Things to do in NYC in October 2020 include the Columbus Day (Italian American Day) and Indigenous People Day celebrations and Halloween.
COVID-19 Pandemic
New Yorkers wear masks, social distance, avoid crowds, wash hands and follow the guidance of Governor Cuomo and Mayor De Blasio.
Many events are livestreaming so you can enjoy them from home, anywhere in the world.
October is the best fall month to visit New York because the cultural season is in full swing and fall color arrives. The weather is cool, but not cold. It’s just perfect.
Register to Vote by Friday, October 9
It takes 2 minutes. Not voting is a vote for systemic racism.
October Things to Do in NYC
HOLIDAYS
- Columbus Day/Indigenous People Day Weekend (October 9-12, 2020)
- Columbus Day / Indigenous People Day (October 12, 2020)
INDEPENDENCE DAYS & NATIONAL CELEBRATIONS
- Spain National Day (October 12)
- Halloween (October 31)
- Day of the Dead / Día de Muertos (October 31 – November 2)
PARADES
- 25th Panamanian Parade (VIRTUAL Saturday, October 3, 2020 at 6pm)
- Hispanic Day Parade (Sunday of Columbus Day/Indigenous People Day Weekend: CANCELLED)
- Columbus Day Parade (VIRTUAL on ABC NY, October 12, 2020)
- Tompkins Square Park Dog Parade (VIRTUAL October 24 from 12-3pm)
- Jackson Heights Children’s Halloween Parade (October 31: CANCELLED)
- Village Halloween Parade (October 31: CANCELLED although the Giant Spider puppet will still crawl out of the Jefferson Library tower)
STREET FAIRS
- Panamanian Street Fair (VIRTUAL Saturday, October 3, 2020 at 6pm)
CULTURAL FESTIVALS
- Celebrate Mexico Now (Moved to November 1)
- Medieval Festival (CANCELLED)
- Redhawk Indigenous People Day Pow Wow (Second Sunday/Monday: CANCELLED)
ART
- TEFAF New York (Virtual moved to November 1-4)
DANCE
- American Ballet Theatre Fall Season [Cancelled].
- Fall For Dance Festival (Virtual, October 21 & 26, 2020)
FILM
- 58th New York Film Festival (Virtual through October 11, 2020)
FOOD
- 13th NYCWFF – New York City Wine & Food Festival (October 2-11, 2020)
- Open Streets : Open Restaurants (Through October 31)
LITERATURE
- Brooklyn Book Festival (Virtual September 28 – October 5)
- New Yorker Festival (Virtual, October 5-11, 2020)
- New York Comic Con (Virtual, October 5-11, 2020)
MOVIES
- 58th New York Film Festival (Through October 11)
MUSIC
- Global Music Month (Virtual through October 1)
- Billboard Latin Music Awards (Miami, October 21)
- Metropolitan Opera Fall Season (Cancelled)
- New York Philharmonic Fall Season (Cancelled)
SPORTS
THEATRE
- Broadway is closed until at least January 2021
FAITH DAYS
- St. Francis of Assisi (October 4)
- St Jude Thaddeus (October 28)
NATIONAL MONTHS & DAYS
- Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15)
- International Coffee Day (October 1)
- National Coming Out Day (October 11)
- Indigenous People Day (October 12)
- National Pasta Day (October 17)
- National Mezcal Day (October 21)
- International Creole Day (October 28)
- National Chocolate Day (October 28)
BIRTHDAYS
It’s strange that Celia Cruz and Dizzy Gillespie were born on the same day of the year, and that Bebo and Chucho Valdés (father and son) were also born on the same day of the year.
- Gerardo Ortiz, regional Mexican star, “The King of Corrido” (Pasadena, California, October 5, 1989)
- Ismael Rivera, salsa legend, (Calle Calma, Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico, October 5, 1931)
- Bebo Valdés, Tropicana Music Director (October 9, 1918)
- Chucho Valdés, timba legend and Bebo’s son (October 9, 1941)
- Vinicius de Moraes, Brazilian songwriter (Octoberm 19, 1933)
- Celia Cruz, The Queen of Salsa (Cuba, October 21, 1925)
- Dizzy Gillespie, Father of bebop jazz & Padrino of Latin jazz (Cheraw, South Carolina, October 21, 1917)
- Miguel Calo, tango composer (Balvanera, Buenos Aires, October 28, 1907)
- Espinoza Paz, regional Mexican star (October 29, 1981)
- Omara Portuondo, Buena Vista Social Club (October 29, 1930)
- Diego Maradona, Argentine soccer legend (Lanús, Argentina, October 30, 1960)
Continuing
The Global Music Month virtual music festival, which includes NYC’s own World Music Institute, Flushing Town Hall and New York Gypsy Festival, runs through October 1.
Things to do in NYC
October 2020 Week 40
September 28 – October 4, 2020
Thursday, October 1
Celebrate International Coffee Day.
The Hunter’s Moon, October full moon, rises over New York City at 5:05pm.
Friday, October 2
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
Saturday, October 3
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
Sunday, October 4
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
Celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy, animals and the environment. The Blessing of Animals is at some churches.
Things to do in NYC
October 2020 Week 41
October 5-11, 2020
Monday, October 5
OPENING DAY
The 2020 New Yorker Festival is virtual through Sunday.
Tuesday, October 6
The 2020 New Yorker Festival is virtual.
Wednesday, October 7
The 2020 New Yorker Festival is virtual.
Thursday, October 8
New York Comic Con is virtual through Sunday.
The 2020 New Yorker Festival is virtual.
Friday, October 9
Today is the Deadline to Register to Vote
Not voting is a vote for systemic racism. It takes 2 minutes.
It’s Columbus Day/Indigenous People Day Weekend!
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
The 2020 New Yorker Festival is virtual.
New York Comic Con is virtual.
Saturday, October 10
The 13th NYCWFF – New York City Wine & Food Festival is on.
The 2020 New Yorker Festival is virtual.
New York Comic Con is virtual.
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
Sunday, October 11
The 2020 New Yorker Festival is virtual.
New York Comic Con is virtual.
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
The Red Hawk Indigenous Peoples Day Pow Wow is on Randalls Island through Monday.
NYC’s Hispanic Day Parade marches through Midtown.
Things to do in NYC
October 2020 Week 42
October 12-18, 2020
Monday, October 12
It’s the Columbus Day (Italian American Day) federal holiday.
Celebrate Indigenous People Day.
Celebrate Spain’s national day.
The Red Hawk Indigenous Peoples Day Pow Wow holds a sunrise ceremony on Randalls Island.
Tuesday, October 13
Wednesday, October 14
Thursday, October 15
October 15 is the last day of the year to e-file taxes.
Friday, October 16
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
The new moon rises over New York City at 3:31pm.
Saturday, October 17
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
Celebrate National Pasta Day!
Sunday, October 18
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
Things to do in NYC
October 2020 Week 43
October 19-25, 2020
Monday, October 19
Tuesday, October 20
Billboard Magazine’s 30th Latin Music Week features conversations with Ozuna, Rosalía, Maluma, Black Eyed Peas, Carlos Vives and Los Tigres del Norte through Friday.
Wednesday, October 21
The Fall For Dance Festival Program 1 is virtual at nycitycenter.org at 7:30pm. $15
The Billboard Latin Music Awards are in Miami.
Celia Cruz, the Queen of Salsa, was born in Havana, Cuba on October 21, 1925.
Bebop and Latin jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie was born in Cheraw, South Carolina on October 21, 1917.
Celebrate National Mezcal Day.
Thursday, October 22
Friday, October 23
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
Saturday, October 24
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
Sunday, October 25
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
The Tour de Bronx bicycle ride is in the Bronx.
Things to do in NYC
October 2020 Week 44
October 26 – November 1, 2020
Monday, October 26
The Fall For Dance Festival Program 2 is virtual at nycitycenter.org at 7:30pm. $15
Tuesday, October 27
Wednesday, October 28
DOMINICA, HAITI, NEW ORLEANS, SAINT LUCIA
Celebrate International Creole Day and African-French or French-African culture around the world.
Celebrate the Feast of St Jude Thaddeus, patron saint of lost causes.
Celebrate National Chocolate Day.
Remember Miguel Calo, Argentine Tango bandoneonist, composer, and leader, who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on October 28, 1907.
Thursday, October 29
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
Mano a Mano’s Day of the Dead community altar (ofrenda) remembers COVID-19 victims at St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery. Through mid-November.
Fashion exhibition “About Time: Fashion and Duration” (postponed from May) opens at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in NYC’s Upper East Side. Through February 7, 2021.
Friday, October 30
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
Saturday, October 31
Dine outdoors at Open Streets : Open Restaurants
The Village Halloween Parade is cancelled, but the Giant Spider puppet will emerge from the Jefferson Library tower.