Fun things to do this weekend in Harlem and beyond.

Grant's Tomb is the setting for live jazz every Wednesday this summer starting July 8. Harlem is home to many free outdoor jazz concerts every summer, but there's one that stands out: Jazzmobile's Summerfest series at Grant's Tomb and Marcus Garvey Park. And it kicks off this week. The venerable Harlem-based jazz organization begins its season of outdoor concerts with a perfomance featuring drummer Winard Harper on the steps of the iconic General Grant National Memorial on Ri

You already know about NYC's free outdoor pools, but what about the one uptown oasis not on the city's list? Yes, we're talking about the outdoor pool at Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park. Operating on a separate schedule from city pools, this state-run pool was slated to open on July 4, but due to the heat wave opened early on Wednesday, July 1 with temporary expanded hours (until 7pm through Friday, July 3). To find this unique outdoor pool with views of the Hudson River,

The Richard Rodgers Amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park. The Classical Theatre of Harlem returns this month to the amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park with a free outdoor production of Shakespeare's "Othello." The play—directed by Carl Cofield and featuring choreography by Tiffany Rea-Fisher—tells the tragic tale of the North African general Othello who is tricked into suspecting his wife, Desdemona, of infidelity. "Othello" runs from Sunday, July 5 to Sunday, July 26, on Tue

The new Gottesman Pool at the Davis Center in Central Park. The city's free outdoor pools reopen for the season on Saturday, June 27—just in time for what's predicted to be another hot and humid summer. General swim hours are from 11am to 7pm, including a break for cleaning between 3pm and 4pm. Above 110th Street there are currently a total of eight free outdoor pools run by the NYC Parks Department. Here's where to find them all, from south to north: 1. Thomas Jefferson Pool

​New York is bursting with Instagrammable places like Times Square and the Brooklyn Bridge—but those spots are for beginners. If you're ready to fill your camera roll with less overrun corners of the city, point your lens at Upper Manhattan. From storybook lighthouses to hidden arches, these locations will leave you truly inspired. From south to north, here are the top 12 places to check out: 1. Historic Harlem brownstones Central Harlem W 120th St between Mount Morris Park

From parades to live concerts, there are loads of ways to celebrate Juneteenth in Harlem and beyond.

After being dark for almost a year, the Apollo Theater's iconic marquee shone bright again last night. The historic Harlem venue on 125th Street has been undergoing renovations since last spring, and finally debuted its restored marquee and neon sign at a formal ceremony on Wednesday evening. The event, which included a drumline performance by the Marching Cobras and a live countdown by TV personality Bevy Smith, was just the first reveal. The theater itself remains closed, p

El Museo del Barrio at 1230 Fifth Avenue. The 48th Annual Museum Mile Festival—one of the city's best free cultural events—returns to the streets of East Harlem and the Upper East Side tomorrow, June 9, from 6pm to 9pm. Running up Fifth Avenue from 82nd to 110th Streets, this huge block party features free admission to eight major museums, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Neue Galerie New York, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Cooper-Hewitt, The Jewish Museu

The brownstone where "A Great Day in Harlem" was photographed still stands today.

The Totally Kid Carousel and its funky animals reopens this weekend.

See the George Washington Bridge's signature crisscross towers up close. Here's a thrill better than any amusement park ride, and with none of the long lines: a brisk walk or bike ride across the George Washington Bridge in Washington Heights. Approaching its 100-year anniversary, the world's busiest bridge currently has one shared path for pedestrians and bicyclists: the ADA-accessible north sidewalk, reopened in February 2023. (The reconstruction of the GWB's south sidewal

The 145th Street Lawn will host a number of Summer on the Hudson events. It's going to be another fun summer in the northern half of Riverside Park. The Riverside Park Conservancy just announced this year's Summer on the Hudson schedule, and there's lots to see and do in the park from 120th to 181st Streets—a formerly neglected area that has seen continued improvements since 2009 as part of the non-profit's North Park Initiative. From free dance classes with the Limon Dance C

The Apollo Stages at the Victoria. A wave of new buildings and businesses continues to transform Harlem's 125th Street. Glossy high-rises like the 28-story Renaissance New York Harlem Hotel, which opened in 2023, have already significantly altered the skyline. Major retailers that arrived soon after, including Trader Joe's, Sephora and Target, are behind the jaw-dropping changes at street level. More recently, the Studio Museum in Harlem returned to the iconic thoroughfare in

The roller skating rink in Riverbank State Park opens on April 11. Roller skating season is back in Harlem. The roller skating rink in Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park reopens to the public on Saturday, April 11, 2026. The covered outdoor rink — which doubles as an ice rink in the winter—will welcome visitors every day except Thursday, including two 18-and-older sessions. To get there, enter the park at Riverside Drive and 145th Street and follow the main road to the rink.

A plaque honoring Billie Holiday outside of Bill's Place in Harlem Happy birthday to Billie Holiday—born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915. As a young teen Holiday moved with her mother to Harlem, where she launched her singing career soon after. The legendary vocalist didn't just get her start uptown, but sang at many of its jazz joints throughout her life. Amazingly, three of them still stand today, including the spot where she was discovered. Bookmark this post and make sure

Spring is here, welcoming a fresh wave of visitors ready to explore Harlem. If you're one of them—or happen to be hosting friends and family in the area—here's a top list of things to see and do in the neighborhood. (Don't have room for guests? Try the area's newest hotels: the Harlem Renaissance-themed Renaissance New York Harlem Hotel or the new The George Manhattan, Tapestry Collection by Hilton .) And since you're bound to get hungry, check out TCU's suggestions for wher

The Grand Staircase in Fort Tryon Park leads to the Met Cloisters. A set of long park stairs is the perfect place to get a serious workout. And if you live uptown, you're never too far from a hilly park crisscrossed with an impressive staircase—many have more than 100 steps. So here's an idea: Find the nearest and get ready for a major sweat session. A good rule of thumb is to run up and down for 30 to 45 minutes. (Of course you can walk instead.) From south to north, h

Madam C.J. Walker; her niece Anjetta Breedlove; Alice Kelly; and Walker Company bookkeeper Lucy Flint , 1911, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Madam C. J. Walker, the entrepreneur who launched a hair care business that made her one of America's first Black female success stories—the subject of the 2020 Netflix series " Self Made ," starring Octavia Spencer—first came to Harlem in the early 1910s. After growing her business in the Midwest, she bought two townhous

The Graffiti Hall of Fame in East Harlem. From decades-old murals that have undergone renovations to more recent subway art commissioned by the MTA, here's a shortlist of the best murals in Harlem—and where to find them. Use it to go on your own personal tour, from south to north: 1. Graffiti Hall of Fame by Tats Cru East Harlem Park Ave and E 106th St This mural spelling out "Harlem" at the Graffiti Hall of Fame is updated every August by some of the city's best graffiti an