Things to Do in April in New York City
April showers bring May flowers… and lots of exciting things to do in New York City. With spring in the air and dozens of events taking place, April is a great month to visit the greatest city in the world. Here are some highlights!
Tribeca Film Festival
For film buffs, spring in New York means it’s time for the popular Tribeca Film Festival in lower Manhattan. Various cinemas in the Tribeca district showcase hundreds of international films, often with the director and cast ready and waiting to answer questions after the screening. Almost every one of the more than 200 films is a North American, international, or world premiere.
The Easter Parade
Every Easter Sunday, Fifth Avenue from 49th to 57th streets is closed to traffic for this colourful and exciting spectacle. The tradition dates back to the mid-1800s when the upper crust of society would attend church services and then parade their new Easter outfits down Fifth for all to see! Starting at 10am, admire the passing parade of participants decked out in creative bonnets and elaborate costumes. There is plenty of entertainment, stunning floral displays and even a real Easter bunny or two. Celebrate Easter services at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on 50th Street and Fifth, St. Thomas Church on 53rd and Fifth or at the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.
Cherry Blossom Season at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Spring is a lovely time of year to experience New York, and there is no better celebration of spring’s beauty than the cherry blossom viewing season in April at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG). Visitors can walk under the boughs of the cherry trees and experience the Japanese tradition of Hanami, watching the delicate blossoms as they vibrantly come to life. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden boasts the largest collection of cherry trees outside of Japan, and it is stunning to see the lush blooms of these more than 200 trees come alive in their rich colours. The BBG is located at 1000 Washington Avenue in Brooklyn.
Earth Day Celebration in Central Park
With its lush greenery and beautiful landscaping, Central Park is a must-see in the spring. The Earth Day celebration in the heart of the park is a free event open to the public and includes live musical performances, art and crafts, and lots of environmental projects like tree planting. Families can pack a picnic, spread out a blanket and enjoy the festivities.
Opening Day at Yankee Stadium
Baseball fans count down the days to spring training, and especially to the opening day of the season in April. The gates of the New York Yankee’s new stadium open in April 2009. Located on the north side of 161st Street between River and Jerome Avenues, it is right across the street from its original home. The 1.3 billion dollar state of the art facility boasts advanced audio visual technology and several tasty dining options to enhance the fan’s experience.
Ezra Miller As Kevin
Actor Ezra Miller has been signed on as the lead character Kevin in the film “We need to talk about Kevin”. The 17-year old actor will be acting alongside Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly, who will be playing his on-screen parents. Both are seasoned actors- Swinton is an Academy Award-winner (for “Michael Clayton”), while Reilly has been nominated several times at the Academy Awards as well as the Golden Globes. His performance as Amos Hart in “Chicago” is considered one of his best.
Miller, who started out with opera, singing, and musical theater, began his film career with the Antonio Campos venture “Afterschool” (2008), in which he played a teenager at a boarding school, unsupervised and therefore left to cope with his addiction alone, a role which Miller confessed was “so not me”, but something he felt he understood so well that it seemed very natural. After that followed “City Island”, a comedy which was the opposite of “Afterschool”, and “really smart and funny”, in Miller’s own words. Most recently, he acted in “Beware the Gonzo” and “Every Day”, both of which premiered at the recently concluded Tribeca Film Festival. Incidentally, “City Island” had won the audience award at the 2009 version of this very festival.
“We need to talk about Kevin” is based on the novel of the same name, written by Lionel Shriver. The book is written in the format of a series of letters from Eva Khatchadourian to her husband Franklin Plaskett. All these letters have a common theme: Kevin. Eva details Kevin’s life up to the point where Kevin causes a high school massacre with just days to go before his 16th birthday. In the process, she tries to understand what went wrong in Kevin’s forming years, and the reasons that made Kevin a murderer. The novel, first published in 2003, won the Orange Prize.
In 2005, BBC Films acquired the rights to make a movie based on the novel. Lynne Ramsay signed on as the director. The movie will mark Ramsay’s return to filmmaking- her last venture was “Morvern Callar” (2002). She has also co-written the script with Rob Festinger. Filming began in April, 2010 on location in Stamford, Connecticut.
What’s On In New York City In 2011?
New York has events and shows all year round with the big events being repeated annually, so that visitors can experience them year after year. During these events, cheap hotel bookings and discount hotel bookings are made available to bring in more tourists.
1. In January, New York hosts the New York Boat Festival, a tradition that has been followed for over a century and showcases varieties of boats and yachts.
2. The Winter Antiques Show is also held in January, which features a selection of exquisite antiques from all over the United States. Also in this month is the Three Kings Day Parade.
3. February brings with it the Lunar Year Parade & Festival and Chinese New Year, which includes the Firecracker ceremony, the dragon dance and a host of other processions attracting thousands of tourists.
4. The Orchid show is also organised in February, displaying orchids from all over the world. The New York Children’s Film Festival is another event organized during this time.
5. March is the month for the famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the city’s oldest and largest parade, which celebrates Irish culture.
6. Founded to re-establish Manhattan post-September 11th, The Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place in April, celebrates cultural film and music. This is also the month for the world famous New York International Auto Show and the Earth Week celebrations.
7. In May, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden hosts the Cherry Blossom Festival where over 200 cherry trees in full blossom are a sight to behold. The Ninth Avenue Food Festival, hosted by Hell’s Kitchen, is a 20 block culinary extravaganza during this month. For the sporting enthusiasts, the Five Boro Bike Tour is a yearly
event attracting thousands of cyclists.
8. June brings the Museum Mile Festival, in which the top museums of New York offer free admission along with other festivities, serving as a comprehensive representation of New York’s culture. Other famous events in this month are the Pride Week and Summer Stage, the latter taking place in Central Park.
9. Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks are world renowned, marking the American Independence Day. Other sought after events during the month of July include the much anticipated Lincoln Centre Festival and the Harlem Festival, showcasing the history and culture of the Harlem neighbourhood.
10. August is the month for the famous tennis tournament, the US Open. The New York International Fringe Festival showcases over 1000 stage performances over two weeks.
11. September brings with it the New York Film Festival, for inventive cinema and Fashion Night Out, with various discounts and gifts for shoppers, the proceeds of which go towards charity.
12. October is packed with events such as the New York Comic-Con Festival for the comic and anime enthusiast, the Columbus Day Parade, and the massive Village Halloween Parade with costumes and characters.
13. Some of the famous November events are the New York Chocolate Show, Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade with its giant helium-filled character balloons, and the Holiday Train Show which is a family favourite.
14. Rounding off the year long events, December brings with it the ball drop on New Year’s Eve at Times Square, and hundreds of holiday shops to satisfy all shopping needs.
Holiday Destination Ideas for 2011
Tourists around the world always search for holiday destinations of their choice. There are a large number of holiday destinations spreading across the globe. The number is so big that it may create an utter confusion at the time of choosing your spot. Each of the continents is replete with many natural and man-made wonders and is waiting fervently to welcome the tourists from around the world. Below here is a list of top Holiday Destinations for 2011.
2011 Top Vacation Destinations
It is indeed a difficult task to select the best. Whatsoever, we have identified few best Destinations for your convenience.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
In this Brazilian city, you can find the wonderful combination of sun, sea, glamour, glitz and of course samba. Fabulous beaches, beautiful seaside patios, and the presence of a large number of resorts, restaurants, night clubs and bars have added to the city’s attraction. In addition to this, exciting city is going to host the 2014 Soccer World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics. Naturally, major developments are taking place, drawing huge crowds to the city.
South Africa
This year only the country successfully hosted 2010 Soccer World Cup. It can be a great idea to visit this place in 2011 for holidaying as all the necessary arrangements for the visitors are still very much there in the country. It boasts of breathtaking natural beauty, wonderful beaches and an exciting repertoire of wildlife. On the other side, cities such as Cape Town, Cape Point and Kirstenbosch are indeed rich in culture and history. Aside from these, the world-famous wines, trekking in the Table Mountain and the amazing whales off Hermanus are major tourist draws.
Doha, Qatar
Doha, Qatar can be one of the best place to visit. The Doha-Tribeca Film Festival is drawing a large number of visitors to this place. Next year will be the third edition of this event-Doha is indeed trying hard to make it a big international event. The city is hosting Asian Cup Soccer in the month of January. All these have made Doha an exciting place for holiday vacation in 2011.
Stockholm, Sweden
The city is home to many under-rated wonders and discoveries. Tourists flocking to this city must visit places like the streets of medieval Gamla Stan and the Royal Palace. One of the major attractions of this Scandinavian city is the Djurgården. This Game Park is famous for wonderful green spaces, scenic beauty, events and parks. It will definitely not be a bad idea visit the capital of Sweden for 2011 holidays.
So You Thought Break Dance Was Dead? Think Again!
In the early 1980′s, break dance exploded onto the scene and became a national phenomenon that officially ushered in the “Hip-Hop” era. Then in the 90′s, the popularity of Rap music dominated the scene, essentially forcing “break dancing” out of the public spotlight and back to its underground origins. That is where break dancing has remained for the past two decades – growing in popularity