Photography by Claire Cenovic
As Barnard students, we are approaching one of the most thrilling, yet dreadful times of the school year: move-out season! With move-out comes inevitable stress concerning finals and storage, but also the excitement of where summer will take us.
Yet what we seem to ignore is that springtime in New York City opens up a whole new world of activities to enjoy with friends and family, significant others, or, hey, even by ourselves! So with only a few weekends left ‘til most of us wave goodbye to the city for three months, here are five activities that you simply do not want to miss:
- Brooklyn Flea: Finally! Open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10AM to 5PM in DUMBO, The Brooklyn Flea is set to come back from its yearly hiatus this upcoming weekend. Now that it isn’t unbearably freezing outside, flea market season is at its peak. At the flea, you can find a multitude of unique & vintage clothing items, valuable antiques and collectibles, and food. It is the perfect place to snatch a few summer staples. Your day doesn’t need to end there – you can take a short 6-minute walk to the Brooklyn Bridge Park where you can relax and enjoy some scenic city views. For more information, click here!
- Queens Night Market: Set to return on April 13th from 4PM to 12AM in Flushing Meadows Corona Park at 47-01 111th Street, Queens Night Market is an iconic festival that celebrates New York City’s diverse and unique identity. At the market, you can find up to 100 vendors selling delicious food and art. You will be surrounded by cultural performances; all of which will remind you why so many nickname New York City the greatest city in the world. Some vendors to look forward to are: Hong Kong Street Food, Don Ceviche (Peruvian Ceviche), and Nansense (Afghan cuisine). John Wang, the festival’s founder, says that the festival “pushes back against the skyrocketing cost of living here.”— entry tickets to the festival are $5.44 and food items are capped at $6, making it perfect for us college students on a budget. For more information, click here!
- Hanami Nights– Brooklyn Botanical Gardens: The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens are coming back with Hanami Nights through April 23rd to the 25th. On these three nights, you will be able to celebrate Hanami— a Japanese tradition of appreciating the beauty of the cherry blossom season. We suggest going with a couple of friends and finding a nice and cozy spot on the Cherry Esplanade to enjoy the lit up cherry blossoms and really soak up the NYC springtime. Alongside that, you can expect vibrant live performances and music, guided origami lessons, and delicious Japanese food and drinks. Expect all kinds of performances, from Miki Yamanako Trio’s Jazz to Samurai Sword Soul. That being said, entry to the festival is pricy e-tickets are about $38, but for what it’s worth you’re in for a fun, culturally rich, and gorgeous experience. For more information, click here!
- Central Park Full Loop on Citi Bike: Now that nature is in bloom, it is the perfect chance to rent a Citi Bike either for the day or for as long as you want (30 min = $4.79; day = $19) and ride it around Central Park— you’ll feel like you’re straight out of one of those cheesy, but equally amazing, 90’s rom coms. Make sure to pack a sandwich or two from Liz’s for a picnic afterward. We recommend riding the full loop to see all the iconic destinations that the park has to offer. For more information, click here!
- Cinco de Mayo at Stone Street: As the name suggests, this festival occurs annually on May fifth from 12PM- late. The festival is located on Stone Street in the Financial District— it is a charming street packed with history and is known to be the oldest street in all of New York City! We know, it’s right in the middle of finals season, but that makes it all the more perfect as it is a sign that you should take a break from cramming in Milstein and partake in an afternoon of delicious Mexican food and drinks from vendors all over the city. Not to mention that you can expect live music from Mariachi bands. For more information, click here!
As many of you would say, we (the Barnard Bulletin) are aware that it is “lock in” time, but these five events are most definitely worth your last few weekends!