This year, Bastille Day, the French national holiday that commemorates the storming of the Bastille in 1789 and a turning point in the French Revolution, lines up with the World Cup Final between France and Croatia. Here are our Untapped picks for how to celebrate and other events happening in New York City this week:
Friday, July 13th
Join a talk with Untapped Cities founder Michelle Young at Impact Travel Immersion, a full day, bootcamp style event with expert-led classes on business, marketing and innovation within the travel industry, with a special focus on sustainability, presented by Impact Travel Alliance.
Rock out to an all female-led lineup at Garthapalooza, a concert and immersive screening of Wayne’s World presented by BBQ Films at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. In addition to watching the film and live bands, enjoy themed drinks, step into the legendary basement studio, and do plenty of “Bohemian” head banging.
Grab your camera and stake out a spot on the street to capture the last Manhattenhenge of 2018 starting at 8:21pm. According to The Museum of Natural History, you should position yourself as far east in Manhattan as possible and face west, making sure you can still see New Jersey. The streets with the clearest views are 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, and 57th.
Saturday, July 14th
Get exclusive access to Brooklyn Bridge Beach for one day only as part of the eleventh annual City of Water Day Festival! There will also be family friendly activities like kayak racing, boat tours, and a celebration of the Erie Canal’s bicentennial at Piers 16 and 17 in the Seaport District.
Explore the over 100-year-old contagious disease hospital at Ellis Island on Untapped Cities’ Behind-the-Scenes Hard Hat Tour. Visit spaces in the abandoned hospital complex that are only accessible with a guide.
Celebrate Bastille Day with the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) at their all day festival, Bastille Day on 60th Street! From noon until 5pm enjoy French food, wine, culture, and entertainment, plus a live screening of the World Cup Final starting at 11am. The festival takes place on East 60th Street, from Fifth Avenue to Lexington Avenue.
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge while learning the epic history of its construction, and discover some of the bridge’s hidden features, like champagne vaults and a fall-out shelter, on our Secrets of the Brooklyn Bridge Tour!
Join a historic bitters and vodka tasting at Our / New York, the first distillery to open in Manhattan since prohibition! Sip on a cocktail made with bitters based on an 1860’s recipe, found and recreated by archaeologist Alyssa Loorya of Chrysalis Archaeology, while learning the process of creating the bitters and the history of alcohol in New York City.
Stargaze at the Highline with the help of high-powered telescopes provided by members of the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York. Stargazing events at the High Line take place every Tuesday until October 30, beginning at dusk.
Wenesday, July 18th
Attend the opening reception for Diana Al-Hadid: Delirious Matter, at the Bronx Museum of the Arts. This new exhibit will feature the sculptural work of Syrian-born and Brooklyn-based artist Diana Al-Hadid and will run through October 14th.
Thursday July 19th
Indulge in beer and chocolate samples from Harlem Blue and Harlem Chocolate Factory on the terrace of the Museum of the City of New York for Unexpected Pairings, a discussion with local Harlem business owners about beer and chocolate and their personal stories of reinvention. Later, enjoy a live jazz-swing-pop fusion performance by singer Marjie Shrimpton, with Henry Koperski on keyboard.
Nicole Saraniero is the Insider-in-Chief at Untapped New York, leading our Untapped New York Insiders membership program. Nicole graduated from Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Science in Televis
