Top Events and Activities in New York This Week: May 11–17, 2026

6. Marquee Skydeck at Edge

New York nightlife is literally reaching new heights with a dance party soaring about 1,100 feet above Hudson Yards. Partygoers can head to Edge for an elevated night out surrounded by sky-high views. Expect a clubby atmosphere in one of the city's most dramatic settings. This is nightlife with a serious wow factor.

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10. Bryant Park Dance Party Series

Bryant Park's outdoor dance series returns for its 12th year, turning Wednesday and Thursday nights into global dance parties from April 29 to May 14. Free lessons start at 6pm, followed by live music. Styles range from salsa clasica and Motown/funk/R&B to Brazilian samba, swing, bachata and a Cuban salsa festival finale. It is an easy, free way to learn new moves and dance under the stars.

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28. Saturday Night with Mike Medium & Friends

This monthly late-night party brings a high-energy soundtrack curated by Mike Medium of the Heavy Hitters and Hot 97. Every third Saturday, special guest DJs keep the dance floor moving with hip-hop, R&B, reggaeton, throwback jams and more. It is designed as your new go-to Saturday ritual. Expect nonstop vibes and plenty of surprises throughout the night.

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14. Smorgasburg

Smorgasburg is back for its 16th season after returning the first weekend of April. More than 70 food vendors are serving one of the market's most globally diverse lineups yet. It remains a must-visit outdoor destination for grazing your way through cuisines from around the world. Come hungry and ready to sample.

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22. JAPAN Fes 2026

JAPAN Fes returns this month to kick off New York's outdoor food festival season in style. The beloved street food event is celebrating its 10th anniversary in the city. Expect Japanese flavors and festival energy spread across its bustling stalls. It is a flavorful way to mark a decade of this fan-favorite series.

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1. Maya Rudolph in 'Oh, Mary!'

Maya Rudolph is making her Broadway debut in the hit comedy Oh, Mary!. The six-time Emmy winner steps into the role of Mary Todd Lincoln for a strictly limited eight-week run. The show is described as deliriously unhinged, promising plenty of offbeat laughs. It is a rare chance to see Rudolph on stage in a buzzy production.

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12. 'The Rocky Horror Show'

The Rocky Horror Show returns in an exuberant Broadway revival from Roundabout Theatre Company. Directed by Sam Pinkleton and led by Luke Evans as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, this production leans into the cult musical's silly, sexy energy. The show invites audiences to "give yourself over to absolute pleasure." Fans can expect an irresistible mix of camp, music and theatrical excess.

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19. 'Schmigadoon!'

The stage adaptation of Schmigadoon! brings knowing, affectionate parody of classic musical theater to Broadway. Writer-composer Cinco Paul adapts the first season of his series with plot and songs inspired by The Music Man and Rodgers and Hammerstein favorites like Carousel, Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music. The show delivers catchy melodies, clever lyrics, regular laughs and a bit of romance under the guise of parody. A large cast of seasoned pros anchors big, joyous production numbers that celebrate old-school musical comedy.

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2. The Lower East Side Film Festival

The Lower East Side Film Festival returns for its 16th year from April 30 through May 4. Centered primarily at Village East Cinema, the festival takes over downtown venues with premieres, shorts and throwbacks. Programming also includes very downtown-coded events that match the neighborhood's creative spirit. It is a compact but lively snapshot of indie film culture.

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13. Movies Under the Palms

The Winter Garden at Brookfield Place transforms into a tropical-themed pop-up cinema for two weekends only. Movies Under the Palms offers palm-lined seating and a breezy atmosphere for film screenings. The setup creates a laid-back escape right in downtown Manhattan. It is an easy way to combine movie night with vacation vibes.

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17. Rooftop Cinema Club

Rooftop Cinema Club invites you to move movie night outdoors this spring. Screenings take place on a rooftop for fresh air views while you watch your favorite films. It is pitched as an easy fix if your calendar feels too indoorsy lately. Expect classic cinema fun with an elevated setting.

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5. Macy's Flower Show

Macy's Herald Square bursts into bloom for two weeks during the annual Flower Show, this year themed "Homegrown." Tied to America's 250th birthday celebrations, the exhibition expresses the theme through flowers, fiber and timeless handicrafts. From April 23 to May 10, visitors can explore greenhouse-inspired installations, bloom-filled planters, stained-glass garden panels, sculptural fabric birds and yarn-wrapped trees. It is an immersive spring spectacle that draws crowds year after year.

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4. MoonFest at Green-Wood Cemetery

The historic Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn adds MoonFest to its lineup of after-hours events this May. Known for musical performances, spirit tastings, twilight tours and spooky storytelling sessions, the cemetery doubles as an atmospheric cultural venue. MoonFest continues that tradition with a groovy moon-themed party among the gravestones and greenery. It is an unusual but memorable way to experience this landmark site.

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11. CityPickle in Central Park

The popular CityPickle setup returns to Central Park's Wollman Rink starting April 21 for its fourth season. The rink trades ice skates for paddles as it becomes a 14-court pickleball hub in the heart of Manhattan. Players can once again fill courts that sat empty all winter long. It is an accessible way to get active outdoors with friends or family.

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3. "Andy Warhol: Family Album" at The Whitney

The Whitney Museum debuts "Andy Warhol: Family Album," focusing on the artist's social and personal life through 732 Polaroid photographs from 1972–1973. The show taps into New Yorkers' enduring fascination with Warhol by spotlighting his intimate circles and everyday moments. Visitors can see how he used instant photography to document his world beyond the studio. It offers a more personal lens on one of pop art's biggest names.

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9. "Greater New York 2026" at MoMA PS1

"Greater New York 2026" takes over MoMA PS1 as a sprawling building-wide exhibition running through August 17. Featuring 53 artists and collectives working across nearly every medium imaginable, it acts as a snapshot of what New York artists are making right now. Visitors can wander through contemporary works that reflect today's city and culture from multiple angles. It is both ambitious survey and free admission art destination.

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"25. Marcel Duchamp at the MoMA"

The Museum of Modern Art presents a major Marcel Duchamp retrospective, the first of its kind in North America in five decades. On view from April 12 to August 22 in partnership with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, it gathers nearly 300 works spanning six decades and multiple mediums. Highlights include his Cubist masterpiece "Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2)" and his "portable museum," The Box in a Valise. The show traces Duchamp's radical ideas and readymades that reshaped modern art.

26. 2026 Whitney Biennial

The Whitney Biennial asks what American art looks like right now and answers: complicated.

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