Rachel Askinasi

If you’re looking for the best things to do in NYC this week, or even for today, there are tons of fun options, including NYC Summer Streets, a campy spoof of Titanic on Broadway, Restaurant Week, a ballet festival curated by superstar Misty Copeland and more, plus awesome free events all over the city. For more ideas, scroll down to see this week's best things to do in NYC. RECOMMENDED: Full list of the best things to do in New York Stay in the Loop: Sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get the latest in New York City news, culture and dining. 

Looking for the best things to do in NYC this weekend? Whether you’re the group planner searching for more things to do in NYC today or you have no plans yet, here are some ideas to add to your list for this weekend: including  NYC Summer Streets, the first Jamaica Rising Day Parade, a New York Liberty watch party, a new Spider-Man flick and much more, plus free events around town. All you have to do is scroll down to plan your weekend! And start off a great month with our round-up of the best things to do in August.  RECOMMENDED: Full list of the best things to do in NYCRECOMMENDED: The best New York attractions Stay in the Loop: Sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get the latest in New York City news, culture and dining. 

Joining a book club sounds fun in theory, but what happens when you're not feeling the group read? Well, Lit Club NYC has put together a fix: communal, BYOB (that second B is for book) reading. You'll get cozy on the grass at the Upper West Side's 87th Street Garden and settle in for some quality you time. Then, all participants break up into small groups where you'll talk about what you're reading and swap recommendations. Tickets cost $15, and light refreshments will be provided—though, they haven't announced what those will be.  

Grab your sneakers and join Seconds Run Club for four miles of bliss. Come with friends or solo, and meet fellow runners for a group exercise that will take you down—and then back up—Park Avenue, which will be completely shut down as part of NYC's Summer Streets. The organizers, who specialize in bringing friends new and old together for a run, promise fun surprises and free treats while supplies last from Thayer's, Hint Water, Fruit Riot, VIO2 Mouth tape and Mezcla protein bars before the run. But if you plan on bringing any of those freebies home with you, you'll need to remember one of your larger running bags as they'll only be given out before you set off along the route.The August 15 activity is what Seconds calls an 'out and back' run. It will start at Central Park Grand Army Plaza (59th St. and 5th Ave.), take runners down to 14th Street and then back up near 50th Street and Park Avenue. The target pace is set at 11 minutes and 30 seconds (per mile), and they've baked in stops along the way for water fountains and street activations. Seconds noted that all runners are welcome to participate, regardless of your typical pace.Get to the starting point at 8:30am so the group can hit the pavement at 8:45am. The run is slated to end by around 9:45am. Tickets are free, just RSVP through events app Clyx.

Calling all fans of Glen Powell, fictional football or both. In celebration of Hulu's Chad Powers Season 2, The Paley Museum is hosting a special preview and live chat with the stars who make the show. After getting a first look at the season, guests will hear directly from Powell and costars Steve Zahn and Frankie A. Rodriguez, as well as executive producer Eli Manning and showrunner Michael Waldron. You'll learn all about what went on behind the scenes and hear stories from the set. The event will take place on September 3, but tickets go on sale to Paley Center members ($60) August 10, and to the general public ($75) on August 11.

A small group show titled "Elsewhere" is on view at the VillageOneArt gallery in Chelsea, and it looks as brain-tickling as it sounds. Artists Hannah Levin, Gwynna Dille, Hanna Jennings, Natsumi Goldfish and Chandra Fang display their work, which comes together as a collective, introspective observation of the world around us. The artists have taken on moments of peace, play and the mundane, and their use of color and shape has me wanting to sit with some of these works for hours. There's whimsy and structure bouncing off one another in many of the pieces—the perfect juxtaposition that draws you right in. My own love for bright colors and abstract realism has me particularly excited about Dille's paintings—especially Only Twenty Five, Lots of Time to Decide, Bite the Hand and Head over Heels (A Long Way Down). But the variety in Jennings's work and the manipulation of light in Levin's Make Room Series are sure to command your attention as well. For those who love a still life or imaginative scenework, check out Fang and Goldfish, respectively. Vivienne Yang founded the women-led contemporary art gallery in 2018 to feature work by a wide array of artists who are based both locally and internationally. VillageOneArt is free to the public and open Wednesday to Saturday.

Hardcore TV fans can get an up-close-and-personal look at the entertainment industry’s best shows, actors and storymakers at the annual event that honors them all: PaleyFest New York. From early screenings to panel discussions, this culmination of all things television offers seven days of events for those who want to immerse themselves in the works at The Paley Center for Media.What’s special about this year? Well, the center is announcing its inaugural PaleyFest Award, recognizing excellence in media, television and entertainment. The award was established to commemorate Paley’s 50th anniversary, and it will be presented each year as part of PaleyFest NY. In addition to receiving the award, each recipient will see a curated selection of their work become a permanent part of the Paley Archive—hall-of-fame style. The 2026 recipients include Billy Crystal, American Horror Story, Dexter: Resurrection, Tulsa King, Marshals, The Gilded Age and The Diplomat. And lucky for attendees, they’re all a part of the festival lineup.This year’s event kicks off on October 8 at the Paley Museum with an exclusive early screening of an American Horror Story: 13 episode, followed by a conversation with members of the cast and creative team. Sarah Paulson, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, Leslie Grossman and Lou Eyrich will all be in attendance, along with some more panelists who have yet to be announced.Other screenings include Dexter: Resurrection on October 9 and Tulsa King on the 10—which will