NYC Summer Festivals: What To Do When You Don't Have A Beach House

NEW YORK, NY — New York in the summer means quieter streets, empty restaurants – and festivals almost every weekend. Here's the lowdown of what you can do if you find yourself without a beach retreat.

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Mermaid Parade

Where: Coney Island

When: Saturday, June 17

The Mermaid Parade in Brooklyn’s Coney Island is a celebration of ancient mythology and honky-tonk rituals of the seaside – and a way over-the-top procession that has gained international fame. With 3,000 participants and flamboyant costumes, the events been going since 1983. This year, the parade kicks off at 1 p.m. between West 21st Street and Surf Avenue.

French Comedy Festival

Where: Florence Gould Hall, 55 E. 59th St.

When: Monday, June 21 to Saturday, June 24

After the success of the first French Comedy Festival in 2016, the event returns as an homage to true francophone comedy, inspired and encouraged by the French-speaking community in the United States. Twelve comedians will perform across eight shows over the course of the four-day event.

Taste the World

Where: Grand Bazaar NYC, 100 W. 77th St.

When: Sunday, June 25

This year’s Taste the World International Food Festival will feature cuisines from countries all over the world, from American to Colombian, Lebanese to Indian. There will be vendors showcasing — and offering — vegetarian dishes, desserts and specialty beverages. A full list of participating restaurants is available on organizer Famous Food Festival’s website. More than 50 food vendors will be on site, as well as more than 100 non-food stalls, amid a 40,000-square-foot setting from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

PrideFest

Where: Hudson Street

When: Sunday, June 25

PrideFest, an annual LGBT street festival that serves as the culmination of Pride Week will kick off its 24th year on Hudson Street between Abindon Square and W 14th Street from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Featuring vendors, entertainers and activities joining together in the name of equality, PrideFest attracts thousands of out-of-state visitors and brings them together with residents and families, corporate sponsors, community leaders and business owners. Multi-platinum-selling artist LeAnn Rimes will headline this year’s event.

Arab-American & North African Cultural Street Festival

Where: Great Jones Street

When: Saturday, July 8

The National Network of Arab-American Professionals (NAAP) brings to New York City a celebration of Arab and North African cultures, aiming to honor those cultures’ contributions and accomplishments through food, music, art and literature. The annual Arab-American and North African Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will showcase a range of performers representing North Africa, the Gulf and Levant. There will also be a kids booth, a hookah cafe and around 30 vendors selling traditional and nontraditional clothing, henna, food, music and films.

Harlem Book Fair

Where: West 13th Street at Malcom X Boulevard

When: Saturday, July 15

Per the Harlem Book Fair website, the mission of the fair is to create access to the transformative power of reading by celebrating, encouraging and promoting literacy, as well as literacy awareness, to strengthen the vitality of the African-American community. The annual event is the nation’s largest African-American book fair, featuring exhibition booths, panel discussion, book sales and workshops from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Panorama Music Festival

Where: Randall’s Island

When: Friday, July 28 to Sunday, July 30

Panorama Music Festival is a three-day music extravaganza that made its debut in 2016 with such performers as Kendrick Lamar, Arcade Fire and The Verge. The festival, now known as “the east coast Coachella,” is set to return to its home on Randall’s Island. This year, the lineup includes performances by Frank Ocean, Solange, Tyler the Creator, Nine Inch Nails, A Tribe Called Quest, Glass Animals and a bounty of others.

Electric Zoo

Where: Randall’s Island

When: Friday, Sept. 1 to Sunday, Sept. 3

Randall’s Island has become a premier destination for festival organizers — and Electric Zoo is no exception. Established in 2009 by Made Event, the internationally renowned Electric Zoo Festival is one of New York City’s largest and features some of the top names in electronic music. This year’s theme is “The Sixth Boro.” The lineup will feature performances by deadmau5, Armin, Galantis, Above & Beyond, Martin Solveig and numerous others.

West Indian American Day Carnival

Where: Eastern Parkway

When: Monday, Sept. 4

Brooklyn’s West Indian American Day Carnival promotes a singular mission: to develop and celebrate Caribbean culture, arts, history and tradition. Founded by Jessie Wardell in the 1930s who staged costume parties in large, enclosed spaces (such as the Savoy, Renaissance and Audubon Ballrooms), the carnival today has grown to more than 1 million attendees.

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