Calendar of Events

The following information is always subject to change. Confirm information before you make plans around a specific event. Call the venue or the NYCVB at tel. 212/484-1222, go to www.nycvisit.com, or buy a copy of Time Out New York when you arrive for the latest details.

January

New York National Boat Show. Slip on your Top-Siders and head to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center for the boat show, which promises a leviathan fleet of boats and marine products from the world's leading manufacturers. Call tel. 212/984-7000 or visit www.boatshows.com or www.javitscenter.com. First or second week in January.

Restaurant Week. Twice a year some of the best restaurants in New York offer three-course prix-fixe meals at almost affordable prices. At lunch, the deal is $24.07 (as in 24/7), while dinner is $35. Some restaurants in 2007 included stalwarts such as Esca, LeCirque, Union Square Café, and Devi. Call tel. 212/484-1222 for info or visit www.nycvisit.com. Late January.

February

Chinese New Year. Every year, Chinatown rings in its own New Year (based on a lunar calendar) with 2 weeks of celebrations, including parades with dragon and lion dancers, plus vivid costumes of all kinds. The parade usually winds throughout Chinatown along Mott, Canal, and Bayard streets, and along East Broadway. Call the NYCVB hot line at tel. 212/484-1222 or the Asian American Business Development Center at tel. 212/966-0100. Chinese New Year falls on February 7 in 2008, and it's the Year of the Rat.

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The ultimate purebred-pooch fest. Some 30,000 dog fanciers from the world over congregate at Madison Square Garden for the 130th "World Series of Dogdom." All 2,500 dogs are American Kennel Club Champions of Record, competing for the Best in Show trophy. Check the website www.westminsterkennelclub.org for further info. Tickets are available after January 1 via Ticketmaster (tel. 212/307-7171; www.ticketmaster.com). February 11 and 12, 2008.

March

Triple Pier Antiques Show. The city's largest and most comprehensive antiques show takes place over 2 consecutive weekends, as more than 600 dealers exhibit their treasures, ranging from jewelry to home furnishings, on three piers along the Hudson River between 48th and 51st streets. Pier 88 features 20th-century modern collectibles; Pier 90 has all manner of Americana, including country rustic, folk art, and Arts and Crafts; and Pier 92 houses 18th- and 19th-century formal European antiques. Call tel. 212/255-0020 for this year's dates, plus a calendar of additional shows. Usually mid-March, and again in mid-November.

St. Patrick's Day Parade. More than 150,000 marchers join in the world's largest civilian parade, as Fifth Avenue from 44th to 86th streets rings with the sounds of bands and bagpipes. The parade usually starts at 11am, but go extra early if you want a good spot. Call tel. 212/484-1222. March 17.

Easter Parade. This isn't a traditional parade, per se: There are no marching bands, no baton twirlers, no protesters. Once upon a time, New York's gentry came out to show off their tasteful but discreet toppings. Today, if you were planning to slip on a tasteful little number -- say something delicately woven in straw with a simple flower or two that matches your gloves -- you will not be the grandest lady in this springtime hike along Fifth Avenue from 48th to 57th streets. It's more about flamboyant exhibitionism, with hats and costumes that get more outrageous every year -- and anybody can join right in for free. The parade generally runs Easter Sunday from about 10am to 3 or 4pm. Call tel. 212/484-1222. March 23, 2008.

April

New York International Auto Show. Here's the irony: You don't need a car in New York, yet this is the largest car show in the U.S. Held at the Javits Center, many concept cars show up that will never roll off the assembly line but are fun to dream about. Call tel. 718/746-5300 or visit www.autoshowny.com or www.javitscenter.com. The show ran from April 6-15 in 2007.

Tribeca Film Festival. Conceived in 2002 by the unofficial mayor of TriBeCa, Robert De Niro, the festival has grown in popularity and esteem every year. In 2007, the 12-day festival featured over 250 films and included special events like a Family Festival Street Fair. Call tel. 212/941-2400 or visit www.tribecafilmfestival.org. Last week in April.

May

Bike New York: The Great Five Boro Bike Tour. The largest mass-participation cycling event in the United States attracts about 30,000 cyclists from all over the world. After a 42-mile ride through the five boroughs, finalists are greeted with a traditional New York-style celebration of food and music. Call tel. 212/932-BIKE (2453) or visit www.bikenewyork.org to register. First or second Sunday in May.

Ninth Avenue International Food Festival. Street fairs are part of the New York landscape each summer, but this is one of the best. You can spend the day sampling Italian sausages, homemade pierogi, spicy curries, and other ethnic dishes. Street musicians, bands, and vendors add to the festive atmosphere stretching along Ninth Avenue from 37th to 57th streets. Call tel. 212/484-1222. Early to mid-May.

Fleet Week. About 10,000 Navy and Coast Guard personnel are "at liberty" in New York for the annual Fleet Week at the end of May. Usually from 1 to 4pm daily, you can watch the ships and aircraft carriers as they dock at the piers on the west side of Manhattan, tour them with on-duty personnel, and watch some dramatic exhibitions by the U.S. Marines. Even if you don't take in any of the events, you'll know it's Fleet Week because those 10,000 sailors invade Midtown in their starched white uniforms. It's wonderful -- just like On the Town come to life. Call tel. 212/245-0072 or visit www.fleetweek.com (your best source for a full list of events) or www.intrepidmuseum.org. Late May.

June

Belmont Stakes. The third jewel in the Triple Crown is held at Belmont Park Race Track in Belmont, Long Island. If a Triple Crown winner is to be named, it will happen here. For information, call tel. 516/488-6000 or visit www.nyra.com. Early June.

Museum Mile Festival. Fifth Avenue from 82nd to 104th streets is closed to cars from 6 to 9pm as 20,000-plus strollers enjoy live music, from Broadway tunes to string quartets; street entertainers; and free admission to nine Museum Mile institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim. Call tel. 212/606-2296 or any of the participating institutions for details. Usually the second Tuesday in June.

Parades Around Town. During the summer there is a parade for almost every nationality or ethnicity. June is the month for (among others) the sometimes raucous but usually very colorful Puerto Rican Day Parade and the Lesbian and Gay Pride Week and March, where Fifth Avenue goes wild as the gay/lesbian community celebrates with bands, marching groups, floats, and plenty of panache. The parade starts on upper Fifth Avenue around 52nd Street and continues into the Village, where a street festival and a waterfront dance party with fireworks cap the day. Call tel. 212/807-7433 or check www.hopinc.org. Mid- to late June.

SummerStage. A summer-long festival of outdoor performances in Central Park, featuring world music, pop, folk, and jazz artists ranging from Steve Earle to Craig David to Basement Jaxx to the New York Grand Opera to the Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats. Shows are often free, but some big-name shows (referred to as "fundraisers") require tickets. Call tel. 212/360-2756 or visit www.summerstage.org. June through August.

Shakespeare in the Park. The Delacorte Theater in Central Park is the setting for first-rate free performances under the stars -- including at least one Shakespeare play each season -- often with stars on the stage. Call tel. 212/539-8500 or visit www.publictheater.org. June through August.

Restaurant Week. Late June..

July

Independence Day Harbor Festival and Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular. Start the day amid the crowds at the Great July Fourth Festival in lower Manhattan, and then catch Macy's fireworks extravaganza (one of the country's most fantastic) over the East River (the best vantage point is from FDR Dr., which closes to traffic several hours before sunset). Call tel. 212/484-1222 or Macy's Visitor Center at 212/494-2922. July 4.

Lincoln Center Festival 2008. This festival celebrates the best of the performing arts from all over -- theater, ballet, contemporary dance, opera, nouveau circus performances, even puppet and media-based art. Recent editions have featured performances by Ornette Coleman, the Royal Opera, the Royal Ballet, and the New York Philharmonic. Schedules are available in mid-March, and tickets go on sale in May or early June. Call tel. 212/546-2656 or visit www.lincolncenter.org. Throughout July.

Midsummer Night's Swing. Dancing duos head to the Lincoln Center's Josie Robertson Plaza for evenings of big-band swing, salsa, and tango under the stars to the sounds of top-flight bands. Dance lessons are offered with purchase of a ticket. Call tel. 212/875-5766 or visit www.lincolncenter.org. July and August.

Mostly Mozart. World-renowned ensembles and soloists (Alicia de Larrocha and André Watts have performed in the past) are featured at this month-long series at Avery Fisher Hall. Schedules are available in mid-April, and tickets in early May. Call tel. 212/875-5030 or 212/546-2656 for information, 212/721-6500 to order tickets, or visit www.lincolncenter.org. Late July through August.

August

Lincoln Center Out of Doors. This series of free music and dance performances is held outdoors on the plazas of Lincoln Center. Call tel. 212/875-5766 or 212/546-2656 or visit www.lincolncenter.org for the schedule (usually available in mid-July). Throughout August.

Harlem Week. The world's largest black and Hispanic cultural festival actually spans almost the whole month to include the Black Film Festival, the Harlem Jazz and Music Festival, and the Taste of Harlem Food Festival. Expect a full slate of music, from gospel to hip-hop, and lots of other festivities. Call tel. 212/484-1222. Throughout August.

New York International Fringe Festival. Held in a variety of downtown venues and park spaces for a crowd looking for the next underground hit, this arts festival presents alternative as well as traditional theater, musicals, dance, comedy, and all manner of performance. Hundreds of events are held at all hours over about 10 days. The quality can vary wildly (lots of performers use Fringe as a workshop to develop their acts and shows), and some performances really push the envelope. Nonetheless, you'd be surprised at how many shows are actually good. Call tel. 888/FRINGE-NYC or 212/279-4488; to purchase tickets, 800/965-4827 or visit www.fringenyc.org. Late August.

U.S. Open Tennis Championships. The final Grand Slam event of the tennis season is held at the Arthur Ashe Stadium at the USTA National Tennis Center, the largest public tennis center in the world, at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens. Tickets go on sale in May or early June. The event sells out immediately because many tickets are held by corporate sponsors who hand them out to customers. (It's worth it to check the list of sponsors to determine if anyone you know has a ticket connection.) You can usually buy scalped tickets outside the complex (an illegal practice, of course), which is right next to Shea Stadium. The last few matches of the tournament are the most expensive, but you'll see a lot more tennis early on, when your ticket allows you to wander the outside courts and view several matches. Call tel. 866/OPEN-TIX (it's always busy) or 718/760-6200 well in advance; visit www.usopen.org or www.usta.com for information. Two weeks around Labor Day.

September

West Indian-American Day Parade. This annual Brooklyn event is New York's largest and best street celebration. Come for the extravagant costumes, pulsating rhythms (soca, calypso, reggae), bright colors, folklore, food (jerk chicken, oxtail soup, Caribbean soul food), and two million hip-shaking revelers. The route can change from year to year, but it usually runs along Eastern Parkway from Utica Avenue to Grand Army Plaza (at the gateway to Prospect Park). Call tel. 718/467-1797; www.wiadca.org. Labor Day.

Broadway on Broadway. This free alfresco afternoon show features the songs and casts from nearly every Broadway show, on a stage in the middle of Times Square. Call tel. 212/768-1560 or visit www.timessquarenyc.org and click on "Events." Sunday in mid-September.

New York Film Festival. Legendary hits Pulp Fiction and Mean Streets both had their U.S. premieres at the Film Society of Lincoln Center's 2-week festival, a major stop on the film-fest circuit. Schedules in recent years have included advance looks at Pan's Labyrinth, Volver, and The Queen. Screenings are held in various Lincoln Center venues; advance tickets are a good bet always, and a necessity for certain events (especially evening and weekend screenings). Call tel. 212/875-5166 (for recorded information), 212/875-5050 for box office information, or check out www.filmlinc.com. Two weeks from late September to early October.

BAM Next Wave Festival. One of the city's most important cultural events takes place at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The months-long festival showcases experimental new dance, theater, and music by both renowned and lesser-known international artists. Recent performances have included Astor Piazzolla's Maria de Buenos Aires (featuring Piazzolla disciple Gidon Kremer), the 25th anniversary of the Kronos Quartet, and choreographer Bill T. Jones's We Set Out Early . . . Visibility Was Poor (set to the music of Igor Stravinsky, John Cage, and Peteris Vask). Call tel. 718/636-4100 or visit www.bam.org. September through December.

October

Feast of St. Francis. Animals from goldfish to elephants are blessed as thousands of Homo sapiens look on at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. A magical experience -- pets, of course, are welcome. A festive fair follows the blessing and music events. Buy tickets in advance because they can be hard to get. For tickets call tel. 866/468-7691, visit www.ticketweb.com; or call the cathedral's box office at tel. 212/662-2133 or visit www.stjohndivine.org. First Sunday in October.

Ice-Skating. Show off your skating style in the limelight at the diminutive Rockefeller Center rink (tel. 212/332-7654; www.rockefellercenter.com), open from mid-October to mid-March or early April (you'll skate under the magnificent Christmas tree for the month of Dec). In Central Park, try Wollman Rink on the east side of the park between 62nd and 63rd streets (tel. 212/439-6900; www.wollmanskatingrink.com), and Lasker Rink, midpark between 106th and 108th streets (tel. 917/492-3857). Both Central Park skating rinks usually close in early April.

The Pond in Bryant Park. The season here is a short one -- from October to mid-January -- but the skating is free. Call tel. 212/768-4242 or visit www.bryantpark.org.

Big Apple Circus. New York City's homegrown, not-for-profit performing-arts circus is a favorite with children and anyone who's young at heart. Big Apple is committed to maintaining the classical circus tradition with sensitivity and only features animals that have a traditional working relationship with humans. A tent is pitched in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center. Call tel. 800/922-3772 or visit www.bigapplecircus.org. Late October through January.

Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. This is Halloween at its most outrageous. You may have heard Lou Reed singing about it on his classic album New York -- he wasn't exaggerating. Drag queens and assorted other flamboyant types parade through the Village in wildly creative costumes. The parade route has changed over the years, but most recently it has started after sunset at Spring Street and marched up Sixth Avenue to 23rd Street or Union Square. Call the Village Voice Parade hot line at tel. 212/475-3333, ext. 14044, visit www.halloween-nyc.com, or check the papers for the exact route so you can watch -- or participate, if you have the threads and the imagination. October 31.

November

The Chocolate Show. This burgeoning 4-day event devoted to chocolate takes place each year about 2 weeks before Thanksgiving and is open to the public. The event is at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea and features booths representing over 50 of the world's best chocolate makers, tastings, demonstrations, and activities for children. For info, call 866/CHOC-NYC or 212/889-5112 or visit www.chocolateshow.com. Call for 2008 dates.

New York City Marathon. Some 30,000 runners from around the world participate in the largest U.S. marathon, and more than a million fans cheer them on as they follow a route that touches all five New York boroughs and finishes at Central Park. Call tel. 212/423-2249 or 212/860-4455, or visit www.nyrrc.org, where you can find applications. First Sunday in November. November 4, 2007.

Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. A rather gaudy extravaganza, but lots of fun. Starring the Radio City Rockettes and a cast that includes live animals (just try to picture the camels sauntering into the Sixth Ave. entrance!). For information, call tel. 212/247-4777 or visit www.radiocity.com; buy tickets at the box office or via Ticketmaster's Radio City Hot Line (tel. 212/307-1000), or visit www.ticketmaster.com. Throughout November and December.

Triple Pier Antiques Show. The city's largest antiques show takes place over 2 consecutive weekends, usually before Thanksgiving; for details, see "March,". Call tel. 212/255-0020 or visit www.stellashows.com for this year's dates.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The procession from Central Park West and 77th Street and down Broadway to Herald Square at 34th Street continues to be a national tradition. Huge hot-air balloons in the forms of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Snoopy, the Pink Panther, Bart Simpson, and other cartoon favorites are the best part. The night before, you can usually see the big blow-up on Central Park West at 79th Street; call in advance to see if it will be open to the public. Call tel. 212/484-1222 or Macy's Visitor Center at tel. 212/494-2922. November 23, 2007.

The Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky's holiday favorite is performed by the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center. The annual schedule is available beginning in mid-July, and tickets usually go on sale in early October. Call tel. 212/870-5570 or go online to www.nycballet.com. Late November through early January.

Lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. The annual lighting ceremony is accompanied by ice skaters, singing, entertainment, and a huge crowd. The tree stays lit 24/7 until after the New Year. Call tel. 212/332-6868 or visit www.rockefellercenter.com. Late November or early December.

December

Holiday Trimmings. Stroll down festive Fifth Avenue and you'll see a 27-foot sparkling snowflake floating over the intersection outside Tiffany's, the Cartier building ribboned and bowed in red, wreaths warming the necks of the New York Public Library's lions, and fanciful figurines in the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor. Madison Avenue between 55th and 60th streets is also a good bet; Sony Plaza usually displays something fabulous, as does Barney's New York. Throughout December.

Christmas Traditions. In addition to the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular and the New York City Ballet's staging of The Nutcracker, traditional holiday events include A Christmas Carol at The Theater at Madison Square Garden (tel. 212/465-6741 or www.thegarden.com, or tel. 212/307-7171 or www.ticketmaster.com for tickets), usually featuring a big name to draw in the crowds. At Avery Fisher Hall is the National Chorale's singalong performances of Handel's Messiah (tel. 212/875-5030; www.lincolncenter.org) for a week before Christmas. Don't worry if the only words you know are "Alleluia, Alleluia!" -- a lyrics sheet is given to ticket holders. Throughout December.

Lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah. Everything is done on a grand scale in New York, so it's no surprise that the world's largest menorah (32 ft. high) is at Manhattan's Grand Army Plaza, Fifth Avenue and 59th Street. Hanukkah celebrations begin at sunset, with the lighting of the first of the giant electric candles. December 5, 2007.

New Year's Eve. The biggest party of all is in Times Square, where raucous revelers count down the year's final seconds until the ball drops at midnight at 1 Times Sq. This one, in the cold surrounded by thousands of drunks, is a masochist's delight. Call tel. 212/768-1560 or 212/484-1222 or visit www.timessquarenyc.org. December 31.

Runner's World Midnight Run. Enjoy fireworks followed by the New York Road Runners Club's annual run in Central Park, which is fun for runners and spectators alike; call tel. 212/860-4455 or visit www.nyrrc.org. December 31.

Brooklyn's fireworks celebration. Head to Brooklyn for the city's largest New Year's Eve fireworks celebration at Prospect Park. Call tel. 718/965-8999 or visit www.prospectpark.org. December 31.

New Year's Eve Concert for Peace. The Cathedral of St. John the Divine is known for its annual concert, whose past performers have included the Manhattan School of Music Chamber Sinfonia, Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown (Parade), American soprano Lauren Flanigan, and the Forces of Nature Dance Company. Call tel. 212/316-7540 for information, 212/662-2133 for tickets, or go online to www.stjohndivine.org. December 31.