Free Highlights: Things to Do in NYC, March 2026
Events and activities that celebrate immigrants and different cultures this March in New York City
We are nation of immigrants. In fact, with the exception of parts of Africa, we are a world of immigrants. New York City is one of the best places in the country to hear their voices and see and engage with different cultures.
In these highlights, I share ways to see and experience snapshots of different cultures of the world without leaving New York City. As always, many of these come from my longer March 2026 Blankman List, which includes plenty of additional events and is not themed.
Disclaimer: Before going anywhere, please confirm the date, time, location, cost, and description using the listed website. Any event is at risk of being rescheduled, relocated, sold out, at capacity, or canceled. Costs are rounded to the nearest dollar and may change. I try to vet quality and describe accurately, but I may misjudge. All views are my own.
Go to the Theater
A Broadway show must open by late April in order to be eligible for the Tony Awards, making March a hot theater season as some shows come to a close and many more begin performances. I’m particularly excited about Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, an August Wilson play about migration and racial discrimination. It stars Taraji P. Henson and Cedric the Entertainer and begins previews on March 30. I recommend the site B’Way Rush for a full Broadway-specific rundown and call out here a few Off-Broadway offerings that tell more stories about migration and cultural identity.
Through Sunday, March 1: Ai Yah Goy Vey! Adventures of a Dim Son in Search of His Wanton Father
One-person play that “shatters absurd assumptions” about the human race through the story of a Chinese food delivery driver in NYC; 3 pm on Mar 1
$45–$60
A.R.T./New York Mezzanine Theatre
502 W 53rd St (Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan)
Previews begin Friday, March 6: Mexodus
Off-Broadway return of a live-looped hip-hop musical about an “Underground Railroad story headed south” into Mexico
$79–$226
Daryl Roth Theatre
101 E 15th St (Union Square, Manhattan)
Performances begin Thursday, March 12: Public Charge
Play about and co-written by Julissa Reynoso, an American diplomat who had immigrated to the US from the Dominican Republic at age 7
$99
The Public Theater, Newman Theater
425 Lafayette St (NoHo, Manhattan)
Previews begin Monday, March 30: Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Broadway revival of the 1984 August Wilson play about identity, migration, and racial discrimination in early 20th century Pittsburgh
$84–$301
The Barrymore Theatre
243 W 47th St (Times Square, Manhattan)
.jpg){kind=link}
Learn About Immigration History
Here I share a few opportunities to hear from experts about how immigration has shaped this city, country, and world.
Wednesday, March 4: This Week Live Podcast with Tyler Anbinder
Live podcast recording of HISTORY This Week with guest historian Tyler Anbinder who discusses Famine-Era Irish immigrants; 6:30–8:30 pm
$25 (includes book)
Tenement Museum
103 Orchard St (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
Friday, March 13: Immigrant New York Walking Tour
Guided walking tour on the experiences of immigrant and ethnic populations residing in the Lower East Side; 1–3 pm; monthly
$30 general / $20 student/senior
Chinatown, Little Italy, and other parts of Lower East Side
Meet at Broadway and Chambers St (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
Wednesday, March 18: Preserving Your New York Story: Investigating Jewish Genealogy in Brooklyn
Presentation by genealogist Chaya Sara Herman on the basics of family history research, with a focus on Eastern European Jewish lineages; 6:30 pm
Free
Center for Brooklyn History
128 Pierrepont St (Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn)
Tuesday, March 24: Immigration Seminar Series: The Maravillas
Lecture by sociologist Randol Contreras on the experiences of Mexican Maravilla gangs of East Los Angeles; 6:30–8:30 pm
Free
CUNY Graduate Center, Room 6112 (also viewable online)
365 5th Ave (Midtown South, Manhattan)
.jpg){kind=link}
Hear Stories and Songs
As people move to new places, their stories, music, and sensibilities invariably come with them. One of New York City’s greatest strengths is the diversity of stories one can hear.
Friday, March 6: Lucie Pohl’s Immigrant Jam Comedy
Comedy show featuring immigrant and first generation comics “guaranteed not to have stolen any of your jobs”; 7 pm; monthly
$15–$25
Caveat
21A Clinton St (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
Friday, March 6: Stories from Latine Artists: Dream Roles from Latine Artists
Intimate cabaret with Latine artists performing songs that capture their perspective “through the lens of musical theater”; 9:30 pm
$27–$57
The Green Room 42 (in YOTEL New York)
570 10th Ave (Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan)
Friday, March 20: The Moth Mainstage in New York
Five seasoned storytellers tell stories “that dig deep into the idea of the American Dream,” presented by The Moth; 7:30 pm
$53–$68
NYU Skirball Center
566 LaGuardia Pl (Washington Square Park, Manhattan)
Thursday, March 26: Italian Abroad: Culture in Translation
Solo performance by Italian pianist and performer Ivan Dalia with stories about the “art of cultural exchange”; 7 pm; last Thursday of every month
$23–$28
Under St Marks
94 St Marks Pl (East Village, Manhattan)
See Art and Objects
In truth I could just list exhibits at The Met here, which throughout March includes Finnish paintings, Japanese ceramics, Hindu prints, and Chinese calligraphy, to give a sense of the museum’s scope. Instead, I look elsewhere around Manhattan and feature a few exhibitions focused on immigration and ethnic enclaves, such as the New York Public Library’s exhibition on Middle Eastern and North African immigration to NYC.
Through Sunday, March 8: Niyū Yūrk: Middle Eastern and North African Lives in the City
Exhibition of documents and objects showing the history of Middle Eastern and North African immigration to NYC
Free
New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
476 5th Ave (Bryant Park, Manhattan)
Wednesday, March 11: Gallery Tour: Stirring the Melting Pot
Guided tour of photographs and objects that document how immigrants transformed New York City; 11:30 am–12:30 pm
$29 general / $25 senior
The New York Historical
170 Central Park W (Upper West Side, Manhattan)
Through Friday, March 20: They Always Appear, Ibrahim El-Salahi
Retrospective of works by Sudanese painter Ibrahim El-Salahi that show the “cultural depth of the Arab, Islamic, and African worlds”
Free
Institute of Arab and Islamic Art
22 Christopher St (West Village, Manhattan)
Through Sunday, March 22: Storefronts as Sites of Cultural Resistance
Exhibition of art and objects that explore community support from Chinatown NYC to Chinatown San Francisco; 10 am–10 pm
Free
Abrons Arts Center
466 Grand St (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
.jpg){kind=link}
Celebrate Different Cultures
Here is where New York City shines like no other. The food, games, and celebrations of this city reflect a global melting pot. I present a few ways here to experience—and especially eat and drink—all that this city has to offer.
Sunday, March 1: Lunar New Year Extravaganza
Annual Pearl River Mart celebration of the Lunar New Year with food and drink, activities, and mahjong; 11:30 am–5 pm
Free
Chelsea Market
75 9th Ave (Chelsea, Manhattan)
Sunday, March 8: Celebrate Purim with ABCirque at Cirque du Purim
Family-friendly celebration of the Jewish holiday Purim with acrobatics, storytelling, dancing, and more; 2 pm
$48 adult / $30 child
Crown Hill Theatre
750 Nostrand Ave (Crown Heights, Brooklyn)
Tuesday, March 17: The New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The 265th annual parade in honor of St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland and of the Archdiocese of New York; 11 am
Free
Along 5th Avenue
5th Ave between 44th St and 79th St (Midtown, Manhattan)
Friday, March 20: AAPI Food & Wine at Atoboy
Multi-course menu provided by Asian American and Pacific Islander culinary talent with wine pairings that invite guests to “experience wine through a broader cultural lens”; 5–9 pm; part of AAPI Food & Wine Fest
$225
Atoboy
43 E 28th St (NoMad, Manhattan)
A Multilingual World
One of my favorite things about English is that it’s nothing special. It’s the global lingua franca because of historical happenstance and the current power of the people who speak it, not because of anything intrinsic to the language. It can express complex thoughts and be filled with exceptions and idiosyncrasies just as much any other currently spoken language out there, a fact I’m reminded of practically every time I get on the subway.
Tuesday, March 10: The Robert A. and Elizabeth R. Jeffe Distinguished Lecture in Urban History: Language City
Moderated talk with linguist Ross Perlin on his latest book Language City: The Fight to Preserve Endangered Mother Tongues in New York; 6:30 pm
$30
Museum of the City of New York
1220 5th Ave (East Harlem, Manhattan)
Friday, March 13: Espanglish In NYC By Santi Espinosa
Comedy tour stop from multilingual stand-up comedian Santi Espinosa; 9 pm
$28, plus two drink minimum
The Broadway Comedy Club, Red Room
318 W 53rd St (Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan)
Saturday, March 28: SpeakEasier Language Exchange
Meet-up for intermediate-to-advanced target speakers of Arabic, French, Farsi, and Spanish to practice their speaking skills and “foster multilingualism”; 3–5 pm; fourth Saturday of every month
Pay what you wish
Culture Lab LIC
5-25 46th Ave (Long Island City, Queens)
Mondays and Wednesdays: American Sign Language for Beginners
Class on finger spelling, beginning conversations, and the basics of American Sign Language; 1:30–2:30 pm
Free
Queens Public Library Langston Hughes
100-01 Northern Blvd (Corona, Queens)