While New York City always feels like a festival, there are a few noteworthy events worth fighting the extra crowds.
NY Art Book Fair When: September 30-October 2; preview, Thursday, 6-9 p.m.Where: MoMA PS1, Long Island CityWhy: Printed Matter hosts its sixth annual free, public NY Art Book Fair, where hundreds of book sellers, publishers, antiquarian dealers, and artists showcase and sell books, zines, catalogs, monographs and other fine-printed materials. This year, the overarching theme is photography books, and there will be an outdoor tent filled with over 60 “zinesters” (clear your magazine rack). Throughout the weekend, there will be signings, screenings, workshops and special projects.
All Tomorrow’s Parties When: September 30-October 2Where: Asbury Park, N.J.Why: ATP presents a fall festival called "I’ll Be Your Mirror," a new series of artist curated music, film and art events that will take place all over the world. The upcoming stateside fest will be headlined and curated by Portishead, and include performances by Neutral Milk Hotel frontman Jeff Mangum.
CMJ Music MarathonWhen: October 18-22Where: Various venues in NYCWhy: The bands play on. Every fall, nearly 1,300 musical performances of all genres are booked at 80 venues in New York. This year’s lineup fills out the spectrum with the likes of Wild Flag, Neon Indian, Class Actress, Talib Kweli, The Man, and Kermit Ruffins. Panels, movie previews, Q&A sessions and seminars for entertainment business and law are snugly fit between sessions.
NYC Food & Wine FestivalWhen: September 29-October 2Where: Meatpacking DistrictWhy: The Food Network descends on the cobblestone streets for a the three day gorging fest filled with parties, food personalities, seminars, cook-offs and culinary demos. Highlights include Rock and Bowl with Anne Burrell, Charcuterie 101 at Macellaria, Oyster Bash, Burger Bash, and Rock & Roll karaoke with Morimoto. Panel discussions like Dining Sustainably in NY restaurants, and The Feast’s chat with Ferran Adria: After El Bulli, are sure to sell out. Events are ticketed and often jam packed -- but you won’t leave hungry.
The Flea’s Superstar DJ Record FairWhen: October 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.Where: Williamsburg WaterfrontWhy: The Smorgasburg and Brooklyn Flea are hosting a vinyl-centric market day with DJs and diggers selling their rare, special, and hard-to-find records. A dance floor will be cleared for the kids, and there will be plenty of music pumping out onto the East River. The whole thing happens within food market Smorgasburg, so that you can take your appetite (and not just records) for a spin.