Chelsea & Downtown Manhattan Events: Aug. 13-19
Thursday, August 13th
Chelsea
Drop-In Career Support at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library: Join the NYPL for a 30-minute one-on-one session designed to help you navigate various aspects of career development. 10:00 a.m. Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, 455 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY (212) 340-0863.
Downtown
Art Meets Books: Join local artist and educator Taejung Kim from the Portable Museum Project in collaboration with friends from the New York Public Library’s Hudson branch. This event is designed for elementary to middle school-aged children. 3:00 p.m. Washington Square Park, Playground, 8 Washington Square North, New York, NY hello@washingtonsqpark.org.
Friday, August 14th
Downtown
The 19th Annual Charles Bukowski Memorial Reading: Join Three Rooms Press to celebrate the 104th birthday of legendary poet Charles Bukowski. This year’s event will feature Bukowski poems and tales performed by renowned performance artist Penny Arcade, musician-storyteller Jennifer Blowdryer, poet Puma Perl, playwright Michael Puzzo, poet Danny Shot, playwright/author Richard Vetere, poet George Wallace, plus special guests. 6:00 p.m. The Bitter End, 147 Bleecker Street, New York, NY (212) 673-7030.
Chelsea
New York Guitar Festival: This festival returns to Bryant Park with two free events that highlight global guitar culture, especially here in the United States. Hosted by WNYC’s John Schaefer, the two evenings span virtuosic classical guitar, Brazilian popular music, punk-jazz, and folk-based improvisations. 7:00 p.m. Bryant Park, Between 40th and 42nd Streets & Fifth and Sixth Avenues, New York, NY (212) 768-4242.
Saturday, August 15th
Chelsea
Olivie Blake celebrates ‘Dreamland’: Join Barnes & Noble Union Square to welcome New York Times bestselling author Olivie Blake to celebrate her new book. She will be in conversation with award-winning author Christina Li. 6:00 p.m. Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 East 17th Street, New York, NY (212) 253-0810.
Downtown
45th Annual Battery Dance Festival: New York City’s longest-running free public dance festival returns to Wagner Park this summer, bringing together international and local dance companies. Please check batterydance.org for the performance schedule. 7:00 p.m. Wagner Park, 20 Battery Place, New York, NY (212) 417-2000.
Sunday, August 16th
Downtown
Blood and Desire: A Night of Bob Dylan’s Thunder: In 1975, Bob Dylan launched the Rolling Thunder Revue, creating one of the most legendary tours in rock history. Fifty years later, Blood and Desire: A Night of Bob Dylan’s Thunder celebrates that remarkable chapter with members of Dylan’s original Rolling Thunder band alongside longtime voices of the Greenwich Village folk community. 6:00 p.m. Cafe Wha?, 115 MacDougal Street, New York, NY (212) 254-3706.
Chelsea
Strawberry Fields Ultimate Beatles Brunch Concert: Experience the longest running Beatles brunch on Broadway right at City Winery every Sunday. Strawberry Fields brings you the ultimate brunch tribute to the Beatles, featuring cast members from the Broadway and touring company of the hit musical, “Beatlemania.” 11:30 a.m. City Winery, 25 11th Avenue, New York, NY (646) 751-6033.
Monday, August 17th
Chelsea
Meet Cutes NYC x Chelsea Market Photobooth: @Meetcutesnyc’s new photo booth at Chelsea Market lets you snap a moment with someone special and take home a memory worth keeping. 7:00 a.m. Chelsea Market, 75 9th Avenue, New York, NY (212) 652-2111.
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. and 2:00 p.m. Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort Street, New York, NY (212) 570-3600.
Tuesday, August 18th
Chelsea
Our True Colors: The Women in the Arts Foundation proudly presents this exhibition of 13 WIA members’ work curated by Helaine Soller in cooperation with Pictor Gallery. 12:00 p.m. Pictor Gallery, 547 West 27 Street, Suite 204, New York, NY (212) 837-2870.
Downtown
Young Sprouts Gardening: Visit Rockefeller Park for this opportunity for little gardeners and their accompanying adults to get a bug’s-eye-view of the world. Participants will water, dig, and admire the plants and flowers all around us while observing nature. 10:30 a.m. Rockefeller Park, 75 Battery Place, New York, NY (212) 267-9700.
Wednesday, August 19th
Downtown
Chinese Traditional Painting: Learn the techniques of Chinese Traditional Painting at the NYPL. Please bring your own brushes, paint plate, small water container and traditional Chinese ink; the library will provide paper and color ink. 10:00 a.m. Chatham Square Library, 33 East Broadway, New York, NY (212) 964-6598.
Chelsea
Roberto Lugo’s “Alfarero del Barrio (Village Potter)” Evening Art Tour: Join the Madison Square Park Conservancy Curatorial team for a free 20-minute tour of Roberto Lugo’s Alfarero del Barrio (Village Potter). On view through December 6, Lugo’s work reimagines historical ceramic forms through the lens of his Puerto Rican heritage, North Philadelphia upbringing, and the visual language of hip-hop and graffiti. 5:30 p.m. Madison Square Park, Redbud lawn, near the 5th Avenue and 25th Street entrance of the park, New York, NY (212) 520-7600.