From free film screenings to colorful street parades, the city始s culture comes to life during the beautiful summer season. In addition to the summer-long schedule of free concerts and productions such as Central Park始s Summerstage and Shakespeare in the Park, here are some other activities to consider checking out during an August trip to New York City. New York International Fringe Festival Prepare to be amazed by the energy and excitement surrounding the creative and innovative productions at the New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC.) Every summer, North America始s largest multiarts festival hosts over 200 performance companies from around the globe. The festival runs for 16 days in August and showcases over a thousand performances in several venues. For a list of all shows, a guide to the various venues and information on how to buy tickets online, visit the FringeNYC official website. Central Park Film Festival What better place to watch a film than Central Park, which has served as the cinematic backdrop for many Hollywood hits. The annual Central Park Film Festival is a must for movie lovers, featuring free outdoor screenings of film favorites at Rumsey Playfield. Screenings take place rain or shine and are all closed-captioned. The shows begin at 8 p.m. with the gates opening at 6 p.m. To get to the venue, movie goers should enter Central Park at Fifth Avenue and 69th Street, bring a blanket, then sit back and enjoy the show! Head over to the Central Park official website for a handy monthly calendar of events that includes the scheduled film screenings for August. Harlem Week The celebration of this vibrant community in Upper Manhattan began in 1974 as a one-day
event. Now Harlem Week has a busy schedule of activities all summer including the New York City Children始s Festival. Home of one of the most famous entertainment venues in the United States, the Apollo Theater, Harlem Week emphasizes the importance of this neighborhood as a key center of creativity, arts and culture in the U.S. The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Mostly Mozart Festival The long-running Mostly Mozart Festival offers the magic of Mozart and more. This annual summer celebration of music, art, dance and film showcases an incredible array of programming that will dazzle and delight culture vultures. The festival debuts up-andcoming performers as well as world-renowned master musicians like Yo-Yo Ma. From opera singers to string quartets to pianists, the festival features dozens of concerts and events and takes place at various venues of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, which is situated in Upper West side of Manhattan. Lincoln Center Out of Doors Throughout the month of August, the Lincoln Center also hosts the Out of Doors performance arts series, which features free music, theater and dance productions at Damrosch Park. The open-air stage is located at the southwest corner of the Lincoln Center Plaza, at 62nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. Summer also brings numerous street fairs, parades and festivals to New York that celebrate the colorful mosaic of cultures that make up the city. The Dominican Day parade runs along Sixth Avenue from 36th to 62nd Streets on the second Sunday of August, and the India Independence Day parade takes place on Madison Avenue from 41st to 23rd Streets the third weekend of August.
Written by Rosalie Scott, courtesy of Isnare.com