Spring is all about the great outdoors in New York City—or as much as we can get of it! Whether it’s playing with butterflies, taking in the blossoming flowers or contemporary art displays, head out in NYC’s concrete jungle to enjoy the city’s natural and artistic playground.
The Butterfly Conservatory at the American Museum of Natural History
Behold the beauty of thousands and thousands of butterflies and moths in a tropical vivarium at the stunning Butterfly Conservatory exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History. Can you spot whites and sulphurs, swallowtails, morphos, and longwings? With more than 25,000 different varieties, there is enough time to visit the Butterfly Exhibit over and over again, open through May 28, 2018. Photo courtesy of @wecanbefriends_ on Instagram.
Sakura Matsuri
If you love blooming cherry blossoms and Japanese culture, then you’ll want to get tickets for Sakura Matsura quickly! From Saturday, April 28 to Sunday, April 29, 2018, visitors to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden can celebrate traditional and contemporary Japanese culture with over 60 events and performances. But don’t worry—if you can’t make it to the festival, you can still enjoy the pink blooms that flower the botanical garden; flowering cherries bloom at the Garden from late March or early April through mid-May. There is even Cherry Watch, where you can check out the blooms in real time). Photo courtesy of @pankratova916 on Instagram.
The Orchid Show
Even the most mean-mugging New Yorkers go crazy for orchids at the New York Botanical Garden’s annual Orchid Show. A trip to the Bronx is definitely worth seeing thousands of orchids in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Installations by Belgian artist Daniel Ost—aka the Picasso of flower arranging—highlight each one of these exoctic beauties. Catch a glimpse of these rarities by day or at night during Orchid Evenings from Saturday, March 3, 2018 through Sunday, April 22, 2018. Photo courtesy of @missivyleewilson on Instagram.
Frieze New York
Art aficionados and fashionistas will make the annual pilgrimage to Randall’s Island Park between for Frieze New York on May 3–6, 2018. This year’s Frieze will introduce “Live,” a series of performances and interactive events. Some of this year’s artists include Essex Street and JTT, LA gallery Château Shatto and Regards from Chicago. Photo courtesy of @lehmannmaupin on Instagram.
Tribeca Film Festival
Robert De Niro, along with Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, founded Tribeca Film Festival after the 9/11 attacks to spur economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan. Now 17 years in, it’s become one of the defining highlights of the year. On April 18, 2018, movie buffs will converge in Manhattan for the annual festival, filled with talks, games, and galas—and of course movie screenings. Photo courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival on Facebook.
Great Northern Food Cooking Class
If you want to take home a piece of famed Scandinavian restauranteur and Noma founder Claus Meyer’s delicious breads, now is your chance. Some might not think it ideal to spend a day in the kitchen baking, but these refreshing baking and cooking classes from Great Northern Food and Brooklyn Kitchen are far from “work.” Attendees at Great Northern Food and Brooklyn Kitchen Baking and Cooking Classes experience an intimate class at the former Meyers Bageri cafe in Williamsburg, a convenient cab or subway ride from Manhattan. During the classes, they learn how to make rugbrød ( Nordic rye bread, base for open faced sandwiches), Øland (rustic sourdough rye bread), kanelsnurrer (cinnamon swirls), grains and grød (hearty and heart-warming sweet and savory porridges), Nordic pizza, soups and Nordic dinner party. Come April, Afro-Caribbean soul food with Chef Charlene from the Brownsville Community Culinary Center in Brownsville Brooklyn will be introduced. Photo courtesy of @bullfrogandbaum on Instagram.
