Do you hear that? The faint whooshing sound of the summer flying by? Well, I’m here to help you make the most of your last few weekends in the city of dreams. There’s still time to take advantage of all that summer in NYC has to offer before your internship ends and you head back to the schoolwork grind. From fresh, gourmet food to arts and crafts to live music, each of these five NYC street fairs boasts its own distinct charm.
1. Hester Street Fair
Photo courtesy of newyork.cbslocal.com
The Hester Street Fair is open every Saturday from 10 am – 6 pm in Seward Park (corner of Hester and Essex) in the Lower East Side. It houses a range of food vendors, artists, and musicians, as well as various events throughout the summer.
A few of the most notables ones are the Summer Ice Cream Bazaar, which showcases some of the city’s best creameries, and the Coffee Throwdown, a competition between the city’s top-notch coffee roasters to see who truly has the best brew. Whether it’s an event or just a normal Saturday, the Hester Street Fair is the perfect spot to check out if you want to change up your weekend routine.
2. Smorgasburg
Photo courtesy of theepochtimes.com
While not technically a street fair, Smorgasburg has become one of the most popular outdoor food markets in the city, and with roughly 90 vendors selling everything from gelato to the famous ramen burger, we can understand why. Skip breakfast next weekend and head down to Brooklyn. Smorgasburg runs from 11 am – 6 pm on Saturdays (in Williamsburg) and Sundays (in Prospect Park).
3. Fort Green Flea Market
Photo courtesy of dnainfo.com
Open every Saturday, the Fort Green Flea Market, located at 176 Lafayette Ave in Brooklyn, is the perfect spot for anyone interested in vintage clothes, crafts, antiques, or killer street food. The hours are 10 am – 5 pm, so you’ll have plenty of time to walk around, explore, and get in touch with your inner hipster.
4. Summer Streets
Photo courtesy of nypost.com
For the first three Saturdays in August (the 1st, 8th, and 15th), Park Avenue will be closed off to traffic from the Brooklyn Bridge to 72nd street. In place of the honking cars will be activities like performances, rock climbing, and bike and roller blade rentals. The fair will run from 7 am – 1 pm, so rise and shine to see Park Ave like you never have before.
5. Lexington Avenue Summerfest
Photo courtesy of worldswimsuit.com
Since 1996, the Lexington Ave Summerfest has provided New Yorkers with over 500 unique vendors boasting everything from food to jewelry. This year, it will take place on Sunday, August 7th, from 10 am – 6 pm on Lexington Ave from 42nd street to 57th street.
This annual street fair is legendary to city residents and tourists alike, with around 80,000 people in attendance every year. Come for a taste of a vast variety of authentic street foods or to work on your bargaining skills; either way you won’t want to miss the day when Midtown East becomes a cool destination you actually want to visit.