Free Highlights: Things to Do in NYC, April 2026
The Blankman List of music, theater, art and more happening around New York City this month
What drove me to start this project in the first place is my admiration for the cultural events that take place in New York City. The city’s stages and performance venues are arguably rare examples of “tourist traps” that aren’t in fact traps in any sense. The Lion King and Wicked are staple vacation itinerary items, and they are also breathtaking works of theater. I dare anyone to be unmoved by the piano rolls of wildebeests that turn into a stampede trampling Mufasa.
Below are a few highlights of what’s happening this month, many of which come from my larger April 2026 Blankman List. As always, I try to showcase the full range of what there is to do, from big shows like the April Broadway premiere of Schmigadoon! to more modest events, like public talks about rock geometry.
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.
Music
All my life I’ve been enchanted by the Composer, with a capital C. I idolized Rodgers but was indifferent to Hammerstein. I loved Elton John but pooh-poohed Bernie Taupin. Madama Butterfly’s plight be damned; I’m there for Puccini. Jeanine Tesori has long held a special place in my heart, having composed some of my favorite music on Broadway (Shrek, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Fun Home, Kimberly Akimbo . . .) and operas (Blue, Grounded . . .). I am practically giddy to share that this April, there’s a public conversation in the Lincoln Center NYPL between Tesori and performers she’s composed for, like Sutton Foster and Victoria Clark.
Wednesday, April 1: Kennebec at the Sultan Room
Concert from Kennebec, a “genre-defying cinematic chamber-folk ensemble” led by Boston-based musician Eric Phillips; 7 pm
$20
The Sultan Room
234 Starr St (Bushwick, Brooklyn)
Monday, April 13: The Composer & the Muse: A Conversation in Process with Jeanine Tesori
Conversation between composer Jeanine Tesori and performers including Sutton Foster and Victoria Clark on the connections between composers and the artists they write for; 6–7:30 pm
Free
NY Public Library for the Performing Arts, Bruno Walter Auditorium
40 Lincoln Center Plaza (Lincoln Square, Manhattan)
Sunday, April 19: Swing Kids (10 Years of the Chain) w/ Fatboi Sharif, Trace Amount & More
First-ever NYC show of San Diego-based screamo band Swing Kids, with opening acts Fatboi Sharif and others; 6 pm doors
$33–$40
Elsewhere, The Hall
599 Johnson Ave (Bushwick, Brooklyn)
Monday, April 27: Monday Night Jam, Hosted by JFA
Jam session open to any musicians and vocalists, led by a house band and produced by the Jazz Foundation of America [JFA]; 6–8:30 pm; monthly
Free
The National Jazz Museum in Harlem
58 West 129th St (Harlem, Manhattan)
Dance & Theater
Given that NYC is home to all Broadway theaters, I generally have an embarrassment of riches to choose from each month. For these highlights, I call attention to the Broadway premier of Schmigadoon!, the stage adaptation of the TV show about a couple trapped in a land of musical theater (shown above). For anyone looking for a full Broadway round-up, I generally recommend the site B’way Rush. Other than that, I share below a couple of dance performances and an Off-Broadway play with a saucy title.
Thursday, April 2–Friday, April 10: Star Stone’s Cl*t Cult
Off-Broadway one-woman comedy play about writer/performer Star Stone’s time inside a sex cult called OneTaste
$23
Wild Project
195 E 3rd St (East Village, Manhattan)
Previews begin Saturday, April 4: Schmigadoon! The Musical
Broadway musical based on the 2021–2023 TV series Schmigadoon! about a couple trapped in musical theater settings
$69–$349
Nederlander Theatre
208 W 41st St (Times Square, Manhattan)
Opening Tuesday, April 21: New York City Ballet: All Balanchine III
Performance of ballet works choreographed by George Balanchine and with music composed by Georges Bizet and Igor Stravinsky; through May 3
$54–$240
David H. Koch Theater
20 Lincoln Center Plaza (Lincoln Square, Manhattan)
Sunday, April 26: Step Afrika!
Performance by the dance company Step Afrika! dedicated to the tradition of step dancing; 4 pm
$45–$83
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts
250 Bedford Park Blvd W (Kingsbridge Heights, The Bronx)
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Art
The art scene in NYC is perennially a daunting one. I recommend the Showrunner app for anyone trying to find an exhaustive rundown of what can be found among the city’s many galleries and museums. For this month, I call attention to a couple legends of modern and contemporary art, with an Anish Kapoor exhibition closing and a Marcel Duchamp one opening, alongside a couple more off-the-beaten-path ways to engage with art in Brooklyn.
Monday, April 6: Handwriting the Constitution
Public social art project by artist Morgan O’Hara where participants handwrite the US Constitution and other documents that protect human rights; 6–9 pm
Free
Old Stone House of Brooklyn
336 3rd St (Park Slope, Brooklyn)
Through Saturday, April 11: Anish Kapoor
Exhibition of sculptures by artist Anish Kapoor that reflect an “enduring investigation of spatial illusion”; 10 am–6 pm
Free
Lisson Gallery
508 W 24th St (Chelsea, Manhattan)
Opening Sunday, April 12: Marcel Duchamp
Retrospective of influential French-American avant-garde artist Marcel Duchamp; 10:30 am–5:30 pm; exhibition opens Apr 12
$30 adult / $22 senior / $17 student
Museum of Modern Art [MoMA], 6th Floor
11 W 53rd St (Midtown, Manhattan)
Every Wednesday: Drink & Draw at the Living Gallery
Drawing session hosted by Coumbah Sidibe, with wine, art supplies, and a live model provided; 7–9 pm
$20
The Living Gallery
1094 Broadway (Bushwick, Brooklyn)
Math & Science
These events are among my favorite to look for every month. I’m grateful to live in a city where there are regularly ways to hear from experts about math and science topics. I offer a special call-out to the National Museum of Mathematics, whose events—which include courses, public talks, and plenty of family-friendly series—now largely take place in the museum’s brand new location along Sixth Avenue.
Wednesday, April 1: Quantonation: Frontiers of Physics Tech
Networking-focused event with panels and talks by scientists and entrepreneurs “pushing the boundaries of applied physics technology”; 10 am–2 pm; part of Deep Tech Week
Free
Office building on Madison Avenue
11 Madison Ave (Flatiron District, Manhattan)
Thursday, April 2: SciCafe: The Ocean’s Heated Rivalry
Talk by marine biologist Fernando Melendez Vazquez on why so few fish species are warm-blooded; 7 pm
Free
American Museum of Natural History, Milstein Hall of Ocean Life
Enter at 200 Central Park W (Upper West Side, Manhattan)
Tuesday, April 14: From Volcanoes to Robots: The Hidden Geometric Pattern Shaping our World
Talk by mathematician Noah Giansiracusa on geometric patterns found in the real world; 4 & 7 pm; part of Math Encounters
Free
National Museum of Mathematics
635 6th Ave (Flatiron District, Manhattan)
Thursday, April 16: The Cellular Transport System
Talk by biochemist Samara Reck-Peterson on the cellular transport system, or the process with which substances travel in and out of cells; 8–10 pm
Free
The Rockefeller University, Caspary Auditorium
1230 York Ave (Upper East Side, Manhattan)
Food & Drink
Foodies, oenophiles, and gourmands of all stripes have plenty to look forward this April. A few special call-outs are the Queens Night Market, which starts up again on April 18, and the Orange Glou Wine Fair on April 19, an annual celebration of orange wines.
Saturday, April 18: Chef Alfredo Ravelo
Five-course tasting menu with beverage pairing from Mexican-born chef Alfredo Ravelo; 7–10 pm
$195
The One Manhattan Square Chef’s Kitchen
225 Cherry St (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
Every Saturday beginning April 18: Queens Night Market
Family-friendly open-air market with food and merchandise representing cultures around the world; 4 pm–12 am
Free entry
Behind the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park
47-01 111th St (Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens)
Sunday, April 19: Orange Glou Wine Fair
Wine tasting event with orange wines from around the world; 11 am–7 pm
$45
Space LES
155 Suffolk St (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
Thursday, April 30: The Joy of Sake
World’s largest sake tasting outside of Japan, with sake-inspired appetizers; 6:30–9:30 pm
$140 (includes appetizers and unlimited sake)
Metropolitan Pavilion
125 W 18th St (Chelsea, Manhattan)
Sports & Fitness
In thinking through this category of events, every month I try to cast a pretty wide net. I look for themed games, like kids day with the Brooklyn Nets, sports outside the Big Four, like NYC FC home games, and fitness events throughout the city. And while not listed below, April also marks the first full month of Major League Baseball, with plenty of home games for the Yankees and Mets.
Saturday, April 4: New York City FC vs. St. Louis City SC
Regular season MLS [Major League Soccer] game between New York City FC and St. Louis City SC; 7:30 pm
$22–$104+
Citi Field
41 Seaver Way (Flushing, Queens)
Sunday, April 5: Brooklyn Nets vs. Washington Wizards
Family-friendly kids day at a regular season NBA [National Basketball Association] game between the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards; 3:30 pm (2 pm doors)
$24–$182+
Barclays Center
612 Atlantic Ave (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn)
Saturday, April 25: Run for the Wild 2026
5-kilometer run and 3-kilometer family fun run/walk through the Bronx Zoo; 8 am (5K) / 9 am (3K)
$60 adult / $45 child / $50 senior
Bronx Zoo
2300 Southern Blvd (Bronx Park, The Bronx)
Every Wednesday: Riverside Field House: Spring Yoga
Morning yoga class with Meg SantaMaria, suitable for all fitness levels; 9:30–10:30 am
Free
102nd Street Field House
Riverside Park, W 101st St (Manhattan Valley, Manhattan)