Chelsea & Downtown Manhattan Events: Apr. 9-15
Thursday, April 9th
Chelsea
Shelf Talk Series: Steve Zeitlin discusses ‘How Do You Wear the Universe?’: Join Barnes & Noble Union Square to hear folklorist, poet and founding director of City Lore, Steve Zeitlin discuss his newest book of poetry and essays. He will be in discussion with MediacsBooks president, Jim Bergman followed by an audience Q&A and signing line. This event is free & open to the public. 6:00 p.m. Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 East 17th Street, New York, NY (212) 253-0810.
Downtown
Preschool Play & Art: Come to River Terrace for a morning of interactive play, art-making and more. This event is for walking toddlers through preschool-aged children and accompanying adults. Adults participate throughout the program. 10:00 a.m. Battery Park City Authority, 6 River Terrace, New York, NY (212) 417-2000.
Friday, April 10th
Downtown
Family Activity Weekends: Weekends bring fun activities for the whole family to the South Street Seaport Museum. Timely hands-on activities and engagement stations for visitors of all ages provide creative opportunities that illuminate history and life at sea while enhancing your visit to the Seaport Museum galleries, the tall ship Wavertree, and the lightship Ambrose. 11:00 a.m. Seaport Museum, 207 Water Street, New York, NY (212) 732-8257.
Chelsea
‘Impossible’ by Francis Naumann: Join Rizzoli for a conversation with Francis Naumann to celebrate his new book, the first about the love affair between Brazilian sculptor Maria Martins and artist and inventor Marcel Duchamp. The conversation will be followed by a signing. 6:00 p.m. Rizzoli Bookstore, 1133 Broadway, New York, NY (212) 759-2424.
Saturday, April 11th
Chelsea
Pasquale Grasso Trio: Born in Italy and based in New York City, this 30-year-old guitarist has developed an astounding technique and concept informed not by jazz guitarists so much as by bebop pioneers like Bud Powell, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie and the classical-guitar tradition. 5:30 p.m. Birdland Jazz Club, 315 West 44th St, New York, NY (212) 581-3080.
Downtown
Jackie Robinson Day Weekend: Kick off the celebration of Jackie Robinson Day 2026. Robinson made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, breaking the color barrier in modern Major League Baseball. Commemorate Robinson’s enduring legacy on and off the baseball diamond with fun-filled events for fans of all ages. 11:30 a.m. Jackie Robinson Museum, One Hudson Square Building, 75 Varick Street, New York, NY (866) 454-3772.
Sunday, April 12th
Downtown
Walking Tour: The Yiddish Broadway: Join urban historian Bradley Shaw on a walk down Second Avenue and relive the heyday of the Jewish Theater District, or Jewish Rialto, through stories of the neighborhood, the actors, the restaurants, the hangouts and the theaters—some of which are still standing today. 2:30 p.m. Museum at Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge Street, New York, NY (212) 219-0302.
Chelsea
Writers Read & Bellevue Literary Review Present Body Language: True Stories of Illness, Recovery, and Discovery: This special collaboration marks Bellevue Literary Review’s 25th anniversary. Talented writers from across the country take the stage to present their true, personal, five-minute stories—literary work exploring the extraordinary demands placed upon the human body and mind. 1:00 p.m. City Winery, 25 11th Avenue, New York, NY (646) 751-6033.
Monday, April 13th
Chelsea
Park Tour: Join in this free walking tours of Bryant Park led by members of Bryant Park Corporation’s staff. Discover how Bryant Park Corporation successfully transformed a haven for crime and drugs into Manhattan’s Town Square. Guides are full of expertise on the park’s rich history, award-winning design, distinct amenities and ongoing maintenance efforts. 11:00 a.m. Bryant Park Shop, by the fountain near 41st Street and Sixth Avenue, New York, NY (212) 768-4242.
Downtown
Exhibition Tour: Whitney Biennial 2026: The 82nd edition of the Whitney Biennial—the longest-running survey of contemporary art in the United States—features work of 56 artists, duos and collectives. 1:00 p.m. Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort Street, New York, NY (212) 570-3600.
Tuesday, April 14th
Chelsea
Little Movers Storytime: Bitty Book Buddies: Come to the NYPL to hear stories, sing songs and get those wiggles out as you help your active child build important early learning skills. Discover ways to promote early literacy at home and meet other caregivers in the neighborhood. Best for new walkers, toddlers or children at this developmental stage. 10:30 a.m. Epiphany Library, 228 East 23rd Street, New York, NY, (212) 679-2645.
Downtown
‘Garden Apartments: The History of Low-Rent Utopia’: In his new book, “Garden Apartments: The History of a Low-Rent Utopia,” Joshua B. Freeman explains how a form of multifamily housing with idealistic roots became a ubiquitous model dwelling, promoted by both public entities and private developers. 6:00 p.m. The Skyscraper Museum, 39 Battery Place, New York, NY (212) 968-1961.
Wednesday, April 15th
Chelsea
Open Play: Baby and Toddler Play Date: Join in a library playdate and meet other caregivers as you explore developmentally appropriate play materials in a safe, warm and joyful environment. Toys will be provided. 10:00 a.m. Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, 455 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY (212) 340-0863.
Downtown
Family Storytime with Chatham Square: Join Chatham Square librarians to share songs, rhymes and favorite read-aloud books for the whole family. 10:30 a.m. Chatham Square Library, 33 East Broadway, New York, NY (212) 964-6598.