Ah yes, it’s time to celebrate our national day again and Australia Day in New York is great fun! This year it falls on Thursday, January 26th, 2017 and there are some wonderful celebrations and festivities in and around the city for you to join.

The American Australian Association’s Annual Australia Day Black Tie Gala is on Friday, January 20th at Cipriani Wall Street and will be a fun and glamorous night out.

The American Australian Association and G’day USA have a luncheon on Monday 23rd January, from 12pm to 2pm with a presentation by The Hon Steven Ciobo, MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, on ‘The Importance of Australia for U.S. Companies Pivoting to Asia’. Click here for tickets.

Friends of Australian Wildlife Conservancy present an Australia Day Party on Sunday, January 22nd from 3-8pm at Jimmy At the James Hotel – 27 Grand Street, New York. Note there is limited capacity, and in lieu of a ticket price, a donation to Friends of Australian Wildlife Conservancy is greatly appreciated (suggested donation $50 – $200 per person). All funds raised from the Australia Day party will go towards protecting Australia’s threatened wildlife and their unique habitats.

The Australian – 20 West 38th Street, New York – will be celebrating on Wednesday 25th January from 8pm till late and will play the Hottest 100 live. And, again on Thursday 26th January from 11am till late there will be more Triple J’s Hottest 100 + Live Music, plus $1 off all Coopers. Door charge from 4pm.

New York Magpies Australia Day Party is on Friday 27th of January at 8pm at Professor Thom’s – 219 2nd Ave, New York – $15 at the door or $10 tickets online here.

Bensons – 181 Essex St (Corner of Houston) New York – are celebrating on Tuesday January 25th, where the Aussie Meetup Group will be there from 7pm for the Hottest 100 party and Benson’s will be serving Coopers on tap. There will be another Australia Day party from 6pm on January 26th where Bensons will serve up their classic sausage sizzle PLUS fairy bread.

Burke & Wills – 226 W 79th Street, New York – on Thursday 26th January there will be a 5-course special dinner menu with pairing of all Australian wine. Reservations Required. Call 646 823 9251 or email eat@burkeandwillsny.com

Flinders Lane – 162 Avenue A, New York – on Thursday 26th January there will be a special four course tasting menu for $50 per person. Australian Kingfish Sashimi Finger Lime, Citrus Ponzu, Crispy Taro Salt & Pepper Prawns Sesame Dressing, Grilled Lime Braised Victorian Beef Cheek Truffle Mash, Almond-Parley Salad Passionfruit & Mango Pavlova Vanilla Whipped Cream (drinks/tax/gratuity not included). Reservations Required.

Four’n Twenty pies – will be doing a special drop-off near McCarren Park, Brooklyn on Saturday 21st January, so get your orders in now!

Bluestone Lane is offering Mates Rates to all Aussie locals on Thursday 26th January across both Bluestone Lane cafe and coffee shops. Cafes are offering $5 Australian beer and wine by glass as well as serving up warm Sausage Rolls and Meat Pies all day.  Coffee shops are offering $2 flat whites and pastries including our delicious Aussie lamington and caramel slice. Also, to keep the Australian cheekiness, be the first to bare your ‘budgie smugglers’ on Australia Day and they’ll give you a free coffee every day for a month. Sounds like a great deal!

Two Hands Restaurant & Bar – 251 Church St, TriBeCa – is having a Aussie shin-dig on Thursday 26th January with treats like wedges with sour cream & sweet chilli sauce, buckets o’ prawns, sausage rolls, lamb ribs, chicken parmies and pavlovas all washed down with ice-cold sweet selfish Coopers Green & Red ales. Email churchst@twohandsnyc.com for bookings.

The Thirsty Koala – 35-12 Ditmars Boulevard, Astoria – are celebrating on Thursday 26th January with happy hour from 5-11pm: $4 Koala Lager, $5 draught beers, $5 wines & $5 cocktails all night. You will not go hungry with a great list of Aussie food available including homemade mini meat pies, sausage rolls, chicken parma & barramundi. For those with a sweet tooth you can enjoy pavlova, lamingtons, caramel slices & sticky date pudding.

Northern Territory – 12 Franklin Street, Brooklyn – will be celebrating on Thursday 26th January with Cooper’s Beer and food specials as well as playing the Triple J countdown and the Australian Tennis Open will be showing.

And if you are in the mood for shopping, celebrate Australia Day with R.M.Williams in New York who are offering 20% off throughout the store for AAA and AWNY members Thursday 26th to Sunday 29th inclusive. Coffee house Bluestone Lane will be offering an assortment of beverages at a pop-up station on Australia Day only, so go and visit R.M. Williams at 152 Spring Street (between West Broadway and Wooster).

In the meantime watch this year’s Lamb commercial aimed at celebrating diversity, and have a fantastic Australia Day in New York!