5 Things To Do In NYC this Weekend!

What are we doing this weekend?

Perhaps a day at the Brooklyn Museum to check out  the uber-New Yorker Spike Lee exhibit? Or the new-to-open Balloon Museum. If you’re feeling the holiday spirit (ghost-joke), you can get a spooky pick me up at INTER_in Soho for their Halloween Activation. Since it’s FINALLY going to be a nice weekend, you might want to hit Manhattan's first public beach along the West Side Highway and pack a picnic lunch? Or maybe head over to Governors Island to check out Pumpkin Point. So many things to do! 

1. INTER_Halloween

Head up to Soho for some spooky fun at INTER_, the interactive space at 415 Broadway. Their Halloween activation will have loads of interactive art experiences and light displays fun for all ages. Taking place from now until November 5, the INTER_ Halloween also features candy and trick or treating, haunting surprises, and more. On Thursdays-Sundays you there is even more fun to be had including DIY pumpkin decorating and live tarot card readings. Tickets can be purchased at  https://www.interiam.co/happenings/interween

Photo courtesy of INTER_

2. Spike Lee: Creative Sources at the Brooklyn Museum

You cannot consider yourself a true New Yorker if you don’t head on over to the Brooklyn Museum to check out Spike Lee: Creative Sources. Get a little more insight into the creative inspirations of one of the most influential directors out there, a true New Yorker (by way of Atlanta!)

His collection of personal effects feature a throughline of black history and culture, Brooklyn, sports, music, cinema history and family. A lot of important themes to fuel family conversations about how life and experience influence art. At the end, snap up a “Crooklyn Museum” tee for posterity!

Photo: Spike Lee as Mars Blackmon from She's Gotta Have It (Spike Lee, 1986, 84 min). (Photo © David C. Lee)

Balloon Museum

There’s another pop up experience coming to NYC  this week, and it’s full of hot air! You got it, the Balloon Museum. As these things go, it looks very Insta worthy and fun for all ages. Let’s Fly experience will take you on an interactive sensory journey, where you can play, tough and feel your way through the different worlds like that of Michael Shaw and his aerial installation entitled “Lava Lamp”, Sasha Frolova and her kaleidoscopic fountain and Cyril Lancelin and his luminous labyrinth. Founded in 2020, Balloon Museum started in Rome. We’re thrilled it’s flown on over to the Big Apple! Find out more and get tickets at https://balloonmuseum.world/. Begins October 27.

Heading to the Beach

It’s going to FINALLY be a nice weekend! We’ve suffered through rainy weekend after rainy weekend so this is one to take advantage of! Be sure to head over to the West Side and check out Gansevoort Peninsula, the very first public beach right next to Day's End (David Hammons' haunting sculpture of a pier shed). There’s a rocky seating ledge and 1,200 tons of sand dotted with Adirondack chairs. It's a perfect spot for a picnic or sundowner. For kayakers, there’s water access — but please don’t try to swim!

Taking the Ferry to Governors Island 

It’s always nice on a beautiful day to hop on the ferry and go island-hopping from Manhattan to Governors Island. This weekend, it’s the seasonal choice to visit Pump­kin Point, a free pump­kin patch and fall fes­ti­val at Nolan Park. There will be food, pumpkin picking (free with suggested donation), and special events like Bombastic Bubble Show (11am & 12:30 pm, Saturday), Mini pumpkin painting (11am-4pm, Saturday & Sunday), H-OWL-oween Costume Contest with NYC Audubon (12pm Sunday). Find out more:  Pumpkin Point 2023 | Governors Island (en-US) (govisland.com)

Photo by Julienne Schaer / Governors Island