28th Annual Museum Mile Festival
June 13, 2006 6-9 pm. Fifth Avenue (82-105 Streets) 212-606-2296
New York City's Fifth Avenue between 82nd and 105th Streets is known as "Museum Mile" because of the plethora of Museums that line this twenty block stretch. Nine museums in total offer a broad spectrum of cultural diversity through art, Once a year these museums simultaneously open their doors free of charge. To facilitate access by pedestrians and to create space for outdoor activities, Museum Mile is closed off to traffic during this event.

The nine participating museums are:

El Museo del Barrio (at 105 Street) www.elmuseo.org

Museum of The City of New York www.mcny.org

The Jewish Museum (at 92nd Street) www.thejewishmuseum.org

Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum -Smithsonian Institution
(at 91 Street) www.si.edu/ndm

National Academy Museum of Fine Arts (at 90 Street) www.nationalacademy.org

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (at 89 Street) www.guggenheim.org

Neue Galerie New York (at 86 Street) www.neuegalarie.org

Goethe Institut (at 83 Street) www.goethe.de/newyork

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (at 82 Street) www.metmuseum.org

The Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit
Saturday May 28 - Monday May 30, Saturday June 4, and Sunday June 5
12-noon - 7pm, (212) 982-6255

Since 1931 in the midst of the depression, both struggling and up and coming artists have gathered for New York City's oldest juried art show, the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit. Many have gone on to become household names. For many New Yorkers this outdoor art show marks the start of Spring. Oil on canvas, watercolors, sculptures and some mixed media collages line the streets from LaGuardia Place between Bleecker and West 4th and University Place between East 3rd and East 12th Street. If you are not too familiar with the area, just head down to the Washington Square arch - you will be right at the center of it.
 

McDonald's Gospel Fest
June 15-17, 2006
NY City Center 130 West 56 Street (212) 581-1212 or outside the tri-state area (877) 581-1212

McDonald's Gospelfest sponsored by McDonald's Tri-State Owners' Association began in 1984 in an effort to create an event that would provide a competitive forum for the area's most talented Gospel choirs and also as a means of raising funds for educational scholarships. Twenty-two years later it has become the most acclaimed celebration of Gospel music in the nation. Many previous participants have gone on to successful entertainment careers, including Reverend Hezekiah Walker who continues to headline the competition each year.

 

Brooklyn Botanic Gardens - Cherry Blossom Festival
April 29 & 30, 2006
1000 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY (718) 623-7200

The Cherry Esplanade in the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens hosts a magnificent display of blossoming cherry trees representing 76 varieties within the species known in horticultural circles as Prunus "Kazan". The flowering beauties are continuously replaced as cherry trees typical will live for only 25-30 years. The two oldest trees currently at this site were planted as recently as 1970.

Just east of The Esplanade you will find Cherry Walk. Here you will see more trees from the Kazan varieties including, two that have survived from the original 1921 planting. As one would expect, additional flowering cherries including, the lovely weeping cherries can be found in the Japanese HIll and Pond Garden. To view these trees at the peak of the season, plan a visit during the last week of April or the first week of May. Temperature and rainfall can push the season back or forward. The best way to plan is to know that Brooklyn blooms about two weeks after Washington DC.

 

New York Street Fairs - Spring and Summer
From early Spring through summer, street fairs are a constant sight along New York City's streets. Occurring almost every weekend, these fairs turn wide avenues into pedestrian walkways and offer very casual browsing shopping and eating. Vendors become familiar faces for those who visit various fairs throughout the season. Merchandise ranges from fast food to kitchen gadgets and from low end apparel to plants. If you have an hour or so to spare, a little energy and a lot of curiosity, here is a list of upcoming fairs.

Spring Festival Broadway
Sunday, May 7. 86th - 96th Streets

The Annual Village Fair
Sunday, May 7. Broadway between Houston and Grand Streets

West Side Festival Broadway
Sunday, May 28. 72nd - 86th Streets

Annual Plantathon and Craft Fair
Sunday, June 4. 73rd - 86th Streets

Columbus Avenue Summer Festival
Sunday, June 25. 86th - 96th Streets

Gramercy Park Neighborhood Festival
Saturday, May 13. Park Avenue from 17th -23rd Streets

Children of The World Festival
Saturday, May 15. 6th Avenue from 42nd - 56th Street

Times Square Fair
Sunday, May 28. 7th Avenue from 47th - 57th Street

Madison Avenue Community Expo
Monday, May 29. 42nd - 57th Street

Lexington Avenue Spring Festival
Saturday, June 3. 42nd - 57th Street

Stuyvesant Park Neighborhood
2nd Avenue Fair Saturday, June 10. 14th - 23rd Street

International Cultures Festival
Saturday, June 18.
6th Avenue from 42dn - 56th Street

Times Square Expo
Saturday, June 24. 7th Avenue from 47th - 57th Street

Times Square Block Party
Saturday, July 1. 7th Avenue 47th - 57th Street

USO Avenue of the Americas Summerfest
Sunday, July 9. 6th Avenue from 42nd - 56th Street

NYC Celebration of Nations Festival
Sunday, July 16. Madison Avenue from 42nd - 57th Street

East Side Summer Festival
Sunday, July 23. Lexington Ave. from 42nd - 57th Street

Washington Square Summer Fair
Saturday, July 29. Bleecker Street from Broadway - 6th Avenue

St Association Jazz Festival
Sunday, July 30. 52nd Street from Lexington - 7th Avenue

Festival of the Americas
Sunday, August 6. 6th Avenue from 42nd - 56th Street

Madison Avenue Summer Fair
Sunday, August 13. Madison Avenue fro 42-57

Summer Seaport Festival
Saturday, August 19. Water Street from Fulton - Broad Street

Lexington Avenue Summerfest
Sunday, August 20. Lexington Avenue from 42nd - 57th Street

Gramercy Park Neighborhood Festival
Sunday, August 26. 3rd Avenue from 14th - 23rd Street

Third Avenue Merchandise Fair
Sunday, August 27. 3rd Avenue from 23-34 Streets
 

30th Annual American Crafts Festival at Lincoln Center
June 3 & 4, June 10 & 11 Saturdays 12-noon - 9pm, Sundays 11am - 9pm Columbus Avenue at 64th Street.

Drawing a crowd of visitors totaling over 100,000, this is considered to be the best crafts show in New York City. This biannual event takes place in the Josie Robertson Plaza and extends back on either side of the Metropolitan Opera house towards Damrosch Park and the Vivian Beaumont theater. It is a judged event and participation is limited to 170 artisans who represent the best in their medium. The array of color and artistic form plus the consistent quality of the items makes this show a virtual outdoor museum of bohemian folk art. Exhibited items include oil on canvas, watercolor, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, carpentry and fashion.