Things to do in NYC in October 2021 depend on the progress of the COVID-19 Pandemic. We won’t know the situation on the ground until September. Most everything is TBC meaning “to be confirmed.”
The Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples Day long weekend at the end of Hispanic Heritage Month is one of the peak times for Latin culture in New York.
The Month of October
October is the nicest month of fall because New York is in full stride, the weather is perfect, and the changing colors are beautiful.
New York City’s October weather is peak fall. Average temperatures range from 50° to 64°F, so it is cool. It’s the end of the March to October rainy season.
These events happen all month long.
- NYCFC ⚽️ soccer
- NY Red Bulls ⚽️ soccer
Things to do in NYC in October 2021 Week 39
September 27 – October 3, 2021
New York City Ballet fall season continues Tuesday – Sunday.
The Brooklyn Book Festival 📚 through Monday.
Friday, October 1
Saturday, October 2
The 25th Panamanian Parade 🇵🇦🥁 marches through Crown Heights, Brooklyn to the Panamanian Street Fair in Prospect Park. TBC
Sunday, October 3
The Medieval Festival 🏰🎪 is at Fort Tryon Park in Hudson Heights, Manhattan from 11:30am to 6pm. Free TBC
Yankees vs Rays is the last game of the regular season at Yankee Stadium in Concourse, The Bronx at 3:05pm.
Things to do in NYC in October 2021 Week 40
October 4-10, 2021
New York City Ballet fall season continues Tuesday – Sunday.
Monday, October 4
The Redhawk Indigenous People Day Pow Wow 🎪 opens. TBC
Celebrate the Feast of St Francis of Assisi 😇 and the blessing of the animals🐕🐈
Tuesday, October 5
Remember Ismael Rivera 🇵🇷 (“Las Caras Lindas,” “El Nazareno,” “El Bombón de Elena”). The salsa legend was born in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 5, 1931. In Puerto Rico, today is the Día Conmemorativo del Natalicio de Ismael Rivera. [We are publishing from his neighborhood, just down the street from the Rivera house on Calle Ismael Rivera/Calle Calma.]
Thursday, October 7
It’s New York Comic Con 📚 through Sunday.
Saturday, October 9
New York City Ballet presents the Ask La Cour Farewell. TBC
The 77th Columbus Day Parade Gala 🇮🇹💃🏽🕺🏽 is tonight.
Sunday, October 10
The 77th Columbus Day Parade Wreath Laying 🇮🇹 is at Columbus Circle in Manhattan.
The Hispanic Day Parade 🥁 marches up Fifth Avenue. TBC
Things to do in NYC in October 2021 Week 41
October 11-17, 2021
New York City Ballet fall season continues Tuesday – Sunday.
Monday, October 11
Celebrate Indigenous People Day and the First Nations of the Americas!
The Redhawk Indigenous People Day Pow Wow 🎪 greets the day with a sunrise ceremony. TBC
Celebrate Columbus Day 🇮🇹, a holiday created to stop the lynching of Italian Americans.
The 77th Columbus Day Parade Mass 🇮🇹 is at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Midtown East at 9:30am.
The 77th Columbus Day Parade 🇮🇹🥁 marches up Fifth Avenue at 11:30am.
Tuesday, October 12
Celebrate Spain’s National Day 🇪🇸
Thursday, October 14
The 14th NYCWFF – New York City Wine & Food Festival 🍷🍽🎪 runs through Sunday.
Friday, October 15
It’s the end of Hispanic Heritage Month 🇺🇸
Saturday, October 16
It’s Open House New York weekend 🏛🎪 through Sunday.
Sunday, October 17
New York City Ballet presents the Maria Kowroski Farewell. TBC
Things to do in NYC in October 2021 Week 42
October 18-24, 2021
Things to do in NYC in October 2021 Week 43
October 25-31, 2021
Thursday, October 28
Celebrate the Feast of St Jude Thaddeus 😇 patron saint of lost causes.
Sunday, October 31
Celebrate Halloween 🎃
The Tompkins Square Park Dog Parade 🎃🐕🥁 is at Tompkins Square Park in Manhattan’s East Village. TBC
The Village Halloween Parade 🎃🥁 marches up Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village. TBC
The Jackson Heights Children’s Halloween Parade 🎃🥁 marches down 37th Ave in Jackson Heights, Queens. TBC
Day of the Dead (Día de muertos) celebrations begin with the building of ofrendas (altars) to invite deceased family members to visit.
Categories of Things to Do in NYC in October 2021
October is a peak month for Latin culture in New York City. The COVID-19 Pandemic adds a bit of uncertainty to things this year.
OCTOBER HOLIDAYS
- Columbus Day / Indigenous People Day Monday, October 11, 2021
- Columbus Day/Indigenous People Day Weekend October 8-11, 2021
OCTOBER INDEPENDENCE DAYS
- Spain National Day 🇪🇸 October 12
OCTOBER FESTIVALS
- Hispanic Heritage Month 🇺🇸 September 15 – October 15
- Medieval Festival 🏰🎪 Sunday, October 3, 2021 TBC
- St. Francis of Assisi 😇 October 4 🐕🐈 Blessing of the Animals
- Celebrate Mexico Now 🇲🇽🎪 (2019: October 7-13, 2020: Nov 1-2) TBD
- Redhawk Indigenous People Day Pow Wow 🎪 Sunday-Monday, October 10-11, 2021
- St Jude Thaddeus 😇 October 28
- Halloween 🎃 October 31
- Day of the Dead / Día de Muertos 💀 October 31 – November 2
OCTOBER PARADES
- 25th Panamanian Parade 🇵🇦🥁 TBD (2020: Saturday, October 3)
- Hispanic Day Parade 🥁 Sunday, October 10, 2021
- Columbus Day Parade 🇮🇹🥁 Monday, October 11, 2021
- Tompkins Square Park Dog Parade 🎃🐕🥁 October 31
- Jackson Heights Children’s Halloween Parade 🎃🥁 October 31
- Village Halloween Parade 🎃🥁 October 31
OCTOBER STREET FAIRS
- Panamanian Street Fair 🎪 TBD (2020: Saturday, October 3)
OCTOBER ART
- Open House New York 🏛🎪October 16-17, 2021
- TEFAF New York 🎨🎪 Cancelled
OCTOBER DANCE
- American Ballet Theatre 🩰 fall TBD
- Fall For Dance festival 💃🏽🎪 TBD (2020: October 21 & 26)
- New York City Ballet 🩰 fall season September 21 – October 17, 2021, Tue-Sun
OCTOBER FILM
- 59th New York Film Festival 🎞🎪 TBD (2020: Last Fri of Sep – oct 11)
OCTOBER FOOD
- 14th NYCWFF – New York City Wine & Food Festival 🍷🍽🎪 October 14-17, 2021
OCTOBER LITERATURE
- Brooklyn Book Festival 📚 September 26 – October 4, 2021
- New Yorker Festival 📚 TBD (2020: October 5-11)
- New York Comic Con 📚 October 7-10, 2021
OCTOBER MUSIC
- Enrique Iglesias 🇪🇸 & Ricky Martin 🇵🇷, Prudential Center, Saturday, October 16, 2021
- Global Music Month 🎶 TBD (2020: August 29 – October 1)
- Billboard Latin Music Awards 🎶🏆 Telemundo , moved to April 15, 2021 at 7pm
- Metropolitan Opera 🎼🎶 September 27, 2021 – June 11, 2022
- New York Philharmonic 🎼🎶 TBD
OCTOBER SPORTS
- New York Mets ⚾️ baseball, April 1 – October 3, 2021
- New York Yankees ⚾️ baseball, April 1 – October 3, 2021
- NYCFC ⚽️ soccer, April 3 – November 7, 2021
- NY Red Bulls ⚽️ soccer, April 3 – November 7, 2021
- Sky Blue FC ⚽️ women’s soccer TBD (April to October)
OCTOBER THEATRE
- Broadway 🎭 TBD
OCTOBER NATIONAL DAYS
- 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 🇭🇹 (last Friday) October 28
- National Chocolate Day 🍫 October 28
OCTOBER 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”, October 5, 1989
- Ismael Rivera 🇵🇷 salsa legend, October 5, 1931
- Bebo Valdés 🇨🇺 Tropicana Music Director, October 9, 1918
- Chucho Valdés 🇨🇺 timba and Latin jazz, October 9, 1941
- Vinicius de Moraes 🇧🇷 bossa nova, October 19, 1933
- Celia Cruz 🇨🇺 Queen of Salsa, October 21, 1925
- Dizzy Gillespie 🇺🇸 Bebop jazz & Latin jazz, October 21, 1917
- Miguel Calo 🇦🇷 tango composer, October 28, 1907
- Espinoza Paz 🇲🇽 regional Mexican star, October 29, 1981
- Omara Portuondo 🇨🇺 Buena Vista Social Club singer, October 29, 1930
- Diego Maradona 🇦🇷 soccer legend, October 30, 1960