Unique Festivals in New York Celebrations You Can’t Find Anywhere Else

There are more festivals in New York than you can shake a stacked breakfast bagel at. This colossal city of soaring skyscrapers and buzzy neighbourhoods is one of the undisputed arts, music, and cultural hubs of the whole USA. It boasts everything from big-name electronica parties to vibrant gay pride events, and that’s really just scratching the surface.

If we had to pick, we’d say that the summertime is the best season to be in New York for festivals. It’s got the bulk of the biggest-ticket events and which means that the parades and partying can take to the streets outside. That said, many of the best festivals in New York listed below offer things to do in the midwinter, the spring, and the fall alike. Let’s take a closer look.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Channeling the spirit of the Emerald Isle

NYC’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the longest-running Irish festival in the United States. It’s also one of the biggest Irish cultural events to take place anywhere outside of the Emerald Isle. The parade takes place on the streets of downtown Manhattan every year on 17th March, moving from 44th Street to 79th Street through some of the busiest areas of the city.

The undisputed highlight of the event is the parade up 5th Avenue, which involves over 150,000 performers and is where the big bands and Gaelic dancers really crank up the energy. Midtown New York also gets into the spirit of the occasion, with local taverns and bars alive with Guinness drinkers and Irish parties that go on until the early hours.

New Year’s Eve

Celebrating midnight in style

New Year’s Eve is a big event in New York City. The Big Apple is unquestionably one of the must-visit places on the planet to welcome in the next 365 days of the calendar, not least because of the legendary celebrations that take place in Times Square. Join the crowds there to watch the iconic New Year’s Eve Ball drop and enjoy performances by big-name artists and pyrotechnic displays.

But Times Square is just the beginning when it comes to NYE in NYC. There are loads more to enjoy, from rooftop parties with stunning views of Manhattan’s skyline to fireworks dinner cruises on the Hudson River.

NYC Pride

One of the world’s largest LGBTQ+ events

NYC Pride is now one of the largest LGBTQ+ celebrations in the world. It’s a multi-faceted festival that takes place across the entire city, with events in all boroughs. However, the most famous components are probably the big march that crosses Lower Manhattan and 5th Avenue, along with the gatherings at the Stonewall Monument, which commemorates the site of the iconic Stonewall riots of 1969.

These days, NYC Pride can attract crowds of over 2.5 million people who come not only for the main events but also for smaller parties throughout the Big Apple, from rainbow flower shows in Chelsea to talks about the history of Stonewall in Greenwich Village.

Tribeca Film Festival

A-listers in New York

The Tribeca Film Festival is New York’s equivalent to Cannes or Sundance. It is now firmly established as one of the most prestigious events in the cinematic calendar, attracting over 150,000 attendees with a staggering 600 screenings of the latest in movie-making. Since its inauguration back in 2002 by none other than Robert De Niro, the event has expanded to venues all over Lower Manhattan and beyond.

Tribeca takes place over the course of about 11 days in June. The focus is on showcasing the best of independent cinema, though it is also known as a testing ground for major blockbuster premieres. Even if you are not a film buff, visiting a Tribeca venue is a sure-fire way to spot some celebrities.

Museum Mile Festival

For a taste of New York culture and history

The Museum Mile Festival should be high on the to-do list for budding culture enthusiasts passing by the Big Apple in early summer. It takes place along 5th Avenue and the blocks of the Upper East Side, connecting some of the world’s leading art institutions and historical collections, all of which offer free entry for one night only.

From 6 pm onwards, you will be able to drop into any of the eight participating museums, which include must-visit attractions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, as well as more niche spots like the Africa Center and the Smithsonian Design Museum.

River To River Festival

A celebration of New York’s diversity in art

The River To River Festival was launched in the early 2000s with the aim of connecting the main districts of Lower Manhattan between the Hudson River and East River with a single cultural event. Today, it’s one of the top summer arts festivals in New York and is 100% free for everyone.

What’s great about the River to River Festival is that you never really know what’s coming next. One day you might drop into an avant-garde dance show in a local theatre, the next you might come across outdoor performance art in a riverside park. The festival begins in mid-June and concludes in the first week of July.

Electric Zoo

Electric vibes on Randall’s Island, NYC

Electric Zoo isn’t just one of the leading electronic music festivals in New York City; it’s one of the top electronic music festivals in the world. Since its first year in 2009, it has been drawing big-name acts in the EDM space and has now grown to host nearly 100,000 people in its vast space in Randall’s Island Park.

Lineups change year on year, but you can rest assured that they’ll include some of the leading lights in house, techno, and electronica. Past acts that have graced the stages include The Chemical Brothers, David Guetta, Skrillex, Deadmau5, and the list goes on. Electric Zoo usually takes place on the first weekend of September.

Lunar New Year Parade and Festival

When dragons come to Manhattan

The Lunar New Year Parade and Festival, also colloquially known as the Chinese New Year Festival, takes place in the middle of winter and is a fantastic showcase of the booming multiculturalism of this megacity. It happens in the enthralling Chinatown area of Manhattan, which spreads from East Broadway to Lower Manhattan.

At the festival, you’ll find everything from dragon dances to Chinese music performers taking to the streets. The main parades tend to converge down Mott Street and Canal Street, but there are also events to see on all the narrow side alleys of the area. In addition, there are talks on Chinese history at the Museum of Chinese in America, along with related performances by the New York Philharmonic.

Winter Jazzfest

An event to get groovy in the midwinter

The Winter Jazzfest has been one of the leading events in the jazz calendar for New York City since it was first inaugurated in 2005. It’s a multi-venue event that takes place in intimate underground bars and bigger stages alike, all of which are spread between Downtown Manhattan and the borough of Brooklyn.

The overarching focus here is on creative and cutting-edge contemporary jazz that features both unknown and upcoming artists, as well as bigger names like JSwiss and The Sun Ra Arkestra. One of the highlights of this event is the varied nature of the stages, which might be hidden hipster bars or even al fresco spots in Central Park.

Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival

When to see pink blooms come to life

The Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival hits the Big Apple in April, which is when the cherry trees begin to burst into life as the weather warms a touch. The main event is held at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. It’s centred on the iconic Cherry Esplanade, a gorgeous run of more than 80 kanzan cherry trees that glow a shimmering, pinkish white.

The botanical gardens aren’t the only place to see the cherries of NYC get colourful come April. You can also head to Flushing Meadows, Central Park, or Roosevelt Island, all of which have their own clutches of gorgeous cherry blossom trees.