The Fourth of July falls right in the middle of the week this year, leaving important decisions to be made for New Yorkers. Take the whole week off, the first half, the second half? Or stay in New York City? For those opting to chill in town, we’ve compiled some unique, alternative ways to spend the Fourth of July, and the whole week around it.
This year marks the 241th anniversary of Independence Day, and most Fourth of July festivities will include grills, day drinks, fireworks — maybe even getaways around New York City. However, in a city like New York, those events are far from the only things taking place to help celebrate the occasion.
Here’s a list of 12 alternative activities (without exclusive red-white-and-blue dress codes) you can do this coming Fourth of July week. And if you want a guide to where to watch the fireworks, Macy’s has a handy map with official viewing points and where the barges will be!
1. The First-Ever Bronx Night Market
Photo by Marco Shalma courtesy The Bronx Night Market
In the mood for some delicious food, artisanal products, and live music? Head on up to the Bronx’s first-ever Night Market, at Fordham Plaza this Saturday from 4 to 9 PM. Following the lead of the Queens International Night Market, which opened in 2014, the Bronx Night Market will feature more than 40 food vendors, as well as a variety of art and merchandise vendors.
Founders Marco Shalma of bloxnyc and Amanda Celestino of Edible Bronx say the Bronx Night Market a “mission to make sure that the greater New York recognizes the culinary, crafty Bronx” that they know. Shalma says that the food available will “represent the city’s diverse culinary offerings and stands to be the biggest of its kind in the boogie down.” The market’s website says the market will highlight “the global community within our city.”
2. Midsummer Night Swing at Lincoln Center
For 30 years, Lincoln Center has been hosting its Midsummer Night Swing event, which celebrates the spirit and energy of the 1920s and 1930s. There will be something every night starting today, not just on the Fourth of July. Tonight will be Gerard Carelli and His Orchestra, tomorrow The Glenn Crytzer Orchestra. July 4th itself will feature the Mambo Legends Orchestra. Each evening will have a different style of music, with a dance instructor to get your feet moving.
3. Special Access Tour of the Woolworth Building
The Woolworth Building is one of New York City’s most famous off-limits landmarks. Though its cathedral-like interior of glass and marble is landmarked, security concerns after 9/11 rendered it closed to the public unless you lived or worked in the skyscraper, once the tallest in the world. In addition to our VIP tour of the building with the building architect Cass Gilbert’s great grand daughter, we will be offering this one hour tour of the normally off-limits Woolworth Building on Tuesday, July 3rd, which will feature not only a visit through the stunning lobby but also the mezzanine and the cellar level where the bank vault still stands. On this insider tour of the Woolworth Building, you’ll get a complete picture of the engineering feat and aesthetic masterpiece that the skyscraper is.
Insider Tour of the Woolworth Building
If you’re looking for tours this weekend (June 29 and 30), we’re offering our Underground Tour of the NYC Subway, Secrets of the Brooklyn Bridge, Secrets of Central Park, Hard Hat Tour of the Abandoned Hospitals on Ellis Island, and Secrets of Grand Central Terminal.
4. French Restaurant Week Across all 5 Boroughs
Photo by Lydia Lee, courtesy French Restaurant Week
Starting on July 2, and running until July 15, New York City is hosting the 9th iteration of French Restaurant Week. In honor of Bastille Week (French National Day), a number of French restaurants around the city are inviting residents to “Eat. Drink. Be French,” by offering special prix fixe menus. Most of the restaurants will be offering their food at three patriotic special prices: $17.89, $38 and $178.90 (with a $25 additional price point).
Participating restaurants include A.O.C. and Boucherie in Greenwich Village, Perrine on the Upper East Side, Fig & Olive in Meatpacking and more. Reserve your spot at restaurants online with one of the partners of French Restaurant Week, OpenTable.
5. Bryant Park Movie Night
Catch some Vitamin D and enjoy free movies all summer long at the Bryant Park Movie Night, presented by Bank of America. On July 2, there will be a screening of the family-friendly flick, A League of Their Own. The lawn opens at 5PM to give guests time to lay out their blankets, chairs and food for picnicking. At 8 or 9PM, depending on when the sun sets, the movie will begin playing.
Also take a look at the full list of films being shown at Bryant Park this summer. For more film screenings this week, NYC Parks and the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment will screen Independence Day at Cloves Lake Park on Staten Island on July 3. Films on the Green will show Le Boucher by Claude Chabrol in Tompkins Sq. Park on July 6. Rooftop Films will show New York Nonfiction films in Green-Wood Cemetery on July 30th.
6. Underground Tour of the NYC Subway
Inside the Chambers Street station in Lower Manhattan
Take a ride through the living history of the world’s largest rapid transit system (in area) by weaving in and out of the past and present transit hubs of lower Manhattan. This unique tour is designed to give a comprehensive history of the NYC Subway system, from its groundbreaking in 1901 up through the creation of the three different proprietary lines which were unified into the system we know today. We’ll uncover information and learn about spaces even the most seasoned commuter might not know about.
Using the 6 train as our own ten-car time machine, we will ride through and see three abandoned ghost stations that 4, 5, and 6 riders unknowingly pass through everyday: Worth Street, 18th Street and the famed City Hall Station.
Underground Tour of the NYC Subway
7. Independence Day at Historic Richmond Town
Leap through time into Historic Richmond Town on Staten Island, originally founded in 1856 as the Staten Island historical Society. Technically speaking, it’s a museum dedicated to an authentic portrayal of colonial America through the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. A fascinating feature of Historic Richmond Town is its many preserved government buildings and farm houses, some of which were relocated from other parts of Staten Island.
Independence Day at Historic Richmond is an afternoon event open to all, featuring old-fashioned pie and ice cream-making demonstrations, museum tours, appearances from historical figures, and a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence. For all those with young kids in need of a proper Independence Day education. Find more information here.
8. SummerStage Music Festival Across NYC
Photo by Nick Childers courtesy City Parks Foundation
Throughout Fourth of July week, enjoy free shows across the five boroughs with the City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage music festival. On July 1st, Broken Social Scene will be in Central Park with guest friends and two-time Grammy award winner Melanie Fiona will be at Betsy Head Park in Brooklyn. On July 5th, Haitian group Ram will be at Springfield Park in Queens. Check out the full lineup of the SummerStage festival.
9. International African Arts Festival, Commodore Barry Park in Brooklyn
June 30 through through July 4, New Yorkers can experience the 47th annual International African Arts Festival at Brooklyn’s Commodore Barry Park. The Festival, which started in 1971, acts both as a celebration of African culture as well as a fundraiser to support African arts. Enjoy performances by many musical artists such as Akae Beka, Wordsmith, and dance and drum troupes.
There will also be vendors selling handcrafted merchandise such as jewelry, furniture and sculptures, in addition to an outdoor food court that will serve diverse options of savory African, Caribbean and Latin American cuisine. New this year is the first-ever African World Documentary Film Festival. The suggested donation is $5 at the gate, but anything one can or is willing to give is welcome. For more information, call 718-638-6700 or email info@iaafestival.org.
10. From Grit to Hip, a Williamsburg Walking Tour
Photograph by Sofia Andrade A. Cirino
Join our tour of Williamsburg, from Grit to Hip, developed in partnership with the Wythe Hotel and we promise you will see the neighborhood in a whole new light. The tour is led by Untapped Cities’ tour guide and history columnist, Justin Rivers. On this tour discover how Williamsburg was originally created as a real estate development to attract wealthy Manhattanites and trace the footprint of this long-gone era of Williamsburg. Learn about the counter culture which thrived in the neighborhood during the 90’s and where this history is being preserved today. Locate and decipher works of art from today’s creative community including the mosaic glass water tower and shed by renowned artist Tom Fruin and see the Mona Lisa of Williamsburg and hear the story behind it.
From Grit to Hip, a Williamsburg Walking Tour
10. New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) at Lincoln Center
If foreign films are your thing, the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) is the way to go. NYAFF is celebrating its 17th year with a screening of Asian films at the Walter Reade Theater at Film Society of Lincoln Center. On July 4th, the films that will be played are The Age of Blood, The Big Call, Gatao 2: Rise of the King, Paradox, and The Brink.
The festival is happening June 29 through July 15. For a full lineup of the festivals films and for ticket information (both individual and packages) visit the festival’s official site.
12. Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island
Although the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest isn’t necessarily “less-traditional,” like New York City’s many other eating contests, this annual competition is a sight to behold. This year, contestants will try to claim the title from Joey Chestnut, who nabbed the contest record last year and the year before, as well as Miki Sudo on the women’s side. The event takes place at Coney Island on July 4th at 10am and is free to the public. Also catch it live on ESPN.
13. “Mom-and-Pops of the LES” Art Installation
Image Courtesy of James and Karla Murray
“Mom-and-Pops of the L.E.S.,” a new sculptural art installation in Seward Park, is raising awareness of the importance of mom-and-pop shops to the fabric of the community. The installation features photographs taken by NYC based photographers James and Karla Murray of four small, family owned shops in the Lower East Side, most of which have already closed down. This near life-sized installation can be seen inside the park on Essex Street and East Broadway.
If you are or become and Untapped Cities Insider, you can join James and Kayla Murray for a walkthrough of their exhibit and tour of nearby Mom-and-Pop businesses on Friday, July 6th.
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Check out our full list of Behind the Scenes tours!
