Fairs and Festivals
ASIAN FOOD EVENTS
TASTE ASIA Free entry.
Times Square at Broadway and 42nd St.
June 26 and June 27.
www.tasteasia.org
Taste Asia is New York's premier outdoor food festival. Chefs from New York and around the world showcase their abilities using Taste Asia's trademark fully equipped outdoor kitchens. They will focus on ingredients and recipes that span many Asian countries and cultures. A host of Asian and Asian-inspired restaurants will be onsite to provide tastings, and there will be live stage cultural performances. Taste Asia labels itself as the largest Asian food festival in North America and the only live-cooking event in Times Square.
DANCIN' IN THE STREETS
THE STREET MUSIC FESTIVALFree
Various locations
June 21
www.makemusicnewyork.org
Make Music New York is a live, free musical celebration held every June 21, the longest day of the year. It features more than 1,300 ad hoc concerts on streets, sidewalks, and parks across the five boroughs. Check the website for some of the scheduled events and locations.
NATIVE NEW YORK
DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSONFree
Inwood Hill Park
Sunday, June 14. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (rain or shine)
www.drumsalongthehudson.org
Enjoy a trip back in time to pre-colonial Manhattan at the 13th Annual Drums along the Hudson: A Native American Festival and Multicultural Celebration, presented by Lotus Music & Dance with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. Hosted by Sandra Bookman, weekend anchor for WABC-TV and host of “Here and Now.” Also on hand will be pop culture expert Patrick Riley and Mara Schiavocampo, a correspondent for “Good Morning America.”
A MILE OF ART AND CULTURE
MUSEUM MILE FESTIVAL Free
From E. 82nd St. to E. 105th St.
Starts at Cooper Hewitt, 2 E. 91 St. Times Square at Broadway and 42nd St.
June 9. 5:45 p.m. to 9 p.m.
http://museummilefestival.org/
(212) 606-2296
Begun to spur development during the fiscal crisis of the 1970s, a consortium of Museums that share upper Fifth Ave., -- from the Museum of Metropolitan Art to Museo del Barrio - hosts a festival that exposes New Yorkers and out-of-towners to an incredible collection of New York's artistic riches. There will be an opening ceremony at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum at 5:45 and then participants can take in the art at such institutions as the Museum of the City of New York, the Jewish Museum and the Guggenheim, while enjoying musical entertainment.
CULTURE FROM AFAR
ARAB-AMERICAN AND NORTH AFRICAN CULTURAL STREET FAIRFree
Network of Arab-American Professionals
Great Jones St. between Broadway and Lafayette
Saturday, June 13. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Enjoy seven hours of fun, food, culture and music at the 13th annual Arab-American & North African Cultural Street Festival. You can listen to great music, eat delicious food, do a little shopping and meet new people!
BBQ BLOCK PARTY
BIG APPLE BARBECUE BLOCK PARTY Free
Madison Square Park
June 13 and June 14. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
http://www.bigapplebbq.org
The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party is a celebration of the craftsmanship of 'cue, presented by the most talented pit masters in the country. The event features all the elements of real pit barbecue – from the heady smells of smoked meat and the rollicking sounds of the South.
ART AT ITS BEST
LINCOLN CENTER FESTIVALPrices vary
Lincoln Center
July 6 to August 2
www.lincolncenter.org
Enjoy a season of extraordinary opera, music, dance, and theater showcasing contemporary artistic viewpoints in and around Lincoln Center. Check the website for specific performance information, including show times, ticket prices and venues.
FREE ARTS FESTIVAL
RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL Free
More than two dozen locations in Lower Manhattan
June 18-June 28
http://lmcc.net/program/river-to-river/
The River to River Festival has become a cornerstone of Lower Manhattan culture, with intimate and provocative performances and cultural events, including dance, film, poetry, music and visual arts. Events will be held at more than 25 indoor and outdoor locations in Downtown New York — from Chambers Street to Battery Park and the Hudson River to the East River and on Governor's Island. Highlights include performances by the Twyla Tharp dancers, the Trisha Brown Dance Company, Eiko Otake, Roomful of Teeth, Benyoro, the annual Bang-on-a-Can Marathon at the Winter Garden and opportunities to visit studios and galleries.
ALL THAT JAZZ
BLUE NOTE JAZZ FESTIVAL Ticket prices vary.
Various locations across the city
June 1- June 30
www.bluenotejazzfestival.com
Get ready to tap your feet as the Blue Note Jazz Festival celebrates its Fifth Anniversary, June 1-30, at such venues as The Blue Note Jazz Club, the B.B. King Blues Club & Grill and Chelsea's Highline Ballroom with well-known artists including Natalie Cole, Buddy Guy, the Manhattan Transfer, Darlene Love, Ginger Baker, Savion Glover, and many more. The Highline Ballroom, located at 431 W. 16th St, is a state-of-the-art venue located in the heart of Chelsea, and has hosted marquee artists from Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Carlos Santana to Lady Gaga. Check the website for the complete schedule and ticket prices.