A shortlist of things to do and see in NYC in June curated by Belinda Jackson.
The start of the summer is time to pull out the white outfits from your closet and find the hats, sunscreen and BBQ sauce. There are loads of free offerings on from music and movies, to parades and block parties. Here are a few highlights for you.
Celebrate Brooklyn opens on June 3rd and runs through to August with Chaka Khan as the opening act.
The Chris’s of Flinders Lane (Chris Rendell, chef and Chris McPherson, sommelier) will be serving up some of their specialties at James Beard House on June 5. Get your tickets soon for this evening of celebrating Australian cuisine and wines.
The Governors Ball Music Festival is a phenomenal music festival at Randall’s Island that runs from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th June. Catch the ferry out and enjoy some of that great food and music on offer. Just remember to wear sunscreen.
The Belmont Stakes will be held at Belmont Park on Long Island on June 6th. This year there is the possibility of American Pharoah taking out the Triple Crown, if he succeeds this will be the first Triple Crown winner since Seattle Slew took the Crown in 1978.
The 69th Tony Awards will be at Radio City Music Hall on June 9th at 8pm, this year they will be hosted by Kristen Chenoweth and Alan Cumming.
The ‘Out from Down Under’ exhibition at the Agora Gallery will run until June 9. Definitely worth a visit before the artwork goes back ‘Down Under’.
Australia’s Daniel Geale will challenge Miguel Cotto current WBC Middleweight and Ring Magazine World Champion at the Barclays Center on June 6 at 6pm.
Clinton the Musical is running at New World Stages. This is written by Australian Paul Hodge and we have been offered a special ticket rate for $49 – use code CTWJC49 to access this special rate (regular price is $75-$95).
We are well into the baseball season for the major leagues, but a fun thing to do over the summer is check out the minor leagues. NYC has two fabulous teams – the Staten Island Yankees (a feeder team to the NY Yankees) and the Brooklyn Cyclones (a feeder team to the NY Mets). Both teams have great stadiums; the SI Yankees have a view of Manhattan and the Cyclones are out at Coney Island looking out over the Atlantic. Opening day is June 19 of the two teams playing one another at the Staten Island stadium and on June 20 they will play at the Cyclones stadium in Brooklyn.
Museum Mile Festival is on June 9 from 6-9pm. One day a year, for the past 37 years, nine of the country’s finest museums —all ones that call Fifth Avenue home— collectively open their doors for free to New Yorkers and visitors for a mile-long block party and visual art celebration.
The Jazz Age Lawn Party is New York City’s original prohibition era inspired gathering. Two weekends a year, guests are invited to travel back in time and discover and experience one of the most colorful and formative epochs in American history. June 13 and 14 and August 15 and 16.
New York Philharmonic will be performing two free concerts in Central Park on June 17 and 18. Take a picnic out to the Great Lawn and enjoy this wonderful Philharmonic music. Local tip – Adam Gilbert will be conducting on June 17 and this is his last year leading the NY Philharmonic. If you haven’t seen him before it might be worthwhile trying for the 17th.
River to River Festival – June 18 to June 28
Annual Chappel-Hadlee Cricket Match – June 20
The annual Mermaid Parade is on June 20 from 1pm and is the largest art parade in the nation. A celebration of ancient mythology and honky-tonk rituals of the seaside, it showcases over 1,500 creative individuals from all over the five boroughs and beyond, opening the summer with incredible art, entrepreneurial spirit and community pride. The parade highlights Coney Island Pageantry based on a century of many Coney parades, celebrates the artistic vision of the community of NYC.
Bryant Park Film Festival commences on June 22nd.
NYC Pride Parade is on June 28 commences at 12 noon and will travel down Fifth Avenue from 36th St. & Fifth Ave.
Ends at Christopher & Greenwich Streets.
If you’re looking for a day trip from the city, try a visit up the Hudson to Kykuit: The Rockefeller Estate – it is open until late September.
Save the Date for July
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks show will be on the East River this year.
Sydney University North American Alumni Conference NYC 2015 will be held in NYC from July 16 to 18. More details can be found at their website – www.sydneyalumni2015.com
photo credit: At the Jazz Age Lawn Party by Whitney Browne
AWNY | Australian Women in New York 