10 Reasons NYC Will Be Better Than Ever This Summer

5.5.21

Newly Opened Little Island Pier 

Damaged by Hurricane Sandy and where survivors of the Titanic once descended, Little Island Pier is now transformed as a modern public park and a great example of a smart recovery of public space. The newly suspended and diverse pier includes elevated views, amphitheater with its own artist-in-residence program and a maritime botanical garden with 35 species of trees, 65 species of shrubs, and 270 varieties of grasses, perennials, vines and bulbs.

Exploring the Brooklyn Navy Yard

Once a manufacturing hub, the Brooklyn Navy Yard is an evolving development project that’s helping fuel the economic sector and shape the future of NYC. Today, 330 companies employ thousands of people from tech companies to artists and designers, woodshops and metalworkers, coffee roasters and robotics engineers. On site there is a dedicated public art program, restaurants and breweries like Pizza Yard and Transmitter Brewery and many others. The yard is also home to Brooklyn Grange, operating the world’s largest rooftop farm, spread across three giant rooftops. The Brooklyn Navy yard will continue positioning itself as a major cultural spot this summer, and we can’t wait to visit.

Skyline Drive-in Movie Theater

No other drive-in theater has a sexier backdrop than the perfect skyline scenery like Skyline Drive-In NYC. This Greenpoint theater opened last summer and this year sees the introduction of a new outdoor seating area which means you can even roll up on bike or on foot. Just imagine watching Party Monster, Ghostbusters or any other favorite NYC-based movies here!

The Rockaways

Beaches and pools officially reopen Memorial Day Weekend for some much vitamin D. The NYC Ferry offers a one hour ride from Wall St Pier 11 to the Rockaways. You can even bring your bike along and grab a cheeky beer from the concession stand. By the beach you’ll find The Rockaway Hotel with a heated pool, rooftop restaurant and bar with DJs and live entertainment on the weekend.

Pride Weekend

This year’s official NYC Pride theme is “The Fight Continues,” calling for the celebration to be stronger than ever, with LGBTQIA+ members and allies coming together in support. The Pride March is on June 27, with a ton of other events and festivities throughout the weekend, including RuPaul’s Drag Race super queens performing at the Drive’ N  Drag Saves 2021 from June 25 – 27.

A Roaring 20s Revival

New Yorkers keep talking about a post-pandemic roaring 2020s. There’s something in the air that says it’s coming, a kind of shared attitude with everyone ready to reclaim our town with rooftop gatherings, clandestine warehouse parties, and countless other event invites in the months to come. No other event celebrates the “Return of the Twenties” like the Jazz Age Lawn Party taking place June 12-13 on Governors Island. If you’ve never been, 2021 is the year to do so.

People Watching and Outdoor Dining

The city will again accept applications for the Open Streets program. That means restaurants can expand their spaces, turning some areas normally designated for car traffic and sidewalks into outdoor dining. With more people watching and neighborhood community building opportunities, eating street-side will be even more exhilarating. We’ll also see creative solutions to outdoor seating and interesting design concepts, so it’s time to brush up our sidewalk cafe etiquette.

Immersive Art

There are several must-see exhibitions that will stimulate the senses this summer: Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit is the largest show of the Dutch painter in the world, and a once-in-a-lifetime way to experience his work, created by world-renowned digital artist, Massimiliano Siccardi; Located at Pier 36’s 75,000 square foot waterfront space. (June 10 – September 6)

Geometric Properties is audio-visual exhibition created by artist Julius Horsthuis and art/tech incubator Artechhouse, exploring the intersection between mathematics, nature and architecture. (now – September 6)

Coexistence at Fotografiska is the first major exhibition by fashion photographer Cho Gi-Seok and focuses on the relationship between trees, animals, spaces, machines and humans. (now – August 29)

Cosmic Nature by the beloved Yayoi Kusama is a series of monumental outdoor sculptures, installations, and a new “Infinity Mirror Room.” All showing at the NY Botanical Garden, it’s a chance to see how are interacts with nature throughout the seasons. (now – October 31)

Live Music

We all thought we wouldn’t see concerts again for a while, but they’re back! Ilegal Mezcal, notorious for elevating promising talent, has recently launched a monthly music and art series out of their Brooklyn headquarters. They will be activating a tattoo and popup bar at  Forest Hill Stadium, where bands like Bright Eyes (July 31) and Wilco (August 21) are set to perform. Plus this summer we’ll likely see other live music favorites like MoMA PS1’s Warm Up , Afropunk, and SummersStage but they’ve yet to announce details, so we’ll keep our eyes and ears open.

Aman NYC Opening

Aman is known for its luxury sanctuaries, and to coincide with its 100th anniversary this summer, the Aman NYC will open in the heart of Manhattan. The 83-room property in the Crown Building will bring a new scene to luxury and wellness-focused clientele with access to three restaurants, a jazz club, a three floor spa with an indoor pool, fireplace and wellness center.