New York City Things to Do In June

NYC is all about pride and celebration this month. Celebration of diversity, freedom, and the beginning of Summer Fridays (IYKYK).

June 19th celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. The NYC community honors this day in multiple ways. Join The Federation of Black Cowboys’ Emancipation Day on June 15th for pony rides, ceremony, readings and a family picnic. Fill your soul with music, all of which can track back its roots to black innovators. Lincoln Center has a full evening roster of performances with a closing concert at Damrosch Park. Support black-owned restaurants during Black Restaurant Week June 16 – 30th. Over 80 participating locations in the city and New Jersey. Stay close to hotels near midtown Manhattan and check out Chop House, Jasmines Caribbean, and Voila Afrique.

All month celebrates Pride and highlights this year’s theme of Reflect. Empower. Unite with a full calendar of events: talks, pub crawls, and social gatherings. And, of course, the march on June 30th and the best party in town, PrideFest in Greenwich Village to cap it all off.

It’s officially movie-in-the-park season. Pick a night and see something for the first time or the 100th. Bring layers, blanket, snacks, and bug spray. It’s also mosquito season! Bryant Park is showing some classics this month and if you like subtitles and french, the French Film Festival is showing films every Friday evening at multiple locations.

And you can’t close out June without noting the legacies: Mermaid Parade – a classic, Tribeca Film Festival – check out De Niro Con, and all the outdoor food markets across the boroughs. All telling us Summer is officially here (if the 80 degree weather didn’t already clue you in).