Upper West Side & Central Park - New York City - page 431

Best
Festivals

It seems as though there's always some sort of celebration going on in NYC. Na-
tional holidays, religious observances, arts festivals and just plain ol' weekends
prompt parades, parties or street fairs.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week ( www.mbfashionweek.com ) The February fashion shows are not
open to the public, yet provide a general vicarious thrill.

St Patrick's Day Parade ( 718-793-1600; www.nycstpatricksparade.org ) Crowds line Fifth Ave on
March 17 for this parade of bagpipe blowers, sparkly floats and clusters of Irish-lovin'
politicians.

Tribeca Film Festival ( 212-941-2400; www.tribecafilm.com ; late Apr & early May) Robert De
Niro's downtown film festival is an undisputed star of the indie movie circuit.

NYC Pride (

Jun) Gay Pride culminates in a major march 212-807-7433; www.nycpride.org ;

down Fifth Ave on the last Sunday of June.
HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival ( www.bryantpark.org ) From June to August,
Midtown's Bryant Park hosts weekly outdoor screenings of classic Hollywood films.
Independence Day America's Independence Day - July 4 - is celebrated with fireworks
and fanfare.

Shakespeare in the Park ( www.shakespeareinthepark.org ) Pays tribute to the Bard, with free per-
formances in Central Park. You'll have to wait hours in line to score tickets or win them in
the online lottery.

Open House New York ( www.ohny.org ) The country's largest architecture and design event
unfurls at the start of October, with architect-led tours and other events.

Thanksgiving Day Parade ( www.macys.com ) Massive helium-filled cartoons soar overhead,
and high-school marching bands rattle their snares.