August 13, 2021
NEW YORK—On August 14th, the City of New York will kick off NYC Homecoming Week, a citywide celebration of New York City’s residents, communities, and everything that makes New York City the ultimate place to be.
“NYC Homecoming Week represents what a recovery for all of us looks like, with events for every New Yorker to enjoy thanks to our incredible cultural, entertainment, and community partners,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This citywide celebration will demonstrate how, when everyone does their part to get vaccinated, our communities and families can stay safe while enjoying all that our city has to offer.”
Featuring over 100 cultural, entertainment, and community events across the five boroughs through August 22nd, NYC Homecoming Week will drive support for the mom-and-pop businesses and local organizations that define our neighborhoods and that kept the heart of our city beating throughout the COVID pandemic. The headlining events of NYC Homecoming Week are the “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC” free, multi-borough concert series produced by New York City, the Universal Hip Hop Museum, and IDEKO; “WE LOVE NYC: The Homecoming Concert,” produced by New York City, Clive Davis, and Live Nation; and free outdoor screenings with Rooftop Films.
- Monday, August 16th, 3:00 p.m. at Orchard Beach in The Bronx
- Tuesday, August 17th, 4:00 p.m. at Midland Beach on Staten Island
- Thursday, August 19th, 4:00 p.m. at Brooklyn Army Terminal in Brooklyn
- Friday, August 20th, 4:00 p.m. at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens
- All “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC” concerts will be livestreamed by Behind The Rhyme on Twitch.
- Saturday, August 21st, 5:00 p.m. at the Great Lawn in Central Park, Manhattan
- Concert will be exclusively broadcast by CNN.
- Monday, August 16th, 8:30 p.m., Jamila Wignot’s “AILEY” at Walter Gladwin Park, the Bronx
- Tuesday, August 17th, 8:30 p.m., Jemaine Clement’s “What We Do in the Shadows” at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island
- Wednesday, August 18th, 8:00 p.m., Spike Lee’s “NYC Epicenters 9/11 – 2021 ½” at Rockefeller Park, Manhattan (JUST ANNOUNCED!)
- Wednesday, August 18th, 8:30 p.m., Marcus A. Clarke’s “Blood Brothers” at Jackie Robinson Park, Manhattan
- Thursday, August 19th, 8:30 p.m., Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s “Summer of Soul” at Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn
- Friday, August 20th, 8:30 p.m., “New York Shorts Program” outdoors at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens
(JUST ANNOUNCED!)
View the full list of NYC Homecoming Week events listed by event type below and search by event type, ticket type, date, or borough on nyc.gov/HomecomingWeek.
This important initiative is also helping to get New Yorkers and visitors vaccinated: proof of receiving at least one dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine is required to attend the City-produced “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC” free concert series, “WE LOVE NYC: The Homecoming Concert,” and free outdoor screenings with Rooftop Films.
To enter a NYC Homecoming Week Concert or Film Screening, ticket holders must bring:
In accordance with City of New York requirements:
- WE LOVE NYC: The Homecoming Concert (Great Lawn in Central Park): Unvaccinated minors under the age of 12 must present proof of a negative COVID PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test taken within 72 hours prior to entrance.
- It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC Concert Series (Bronx, Staten Island, Brooklyn, or Queens): Unvaccinated minors under the age of 12 must present proof of a negative COVID PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test taken within 72 hours or take a rapid test prior to entrance, and that test must be negative.
- Free Outdoor Screenings with Rooftop Films (Bronx, Staten Island, Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens): Unvaccinated minors under the age of 12 must present proof of a negative COVID PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test taken within 72 hours or take a rapid test prior to entrance, and that test must be negative.
- At all NYC Homecoming Week Concerts and Film Screenings: under the age of 12 must wear a face covering if they are over age two and medically able to tolerate a face-covering.
- Sign an attestation to that effect to enter the concert;
- Present proof of a negative COVID PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test taken within 72 hours prior to the event; and
- If medically able to tolerate a face-covering, wear a mask for the entire duration of the event.
View frequently asked questions for more information.
“Every activity is safer with vaccination,” said the Health Department’s First Deputy Commissioner and
Chief Equity Officer Dr. Torian Easterling. “Getting the vaccine in New York City has never been easier. I encourage everyone to make an appointment, get the shot, and enjoy the show.”
“After an unprecedented year, we celebrate NYC Homecoming Week as a significant step forward in advancing our recovery efforts,” said New York City’s Senior Advisor for Recovery Lorraine Grillo. “With a fantastic roster of activities and experiences across the five boroughs, this week will drive great support to our communities, and welcome New Yorkers and visitors to enjoy the businesses and cultural institutions we deeply missed during the pandemic.”
“New Yorkers deserve a chance to celebrate all that we’ve overcome during the pandemic and as we honor through these events the essential workers, businesses, and neighbors who helped our city recover,” said Citywide Events Executive Director Dan Gross. “From legendary artists gracing stages across the boroughs to cultural and community events for every interest, NYC Homecoming Week will go down in the books as an amazing moment in our city’s recovery.”
“Culture is the lifeblood of New York, so it’s fitting that this celebration of all things NYC will include performances, exhibitions, and cultural activity in every corner of our city,” said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Gonzalo Casals. “Homecoming Week will give every New Yorker the opportunity to reconnect with their communities and participate safely in our ongoing recovery through a huge array of cultural festivities. We can bring each other joy and have fun while remembering our collective struggles and triumphs – and return to our collaborative work toward a better future reinvigorated by the creative vibrancy that makes our city feel so alive.”
“NYC Homecoming Week is an historic moment for the city to celebrate all that makes New York a global capital,” said the Commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Anne del Castillo. “With free concerts, movie screenings, and cultural activities, NYC Restaurant Week and Summer Streets across the five boroughs, everyone has an opportunity to participate in this citywide tribute to our collective resiliency.”
“NYC’s Homecoming Week is a showcase of all the things that make our city so vibrant and unique. Our greenspaces play an integral role in keeping us connected, and we are excited that our parks will play host to many of these cultural experiences throughout the week,” said NYC Parks Acting Commissioner Margaret Nelson. “This historic week is a benchmark in our recovery and in our push for widespread vaccination so that we may defeat COVID-19 and get back to enjoying our city to its fullest potential.”
“SBS is excited to kick off the NYC Homecoming Week that will bring our community together for a much needed celebration. New Yorkers will have the chance to engage in a range of events and support the backbone of our economy, our small businesses,” said Jonnel Doris of NYC Department of Small Business Services.
“New York City’s vibrant arts and culture scene is helping to lead the City’s recovery and we look forward to highlighting the 100+ events across all five boroughs during NYC Homecoming Week—a pivotal moment in NYC’s comeback,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO, NYC & Company.
“There is no better way to celebrate the Summer of New York than to enjoy the cultural abundance of our city,” said Daniele Baierlein and Jorge Luis Paniagua Valle, Co-Executive Directors of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “We look forward to experiencing the cultural and entertainment activities that make New York City the place to be with our neighbors and visitors from around the world.”
Among the NYC Homecoming Week “Summer of NYC” events, with community engagement supported by Thirteen, are:
Thirteen
August 14, 7 a.m.: Summer Streets NYC – 7 miles of car-free streets with public art installations, performances, and activities at Park Avenue from Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, Manhattan.
August 14-22: Madison Square Park Conservancy – “Maya Lin: Ghost Forest,” an exhibit featuring forty-nine cedar trees as a symbol of climate change at Madison Square Park, Manhattan.
August 14, 15, 18, 11 a.m.: UrbanGlass – “Flesh of My Flesh: Gallery Exhibition” featuring the work of five artists who use glass as a medium to expose vulnerabilities at 647 Fulton Street, Brooklyn.
August 14, 15, 18, 11 a.m.: UrbanGlass – “Suzanne Peck: Shapes Like Holes” gallery exhibition focusing on notions of desire, loss, and longing at 647 Fulton Street, Brooklyn.
August 16, 6 p.m.: Bronx River Art Center, Inc. – “Student Art Show,” an exhibition opening with artwork on display and open artist and education studios at 1087 East Tremont Avenue, Bronx.
August 18, 11 a.m.: New York Botanical Garden – “Kusama: Cosmic Nature,” with free tickets to artist Yayoi Kusama’s exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx.
August 18, 11 a.m.: Materials for the Arts Gallery – “The Path of Least Resistance,” by Elisa Insua MFTA’s Spring 2020 Artist-in-Residence.
August 19, 3 p.m.: HERE Arts Center – “The Visitation: A Sound Walk,” exploring the relationship between the built environment & the natural world at Jackie Robinson Park, Manhattan.
August 19, 3 p.m.: HERE Arts Center – “Cairns: A Sound Walk,” inspiring thoughts about land, and temporality at Green-Wood Cemetery (Sunset Park Entrance), 4th Ave. and 35th St., Brooklyn.
August 20, 11 a.m.: Museum of Arts and Design – “Craft Front & Center,” an exhibit highlighting over 70 eclectic craft pieces at 2 Columbus Circle, Manhattan.
August 20, 5 p.m.: Artists Alliance Inc. – “Out of the Blue: Gallery Opening,” bringing together five international artists at Cuchifritos Gallery + Project Space, inside Essex Market, Manhattan.
August 21, 1 p.m.: Climate Museum – “Beyond Lies,” an art collaboration with illustrator Mona Chalabi investigating climate change and inspiring action at The Climate Museum Hub, Governors Island.
August 21, 4 p.m.: A.I.R. Gallery – “Investigations: Remembering Barbara Siegel,” an exhibition memorializing the life and work of Siegel at 155 Plymouth Street, Brooklyn.
August 22, 11 a.m.: El Museo del Barrio – “Estamos Bien: La Trienal 20/21,” a national survey of Latinx contemporary art featuring artists from the United States and Puerto Rico at 1230 5th Ave, Manhattan.
August 14, 1 p.m.: National Museum of Mathematics – “NYC Math Festival,” a full day of hands-on math exhibits, games, and brainteasers at Fosun Plaza, 28 Liberty St., Manhattan.
August 14, 2 p.m.: Melquain Jatelle Anderson Foundation – “Blessings To The Wind Wreath Memorial,” a wellness and healing event with activities at 329 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn.
August 14, 4 p.m.: Dar Brooklyn – “Darbuka For Her!” class for women to explore drumming and Algerian culture at Owl’s Head Park, Colonial Road & 68 St, Brooklyn.
August 15, 1 p.m.: Beautify Brooklyn & Flatbush Development Corporation – “Artmageddon” children’s art party with mural making, music, and more at 1419 Newkirk Avenue, Brooklyn.
August 16, 7 p.m.: Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy – “Books Beneath the Bridge – Mil Mundos,” with readings by Elisabet Velasquez, Joel L. Daniels, and Keomi Tarver at The Granite Prospect, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn.
August 16, 10 a.m.: The National Museum of Mathematics –“Free Play,” a day of free fun, family-friendly exhibits exploring mathematical concepts at 11 Madison Square North, Manhattan.
August 17, 12 p.m.: Street Lab – “Street Marker, BUILD, PLAY with Street Lab,” with family-friendly activities at West 164th Street between Amsterdam and Edgecombe, Manhattan.
August 18, 10 a.m.: National Museum of Mathematics –“Madison Square Math” event with family-friendly math activities at East 26th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue, Manhattan.
August 19, 12 p.m.: Street Lab – “DRAW,” an open-air event with self-guided art activities at W 9th St from Hicks St. to Henry St., Brooklyn.
August 19, 1 p.m.: Street Lab – “PLAY & Street Marker,” a family-friendly event with chalk murals and a colorful obstacle course at 6 Hill St, Staten Island.
August 19, 7 p.m.: Brooklyn Museum – “Drink and Draw” with artists Nicole Edwards and Nina Faustine at Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn.
August 20, 5 p.m.: Museum of the City of New York – “Cocktails & Culture: Legends of ’80s Hip Hop” event celebrating the Museum’s new 80’s exhibit with music and activities at 1220 5th Ave, Manhattan.
August 20, 5 p.m.: Willie May Rock Camp – “Family Friendly Synth Petting Zoo” outdoor event for families to experiment with synthesizers at sound kiosks at 540 President Street, Brooklyn.
August 20, 6:30 p.m.: National Museum of Mathematics – “Family Fridays: Stars, Graphs, and Multiplication,” a fun event exploring simple geometric patterns at 11 East 26th Street, Manhattan.
August 20, 8 p.m.: Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy – “Journey to the Stars,” an opportunity to gaze across the New York City sky with high-powered telescopes at Brooklyn Bridge Park – Pier 1, Brooklyn.
August 21, 10 a.m.: Randall’s Island Park Alliance – “Storytime on the Farm,” a book read-aloud on the farm at Randall’s Island Urban Farm, Wards Meadow Loop, Manhattan.
August 21, 11 a.m.: The Shed –“The Shed Plaza,” featuring “Looking Glass,” an exhibition of augmented reality artworks, dance classes, and treats for purchase from food trucks at 545 W 30th St, Manhattan.
August 21, 12 p.m.: Bethany Baptist Church – “Family & Friends Day” fair with face painting, health information & COVID-testing, food, and music at 303 W 153 Street, Manhattan.
August 21, 1 p.m.: Poppa and Momma Jones Historic Garden – “Arts in the Garden” fluid painting class for all ages with local artist Barbara Oakley at 337 Van Siclen Ave, Brooklyn.
August 21, 1 p.m.: Street Lab – “PLAY & Street Marker,” a family-friendly event with chalk murals and a colorful obstacle course at Shore Ave between Remington Street, Queens.
August 21, 2 p.m.: Korea Art Forum (KAF) – “Shared Dialogue Shared Space III,” event featuring Korean folk art, participatory performances, and painting workshops at Inwood Hill Park (near the Tree of Peace Lawn), Manhattan.
August 14, 3 p.m.: Morrisania Band Project – “Live Music & Dance Fitness At Unity Park,” a soul music fest and dance fitness workout at Rev. Lena Irons Unity Park, Washington Ave & East 168th St., Bronx.
August 14, 5 p.m.: “Capital One SummerStage Presents Marc Rebillet” as well as DJ Premier and Brady Wyatt performing at SummerStage, Central Park, Manhattan.
August 14, 6:30 p.m.: Summer Beach Concert at Turtle Circle – Vito Picone and the Elegants and local musicians Lina Fiscardi and The Expressions to perform at Turtle Circle, Midland Beach, Staten Island.
August 14, 7:30 p.m.: Culture Lab LIC – “Live Outdoor Music at Culture Lab LIC” with jazz and indie rock musical group Aberdeen performing at 5-25 46th Avenue, Long Island City, Queens.
August 14, 8 p.m.: Jack Arts, Inc. – “Lea Bertucci / Charmaine Lee,” a performance of musicians experimenting in voice and digital sound at The DUMBO Archway, Brooklyn.
August 15, 5 p.m.: “CapitalOne SummerStage Presents Armand Hammer,” also featuring Moor Mother, Kayana, Fielded, Shrapknel / Gend PTP performing at SummerStage, Central Park, Manhattan.
August 15, 5 p.m.: Culture Lab LIC – “Live Outdoor Music at Culture Lab LIC” with performances by musical groups Matthias Loescher and Flowmingos at 5-25 46th Avenue, Long Island City, Queens.
August 16, 7 p.m.: Limón Dance Company – “Bryant Park Picnic Performances,” featuring performances of Doris Humphrey’s “Ai
r for the G String” and José Limón’s “The Winged” at Bryant Park, Manhattan.
August 17, 12 p.m.: Grand Central Partnership – “Pershing Square Sounds,” a live jazz, blues, and bop performance from the Joe Vincent Tranchina Trio at Pershing Square, Manhattan.
August 18, 4:45 p.m.: Grand Central Partnership –“Pershing Square Sounds” a performance by the Truants, covering iconic British invasion and rock songs, at Pershing Square, Manhattan.
August 18, 5 p.m.: Carnegie Hall – “Harlem Quartet” performance of jazz, Latin, and contemporary works at Broadway Pedestrian Plaza, Times Square, Manhattan.
August 18, 6 p.m.: Staten Island Children’s Museum – “Boogie Woogie Wednesday,” featuring a family-friendly performance by L’Unicorns, a Latinx LGBTQ group, at 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island.
August 19, 4:30 p.m.: Brooklyn Conservatory of Music –“Midsummer Nights: Stoop Concerts!,” a free outdoor musical event for children at 58 Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn.
August 19, 5 p.m.: Carnegie Hall – “Grupo Rebolu” performance sharing the musical traditions of Colombia’s Caribbean coast at Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main Street, Queens.
August 19, 6:00 p.m.: Times Square Alliance – “Jazz in Times Square,” curated performances by Jazz at Lincoln Center at Broadway Plaza between 43rd and 44th Streets, Manhattan.
August 19, 7 p.m.: Culture Lab LIC – “Live Outdoor Music at Culture Lab LIC” with performances by musical group iMicrocave, a jamtronica and rock band, at 5-25 46th Avenue, Long Island City, Queens.
August 20, 3 p.m.: Downtown Brooklyn Partnership – “Brooklyn Music School Summer Recitals” with summer students’ musical and dance performances at The Plaza at 300 Ashland, Brooklyn.
August 20, 6 p.m.: Times Square Alliance – “Broadway Buskers in Time Square,” featuring performances by Broadway stars Masi Asare & Joel Waggoner at Broadway Plaza, Manhattan.
August 21, 12 p.m. Church Street School for Music and Art –“Laura Dreyer Brazilian Jazz Ensemble,” a Brazilian jazz performance and an open jam session for musicians at 41 White Street, Manhattan.
August 22, 4 p.m.: The Rockaway Hotel – “WarmUp Off Site,” presented with MoMA PS1, an afternoon DJ set from emerging musicians at 108-10 Rockaway Beach Drive, Queens.
August 14, 22, 12 p.m.: Bronx Night Market – The market supports the borough’s food-scene by producing world-class, affordable, and fun events. Open every Saturday at Fordham Plaza from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
August 14, 2 p.m.: CUE Art Foundation – “Investigation of Dominican Racial Imaginary,” a discussion on Dominican history and a Merengue and Kompa dance class at Duarte Square, Manhattan.
August 14, 22, 6 p.m.: Queens Night Market – A family-friendly open-air market featuring performances and vendors selling merchandise, art, and food at New York Hall Of Science, Queens.
August 15, 11 a.m.: NYC Burmese Street Food – Fair featuring Burmese food and cultural entertainment groups at Woodside Avenue, between 78th & 79th Street, Queens
August 15, 12 p.m.: Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue – “Greek Jewish Block Party,” featuring traditional foods, dancing, and music at 280 Broome Street, between Allen St and Eldridge St, Manhattan.
August 19, 6 p.m.: Downtown Brooklyn Partnership – “Bare Feet: A Garifuna Dance Class,” a cultural journey through music and dance from the African Diaspora at Albee Square West, Brooklyn.
August 21, 11 a.m.: Greenwich House Pottery – “Summer Sidewalk Sale and Clay Play” event to get clay and handmade ceramic wares at 16 Jones Street, between Bleeker Street and W 4th St, Manhattan.
August 21, 5 p.m.: Randall’s Island Park Alliance – “Wolosodon Dance and Music Class” exploring the folklore and significance of the Wolosodon Dance at Urban Farm, Wards Meadow Loop, Manhattan.
August 21, 5 p.m.: The Tank – “Sada,” a concert reflecting on Croatian heritage and its rich cultural practices and traditions 312 W 36th Street between 8th and 9th Aves, Manhattan.
August 21, 6 p.m.: Queens Night Market – a family-friendly open-air market featuring performances and vendors selling merchandise, art & food at New York Hall Of Science, 4701 111th St, Queens.
This press release was produced by Office of the Mayor of New York City. The views expressed here are the author’s own.