ExploreHarlemNYC

Annual Events

January

• Three Kings Day Parade and Celebration
  Venture to East Harlem for New York City's Dia de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day), one of the biggest holidays in Latin America with music, dance and tradition fluttering the streets- history is relinquished with the celebration of the biblical adoration of Jesus by the three wise men.
• Black Comic Book Festival – Schomburg Center
  The Schomburg center brings together Black comic artists from across the country to exhibit and celebrate the tradition of black comics. Hands on workshops, panel discussions, and film screenings make for a great interactive event for family and friends.
• Festival Luna
  The American National History Museum invites visitors to celebrate the new lunar year with Folk dancing, storytelling, and much more.
• African Diaspora International Film Festival
  This Film Festival cultivates a platform to celebrate and convey artistic styles, crafts and shed light on the life and culture of African Diaspora. Over 90 feature-lengths, documentaries and short narratives will screen and much more activities for your fulfillment.

February · Black History Month

• Harlem Fine Arts Show
  Traveling to 10+ cities around the US and bridging together a diverse background of people, the African Diasporic art show aims to empower individuals through culture, ideas and art from around the world.
• Apollo Theater Community Open House Weekend
  To celebrate black history month, the legendary Apollo Theater opens its doors for a free event featuring live performances and family workshops. This traditional weekend gives guests a chance to taste the history that echoes at the Apollo.
• Athena Film Festival - Teachers College
  The Athena Film Festival is the only festival to depict and celebrate women in their leadership roles with a plethora of film screenings and acknowledgments of bold women making a difference around the world.
• Annual Chocolate Day – Morris Jumel Mansion
  The oldest remaining house in Manhattan turned Museum saves a day in February to house a fun informative day of everything Chocolate. You get a chance to learn about the consumption and history of chocolate with included.

March · Women's History Month

• Women Jazz Series – Schomburg Center
  This rhythmic jazz series provides an effervescent abode to some of the best female jazz performers in NY. A chance to give homage, celebrate the influence of jazz and the multitude of artists who led the way.

April

• Holy Week: Cathedral St John the Divine
  St John Cathedral takes you through a journey of meditation, candle lightings, music and prayer to illuminate the journey of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and His passionate sacrifice. This offers time of reflection and celebration for everyone to enjoy.
• Holy Week: Riverside Church
  The historic Riverside Church hosts a week of reflection on the price Jesus paid on the cross. The choir will beckon with their symphonic melodies and the stream of series will take you on a journey through scripture and symbolic traditions of hope and gratitude.
• Annual Easter Egg Hunt: Morningside Park, Marcus Garvey Park, St Nicholas Park
  With baskets ready to be filled, children from all over the Harlem borough come together to celebrate Easter and collect their eggs. Once the DJ announces, “it’s time for the Easter Egg Hunt,” potato sacks drop, the strokes of paint brushes cease and the children get ready to get what they’ve been waiting for.

May

• Summer on the Hudson
  Watch a movie, rejuvenate yourself with Pilates, fly a kite along the banks of the Hudson and enjoy summer. This annual festival in Manhattan has something for everyone all the way through December.
• Drums Along the Hudson – Inwood Hill Park
  A Springtime festival in celebration of Native American heritage and culture and a time to commemorate the Lenape people who first inhabited Inwood park. Feel the pulsating drum beats, taste international food, and dance along the Hudson.
• Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival @ Apollo Theater · Harlem Stage
  A time to divulge deeper into the present and future of Jazz with engulfing performances and ignite the influence of Jazz.
• Film Harlem – Maysles Cinema
• Columbia University Film Festival
  A fun filled week of film screenings, dramatic readings, and an array of special events featuring work from the MFA film students of Columbia University.
• NYC Multicultural Festival
  Celebrate Diversity Celebrate You - Bringing together all cultures-this festival wants to celebrate you-NY’s biggest celebration of diversity!

June

• Hamilton Heights-Sugar Hill Cultural Festival & Open House
  A great opportunity to support local artisans and performance artists and above all connect with the local neighbors and meet new friends.
• Uptown Arts Stroll, Washington Heights-Inwood
  An annual visionary event where an eclectic and diverse group of artist showcase their art in the cultural hub of Washington Heights and Inwood.
• Mount Morris Park Open House Tour
  Take a tour through some of Harlem’s traditional houses and iconic neighborhood capturing elegance and history.
• Festival Santiago Apostol de Loiza a el barrio
  Venture to East Harlem and celebrate old traditions mingling African roots, Spanish Culture and Caribbean inspirations.
• Harlem Arts Festival – Marcus Garvey Park
  A beautiful presentation of artists across all genres with the initiative to preserve the history of Harlem.
• Harlem Meer Socials
  A time to get out of the ordinary restaurant scene and enjoy a peaceful green backdrop of Central Park for your social hour.
• Paul Winter Summer Solstice
  An annual celebration and performance by Paul Winter recognizing and bringing awareness of the 11 tribes who live in the Grand Canyon country.
• Museum Mile Festival
  Beginning as an initiative to increase support for the arts and garner more museum audiences, this has become one of New York’s biggest block parties.
• Harlem Pride
  A time to celebrate pride and diversity in the SGL and LGBTQ Harlem community.
• Summerstage
  The largest free performing art festival in New York City.

July

• Harlem Book Fair
  The Harlem book fair is recognized as the largest African American book fair and public literary event- workshops, panel discussions, book sales and more!
• The Classical Theatre of Harlem – Shakespeare in the Park
  Free performances of re-imagined adaptations of great classics of world literature as well as contemporary works.
• Jazzmobile SummerFest
  Jazzmobiles’ signature event featuring free weekly concerts where the diverse backgrounds come together for an unforgettable evening of jazz.

August

• Charlie Parker Jazz Festival
  An assembly of marvelous musicians who reflect Charlie Parker's influential and genius liberation of jazz.
• Harlem Week
  A week-long celebration promoting Harlem’s rich history with a variety of rhythmic showcases, vendors, arts and crafts and more.
• San Giglio Festival
  An annual four day Italian street feast and festival in East Harlem—games, food, live entertainment and a celebration of Italian heritage.

September

• African American Day Parade
  Founded in the Spring of 1968 – a parade celebration of heritage and a showcase of black achievements, dignitaries and more.
• Medieval Festival, Ft. Tryon Park
  Find your best medieval costume, take a lapse back into the middle ages and shop the marketplace, taste delicious food and enjoy exciting entertainment including an exciting joust on horseback.

October

• Celebration of el Dia de los Muertos
  Join El Museo Del Barrio with a time of storytelling, face painting and performances to celebrate the 3000 year old tradition recognizing family members and friends who have passed away.
• Harlem Art Factory Festival
  Chashama hosts a weekend long celebration of art and performance in Harlem with exhibitions in various locations in Harlem.
• Strivers Row Open House, Strivers Art Circuit Walking Tour
  Take a walk down the historical Strivers Row on 138th and 139th between Adam Clayton Powell and Frederick Douglass where artist showcase their art for public viewing and selling of their work.
• Harlem Art Walking Tour
  A community based tour of the bustling Harlem with a wide scope of presentations from some of the most creative artists NY has to offer.

November

• Coquito Masters
  A fun contest to bring family and friends together to recognize the coquito master—a traditional Puerto Rican culinary delight simply described as an eggnog rum beverage made from a host of family ingredients.
• Annual Hudson View Gardens Art Show
  A diverse annual art show showcasing a wide variety of artists showcasing paintings, photography, paintings and more.

December

• Kwanzaa Celebration @ Apollo Theater · Studio Museum · American Museum of Natural History
  Enjoy the rich traditions of Kwanzaa with music, film and joyful entertainment that honor the seven guiding principles of Kwanzaa!
• Holiday Show at the New York Botanical Gardens
  The park, located minutes from Harlem, features a special Holiday light display. A festive tour through the 250-acre Botanical Gardens with visionary artistic montages of familiar sights found in NY!

For additional information, visit Harlem One Stop.