5 Outdoor Events to Enjoy in New York Before the Cold Creeps In

2. Governor’s Island

We’ve already highlighted Governor’s Island in an article on Matador Trips this week, but we like it so much, we want to mention it again.

It’s no longer the well-kept secret it was a couple years ago, but the island is still plenty large for stretching out and finding your own patch of grass suitable for a picnic or an afternoon spent taking photos (best views in the city of the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan). Events—art installations, concerts, lectures, and more—are scheduled through the end of September and into the first two weeks of October.

3. Central Park Film Festival

Bryant Park’s screen came down; Central Park’s went up. The festival opened on August 18 with a showing of “Sex and the City,” and continues through this Saturday with “Shaft,” “Ocean’s 11,” “Twilight,” and “Men in Black.” The films are free– all you need is a blanket. You can find the schedule and details here.

4. Socrates Sculpture Park and LIC Community Boathouse

In addition to hosting a live outdoor performance of “Romeo and Juliet” on the 22 and performance art on the 29 and 30, this waterfront art park in Long Island City, Queens is located within shouting distance of the LIC Community Boathouse, which offers paddling through the end of September and into early October. Try your luck winning the lottery for the Friday Night’s sunset hour “Chill Paddle.”

5. Starlight Music Series, Top of the Rock, Rockefeller Center

Starting on September 9 and running through October 7, Rockefeller Center’s Top of the Rock (the Empire State Building’s closest competitor for sky-high views) will be hosting a Starlight Music Series each Wednesday, complete with music, wine, and summer sunsets. It’ll cost you though; at $20 per person, this entertainment doesn’t come cheap.

Community Connection:

Trying to get some time on the water in before the summer ends? Check out Paul Brady’s “7 Ways to Get on the Water in New York City.”