The weekend is finally drawing near, which means New York City is pulsing to life with plenty of exciting activities. This week, celebrate spring with the Prospect Park Alliance, join a celebration of art and music, and discover the hidden history of our city. Here’s what’s in store:
Friday, April 6th
Today is the last day to join the Prospect Park Alliance for Spring Break activities at the Audubon Center, the Lefferts Historic House, the Carousel and the Tennis Center. Enjoy a nature exploration, go on a few rides and see art in the park!
Saturday, April 7th
The story of Grand Central Terminal is that of New York City itself: the structure embodies the social, cultural, economic and technological evolution around it. It is one of great men, feuding architects, ingenuity, rejuvenation, secrets and surprises. On our Secrets of Grand Central Terminal tour, we will tell you these stories — about what once was, what could have been, and what can be. Join us to see the transit hub’s hidden tennis courts, peek into the entrance of its glass walkways and much more.
Tour of the Secrets of Grand Central Terminal
The New York City edition of International Pillow Fight Day takes place at Washington Square Park this weekend! Make sure to prepare your fluffiest (featherless) pillows and teddy bears for the showdown.
Taking place at Metropolitan West (639 West 46th Street) this year, the MoCCA Arts Festival (Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art) is a two-day, multimedia event with 400 exhibiting artists displaying work in comics, cartoon and animation. The event, which draws over 7,000 attendees each year, will feature workshops, lectures, and film screenings. Here are the complete schedules for April 7th and April 8th.
If you can’t attend the spring break activities at Prospect Park, head to the Brooklyn green space on the 7th and 8th for its opening weekend celebration, where you can enjoy a 1860s-style ballgame, a campfire conversation, a scavenger hunt, running and walking tours, Smorgasburg and more!
Sunday, April 8th
The abandoned Ellis Island Hospital complex — once the standard for United States medical care (and later transformed to the FBI headquarters when the island served as a detention center) — has been left to decay for nearly 60 years. Now, Untapped Cities is bringing you behind-the-scenes for a unique exploration of the abandoned facility; on this experience, you’ll visit its contagious disease wards, the autopsy rooms and have exclusive access to places usually closed to the public.
Behind-the-Scenes Hard Hat Tour of the Abandoned Ellis Island Hospital
We also have a few tickets left for our Underground Tour of the NYC Subway. 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 New York City 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. See the architectural ghosts of the now nearly forgotten Chambers Street station and use the 6 train as your own time machine to ride through abandoned subway stations.
Underground Tour of the NYC Subway
Monday, April 9th
Head to The Arsenal in Central Park for its Natural Impact exhibition, which explores the tension between mankind and Mother Nature through paintings, screen prints and sculptures.
Join Joseph E. B. Elliott, Nathaniel Popkin, and Peter Woodall in celebrating the launch of Philadelphia – Finding the Hidden City. Authors Nathaniel Popkin and Peter Woodall will be present in conversation with Untapped Cities’ very own, Michelle Young. The event takes place at 6pm at NYU’s Institute for Public Knowledge.
Tuesday, April 10th
Calling all foodies! Sample the best of what Brooklyn has to offer at A Taste of Fifth, taking place in Grand Prospect Hall. The one-day festival — a celebration of flavor, community and the culture of the borough — will feature live music, food, and drinks!
Wednesday, April 11th
The urban environmentalists bringing a carnivalesque procession to the Lower East Side will be hosting several workshops, where participants can design and create their own puppets and nature-oriented costumes for a forthcoming pageant. The event is organized by Earth Celebrations, an arts-based organization founded in 1991.
Thursday, April 12th
The Guggenheim is coming alive with a night of art, music and pop-up performances, curated by Naama Tsabar. The museum is celebrating the important work of the Young Collectors Council, which has acquired more than 140 works of contemporary art for the Guggenheim’s permanent collection over the past 20 years.
