While it marks the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day was created to honor the brave men and women in uniform who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Fortunately, in New York City, there are plenty of ways to commemorate the holiday while also enjoying the long weekend, with activities including live music aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid, a military history boat cruise in the New York Harbor, and the largest Memorial Day parade in the country.
Concerts
Image courtesy of the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic Free Memorial Day Concert
May 27 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
1047 Amsterdam Avenue, The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine
The New York Philharmonic is giving a free concert on Memorial Day inside Morningside Heights’ stunning Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. Conducted by music director Jaap van Zweden, the 31st Annual Free Memorial Day Concert is presented as a gift to New Yorkers and a day of musical remembrance. The program will include Wagner’s “Prelude to Act I of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg,” Copland’s “Quiet City,” and Brahms’ “Symphony No. 4.” Admission is free, but tickets are limited and available on a first-come first-serve basis.
Fleet Week Times Square Concerts
May 24, May 25, May 26
Times Square
As part of Fleet Week, enjoy three nights of band concerts in Times Square. On May 24, 25, and 26, listen to performances by the U.S. Navy Brass Band, U.S. Navy Rock Band, U.S. Marine Corps Band, and the U.S. Fleet Forces Rock Band.
Fleet Week 2018. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Hunter Medley via Flickr
Boat Tours & Cruises
Military History Tour of New York Harbor
May 27
Set sail on a fun and educational boat tour through New York Harbor this Memorial Day. During the 2.5-hour ride, you’ll enjoy views of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships in town for Fleet Week, see military landmarks such as the Brooklyn Navy Yard and the Brooklyn Army Terminal, and hear stories about the crucial role the city’s ports played during World War II. Tickets cost $116.
Memorial Day Dinner Cruise
May 24, 25, 26 and 27 at 7 p.m.
This Memorial Day weekend, enjoy a delicious dinner aboard a ship with the twinkling NYC skyline as your backdrop. The three-hour dinner cruise travels down the East and Hudson Rivers, passing under the Brooklyn Bridge and alongside the city skyline as you indulge in a gourmet meal. Admission grants you access to all levels of the ship, offering panoramic views of NYC, Jersey City, and Brooklyn. Tickets are priced at $159 for general admission and $199 for window seating.
Fleet Week ship tours
May 23 through 29 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Every Fleet Week, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard bring multiple ships (and thousands of service members) to New York. The week-long event offers New Yorkers the chance to tour naval ships docked at piers across the city, among other events and celebrations.
4 U.S. Naval Academy YPs from Annapolis, Maryland
May 23 through May 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Intrepid Museum, Pier 86, ManhattanUSCGC Sturgeon Bay from New Jersey
May 23 through May 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Intrepid Museum, Pier 86, ManhattanUSS MARINETTE from Mayport, Florida
May 23 through May 27, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Homeport Pier, Staten IslandUSCGC Calhoun from Charleston, South Carolina
May 23 through May 27, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Homeport Pier, Staten IslandUSCGC Katherine Walker from Bayonne, New Jersey
May 23 through May 27, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Homeport Pier, Staten IslandUSS Bataan from Norfolk, Virginia
May 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pier 88 South, ManhattanFGS Baden-Württemberg from Germany
May 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pier 90 North, ManhattanFGS Frankfurt am Main from Germany
May 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pier 90 North, Manhattan
Image courtesy of the Intrepid Museum
Intrepid Museum
May 24, May 25, and May 27
Pier 86, West 46th Street, Intrepid Museum
Celebrate the country’s men and women in uniform with fun activities aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid. On May 24 at 7 p.m., enjoy a free screening of “Top Gun: Maverick” on the Intrepid’s Flight Deck. On May 25 and 27, experience a variety of live performances, activities, and demos from the U.S. Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Office of Naval Research, and more. The weekend festivities will conclude on May 27 at 10 a.m., with a Memorial Day ceremony. All activities on the pier are free to the public.
Recreation and Relaxation
Pickleball in Central Park
Central Park, Wollman Rink
Spend Memorial Day weekend at Central Park’s Wollman Rink, which has been transformed into a summer pickleball oasis. CityPickle is a 14-court pickleball installation offering lessons, open-play sessions, and tournaments. Courts can host up to eight players and are reservable from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; prices start at $10 per player during off-peak hours and $12.50 during peak hours.
Hit the beach
No surprise here, a great way to spend Memorial Day is at the beach. NYC beaches officially open for the season on Saturday, May 25. During beach season, lifeguards are on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Open through September, the city’s beaches are free and open to the public. Plan a trip to one of our favorite local beaches, from the Rockaways and Jacob Riis to Orchard Beach and Coney Island.
Seaport Summer Kickoff
May 25 to May 27
The Seaport, Manhattan
Start summer on a high note this Memorial Day weekend with three consecutive days of exciting events at the Seaport. Experience a six-hour daytime party with tropical dance vibes at Kokos at Pearl Alley, and indulge in a wide variety of delectable seafood and drinks available all day at the neighborhood’s restaurants and bars.
Live music lovers can enjoy outdoor performances by a brass band as they make their way from the outdoor bar at the Tin Building to Malibu Farm and onto the Lawn Club. There are plenty of other exciting ways to spend Memorial Day at the Seaport, including a 2.5-hour sunset sail, public ship tours, and more. Learn more about the offerings here.
Hester Street Fair
May 25 and 26
89 South Street, Manhattan
The Hester Street Fair is returning for its 15th season this Memorial Day weekend, showcasing an eclectic variety of local vendors in a vibrant outdoor marketplace. Taking place on May 25 and 26, the street fair features two days of fun, food, drinks, and shopping. More information about the fair can be found here.
Prospect Park Zoo
May 25
450 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn
After being closed for nearly eight months due to flood damage, the Prospect Park Zoo will reopen during Memorial Day weekend. The Brooklyn zoo will open on Saturday, May 25 following $6.5 million in repairs needed after Tropical Storm Ophelia in September 2023. Visitors will find some new animals, including a pair of southern pudu, one of the world’s smallest species of deer, and a female Hamadryas baboon born during the zoo’s closure.
How to spend Memorial Day weekend in NYC
May 21, 2024
Cover photo: Sailors pose for I Heart NY photo ahead of Fleet Week in 2016. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Raymond Minami via Flickr