Fun Facts

The first chess tournament
in the United States was held in New York in 1843.

New York City has 722 miles of subway tracks.

The first
daily Yiddish newspaper
was printed in New York City in 1885.

Your Itinerary

If You Have Two Hours
July 8–26, Lincoln Center presents Midsummer Night’s Swing, 25 nights of themed dancing outdoors in Damrosch Park to the sounds of big band, salsa, disco, and swing. There are dance lessons every night at 6:30 p.m., and the party gets going in earnest at 7:30. Saturday, July 12 and 19 are Kids Days, where the younger set gets to bust a move. 212.LINCOLN; lincolncenter.org

Charles Ethan Porter, who began painting shortly after the Civil War, was one of the first African-Americans artists to exhibit his work at the National Academy of Design. A friend of Mark Twain, Porter worked until the 1920s. His art has been rescued from obscurity in recent years, and Porter is now hailed as a master of the still life. Dozens of his paintings are on display at the Studio Museum of Harlem through June 29. 212.864.4500; studiomuseum.org

If You Have 2 Days
Help Celebrate Brooklyn. This year the annual summertime series of free concerts at the Prospect Park Bandshell in Brooklyn marks its 30th year. With Latino, rock, jazz, blues, and classical music — as well as drama and spoken word performances — there’s something for everyone. July’s schedule includes reggae legend Freddie MacGregor (July 10), UK singer/songwriter Beth Orton (July 12), bluegrass from Jerry Douglas and gospel from the Holmes Brothers (a July 17 double bill), and a performance featuring the Phillip Glass Ensemble with the Brooklyn Youth Chorus (July 25). celebratebrooklyn.org

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the birth of Jerome Robbins, the choreographer who transformed American musical theater and worked with New York City Ballet for more than 40 years. The Jerome Robbins Celebration presents 12 different ballets this month during 29 performances at Lincoln Center. Through June 29. 212.870.5690; nycballet.com

If You Have a Long Weekend
Coney Island lives! Brooklyn’s venerable amusement capital, a weekend destination for generations of New Yorkers, is alive and well. Ride the death-defying Cyclone roller coaster, catch the Siren Music Festival (July 19), or watch a ballgame at Keyspan Park, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones. Check out the past at the Coney Island History Project and Hall of Fame. And if you are lucky enough to be around on July 4, you can watch Joey Chestnut defend his awe-inspiring record of 6t dogs in 12 minutes at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. The contest has been a July 4th tradition since 1916 (same place, different dogs). coneyisland.com

The Clearwater Festival is a weekend music and environmental festival on the banks of the Hudson River in Westchester’s Croton Point Park, June 21–22. Combine that with the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, which begins June 14 in Garrison, N.Y., an hour north of Manhattan, and you’ve got one heck of a funfest. Travelhudsonvalley.org can direct you to accommodations and other activities, and a slew of companies at hudsonriver.com offer sightseeing cruises along the mighty river.

Convention & Visitor's Bureau