April 2020 is when spring begins opening up New York City. It is National Autism Month, National Poetry Month, and International Guitar Month.
New York on PAUSE
Non-essential New York businesses are shut down through at least the end of June.
The best things to do in NYC right now are stay home and follow New York State and New York City guidelines.
APRIL HOLIDAYS: There aren’t any national holidays in April, but the NYC Schools Spring Recess is April 9-17.
APRIL PARADES: The Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival opens New York City’s parade season.
APRIL NATIONAL DAYS: Romani Day, Earth Day and International Jazz Day are in April.
APRIL ART: Paris Photo New York (AIPAD) and ArtExpo are for artsy types.
APRIL DANCE: The Flamenco Festival NYC, Youth America Grand Prix international ballet competition, Dance Theatre of Harlem, New York City Ballet entertain dance lovers.
APRIL FAITH: Holy Week, Easter and Passover and Ramadan are in April 2020.
APRIL FILM: The Tribeca Film Festival, Havana Film Festival, and Art of the Real documentary film festival keep film buffs happy.
APRIL SPORTS: The Yankees and Mets start the Major League Baseball season.
¡Get the Latin world!
POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER 2020
The Seville Fair (Feria de Abril) is in Seville, Spain April 25 through May 2, 2020.
POSTPONED
The 2020 Vallenato Legend Festival (Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata) is in Valledupar, Cesar, Colombia from April 29 through May 2, 2020.
April 2020 things to do in NYC week 14
March 30 – April 5, 2020
Things to do in NYC in March 2020
Wednesday, April 1
April Fools! We wish.
Thursday, April 2
POSTPONED
The 2020 New York Yankees home opener against the Blue Jays was scheduled for today. Major League Baseball postponed the season on March 12 and is deciding what to do.
POSTPONED
Paris Photo New York (formerly The Photography Show by AIPAD) opens with a preview at Pier 94. It runs through Sunday.
Friday, April 3
FLAMENCO FESTIVAL NYC POSTPONED
The Flamenco Festival 20/20 continues with Compañia Manuel Liñán ¡Viva! at New York City Center in Midtown, Manhattan at 8pm. From $35
Saturday, April 4
Remember Dr. Martin Luther King who was assassinated on this day in 1968.
FLAMENCO FESTIVAL NYC POSTPONED
The Flamenco Festival 20/20 continues with Gala de Andalucía at New York City Center in Midtown, Manhattan at 8pm. From $35
Sunday, April 5
Celebrate Palm Sunday.
Celebrate Holy Week, the Christian spring festival building up to Easter next Sunday.
FLAMENCO FESTIVAL NYC POSTPONED
The Flamenco Festival 20/20 closes with Gala de Andalucía at New York City Center in Midtown, Manhattan at 3pm. From $35
April 2020 things to do in NYC week 15
April 6-12, 2020
Monday, April 6
Tuesday, April 7
POSTPONED
Ballet Hispánico opens its spring season at the Joyce Theater in Chelsea, NYC at 8pm. Tuesday-Sunday through April 19.
April’s Pink Moon is full at 10:35pm.
Wednesday, April 8
Celebrate Passover, the Jewish spring festival from sundown through sundown Thursday, April 16.
Celebrate International Romani Day.
Thursday, April 9
ONLINE ONLY
NYC Schools Spring Recess is through April 17.
It’s Maundy Thursday of Holy Week.
Friday, April 10
It’s Good Friday of Holy Week.
POSTPONED
The Youth American Grand Prix international ballet competition is at the David H. Koch Theater in Lincoln Center through April 17.
CALIFORNIA ~ RESCHEDULED TO OCTOBER 9-18, 2020
The Coachella music festival is in Coachella, California through Sunday.
Saturday, April 11
Celebrate Holy Saturday of Holy Week.
Celebrate the Costa Rican national day of “Battle of Rivas Day” (Juan Santamaria Day) when Costa Rican farmers repelled an invasion of U.S. Confederate forces in 1856.
Dance Argentine Tango at the NYC All Night Milonga at Stepping Out Studios in NoMad, Manhattan from 10pm – 4am. $18
Sunday, April 12
Celebrate Easter Sunday.
CANCELLED
Walk in the Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival on Fifth Avenue from 59th St to 57th St, from 10am – 4pm. FREE
April 2020 things to do in NYC week 16
April 13-19, 2020
In New York City, it’s Immigrant Heritage Week.
Monday, April 13
Tuesday, April 14
Lucille Lortel Award nominations (Off-Broadway) are announced.
Wednesday, April 15
Celebrate Jackie Robinson Day, when Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947.
RESTRUCTURED
The 19th Tribeca Film Festival opens with a red carpet screening of May Wharton’s documentary “Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President” at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The Festival runs daily through April 26. Tribeca Immersive Cinema360 will run on Facebook’s Oculus starting April 17. The juried awards will be run at home so winners can still be announced by April 26.
Thursday, April 16
New York Governor Cuomo extends New York on PAUSE through May 15.
CANCELLED OR POSTPONED
The Art of the Real documentary film festival was anticipated at Film at Lincoln Center through April 26.
Friday, April 17
More immigrants entered Ellis Island on April 17, 1907 than on any other day in history.
Celebrate Malbec World Day and enjoy the popular Argentine red wine.
Mexican ranchera legend Chavela Vargas was born in San Joaquín Flores, Costa Rica on April 17, 1919.
Saturday, April 18
Sunday, April 19
Celebrate Uruguay’s national day, “Landing of 33 Patriots Day,” the start of the rebel campaign that led to the independence of Uruguay.
April 2020 things to do in NYC week 17
April 20-26, 2020
Monday, April 20
Latin jazz legend Tito Puente was born in Harlem, NYC on April 20, 1923.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the cancellation of all non-essential events in New York City during the month of June 2020.
Tuesday, April 21
[Anticipated] City Parks Foundation announces its SummerStage lineup.
CANCELLED
The New York City Ballet Spring 2020 Season opens with a 21st Century Choreographers program at the David H. Koch Theater in Lincoln Center at 7:30pm. The Season runs through May 31. From $35
Wednesday, April 22
Celebrate Earth Day.
The new moon is at 10:25pm tonight.
Thursday, April 23
POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 2020
The Artexpo New York contemporary art fair is at Pier 94 in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC through Sunday.
Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of devotion and fasting, begins at sundown and continues through May 23.
ARIZONA ~ CANCELLED
The Tucson Tango Festival runs through Sunday.
Friday, April 24
Saturday, April 25
CANCELLED
The 5th Latin Dance Fiesta presents dance companies from Costa Rica, Peru, Trinidad and Venezuela at the Queens Theatre in Flushing Meadows Corona Park at 8pm. $25
Sunday, April 26
April 2020 things to do in NYC week 18
April 27 – May 3, 2020
Monday, April 27
Tuesday, April 28
POSTPONED TO TUESDAY, JUNE 23
It’s Primary Election Day in New York. Please vote.
Actress Penélope Cruz was born in Alcobendas, Spain on April 28, 1974.
POSTPONED
The 21st Havana Film Festival New York was scheduled to run through Tuesday, April 14. Plans are to reschedule it to Fall 2020.
Wednesday, April 29
Celebrate International Dance Day, the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727 – 1810) who transformed ballet from a spectacle of costume and scenery to an emotional expression through movement.
COLOMBIA ~ POSTPONED
The 53rd Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata (Vallenato Legend Festival) is in Valledupar, Cesar, Colombia from April 29 through May 2, 2020.
Thursday, April 30
It’s the UN’s International Jazz Day!
Things to do in NYC in May 2020