults-only artistry of the Cirque du Soleil. www.bigapplecircus.org (212) 268-2500 Macy's Parade, Central Park West Thanksgiving Day From 9 A.M. to noon on Thanksgiving, a procession of floats and huge cartoon character balloons marches down to Macy's in this children's favorite. Catch the inflating of the balloons the night before at Central Park West and 77th Street (6-11 P.M.). www.macys.com (212) 494-2922 Christmas Window Displays December Along Fifth Avenue in Midtown, marvel at the intricate winter scenes in department store windows. (Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue and Barney's are the most popular.) Check out the Cartier building wrapped for Christmas in an enormous red bow and the doormen at FAO Schwartz dressed as wooden soldiers. Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, Rockefeller Center Early December One of the tallest Christmas trees in the country is mounted in Rockefeller Center, where it is strung with five miles of lights and lit by a celebrity in a nationally televised ceremony that includes an ice-skating show and other entertainment. (212) 632-4000 Messiah Sing-Along Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center Mid-Late December The National Chorale Counsel organizes this sing-along for Handel's "Messiah" led by 20 conductors with an audience of up to 3,000, including four trained soloists to rescue the arias. No experience is necessary adn lyrics sheets are provided. Amateurs, professionals, even high-school schoirs participate. www.lincolncenter.org (212) 333-5333 New Year's Eve Ball Drop Times Square Mid-Late December It's not officially the New Year until the ball drops over Times Square. The new and improved ball is now adorned with a stunning 12,000 rhinestones and 180 75-watt bulbs. Arrive early, since the area is packed with revelers hours before midnight. www.timessquare.org (212) 768-1560