This and That: Events, Parties, and Things To Do in NYC in May 2026 (with Free Events!)
One of our most dense event lineups ever, May arrives in full force in New York. From the Met Gala and Frieze Week to celebrating all things Italy in a townhouse the city moves between fashion, design, art, and food with no pauses. Add in Carnegie Hall’s milestone gala, the 26th annual MAD About Jewelry show, and a growing slate of pop-ups and cultural gatherings, and these are the best events in NYC for May 2026.
Met Gala 2026 and Costume Art Exhibition
What’s happening: The annual Met Gala returns on the first Monday in May, launching Costume Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibition opens the museum’s new Condé Nast Galleries and presents nearly 400 objects, pairing garments with artworks across centuries. Highlights include looks by Glenn Martens for Y/Project with Jean Paul Gaultier, Comme des Garçons, and Dilara Findikoglu alongside historical works. The gala is co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with additional co-chairs Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz.
Why go: The Met Gala sets the tone for how fashion is discussed globally, and its red carpet moments routinely become part of cultural memory. Past appearances have included Rihanna in an ornate papal-inspired coat by Guo Pei, Jared Leto carrying a sculpted replica of his own head, and Kim Kardashian in a full-body Balenciaga look that erased identity into silhouette. This year’s “Fashion is Art” dress code invites a more conceptual approach, while the exhibition anchors the spectacle in a deeper institutional framework.
What’s involved: Red carpet arrivals, gala dinner, exhibition preview, after-parties.
Monday, May 4, 2026 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028. Exhibition on view May 10, 2026 through January 10, 2027. Information here.
Carnegie Hall 50th Anniversary Gala: Concert of the Century
What is it: An institution with no need for introduction, Carnegie Hall is marking its 50th anniversary with a one-night gala built around a large-scale concert in Stern Auditorium, followed by a formal dinner at the newly-renovated Waldorf Astoria. Chaired by Elizabeth Segerstrom, the evening brings together the Oratorio Society of New York under Kent Tritle, the Carnegie Hall Gala Orchestra, and a roster of internationally recognized soloists for a single program designed as a milestone celebration.
Why go: Simply put, events like this almost never happen. Major classical artists typically tour separately, appear in tightly controlled programs, or headline entire evenings on their own. Here, you’re getting multiple top-tier performers on the same stage, moving through a mixed program that spans opera, symphonic works, and American standards in one night. Names like Audra McDonald, Renée Fleming, Joyce DiDonato, Lang Lang, and Emanuel Ax appearing together is not standard programming. Add in the scale of the orchestra, chorus, and the gala dinner, and this is a singular occasion.
What’s involved: Cocktail reception, full concert program, gala dinner.
Dress Code: Black tie.
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 from 5:30 PM onward at Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, with dinner immediately following at the Waldorf Astoria New York, 301 Park Ave, New York, NY 10022. Information and tickets here.
MAD About Jewelry 2026 at the Museum of Arts and Design
What is it: MAD About Jewelry returns for its 26th edition at the Museum of Arts and Design, bringing together 45 jewelry artists from more than 20 countries for a curated sale and exhibition. Positioned somewhere between gallery show and marketplace, the event focuses on artist-made pieces that push beyond traditional fine jewelry, spanning sculptural forms, unconventional materials, and one-off designs.
Why go: This is one of the few places in New York where you can meet the makers and buy directly from them in the same setting. The range is wide, from emerging designers to established names like Monies, with pieces that lean more art object than accessory. If you’re looking for something that doesn’t exist anywhere else, this is where you’ll find it. The exclusive ticketed opening preview adds another layer, with early access, cocktails, and a smaller crowd before the public hours begin.
What’s involved: Jewelry exhibition, direct-from-artist sales, opening night preview.
Tuesday, May 5 through Saturday, May 9, 2026 at the Museum of Arts and Design, 2 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019. Information and tickets here.
12th Annual Waxman Luncheon
What’s happening: The Waxman Luncheon returns for its 12th edition, bringing together fashion and philanthropy in support of cancer research funded through the Samuel Waxman Institute for Aging and Cancer. What began in 2014 as a small brownstone gathering has grown into a 200-plus guest event, honoring Mary Slattery and Alexandra Adame this year, supporting a research initiative focused on aging and cancer. The program includes a live presentation by Safiyaa, continuing a runway tradition shaped by designers such as Oscar de la Renta, Dennis Basso, and Carolina Herrera.
Why go: The luncheon sits within a New York springtime moment where fashion aligns with fundraising, drawing designers, philanthropists, and society regulars into the same room. Past editions have welcomed figures connected to brands like Max Mara, St. John, and Akris. Along with lunch, the afternoon also features a standout raffle, offering a Brilliant Stars diamond pendant valued at $18,000, set in 18-karat rose and white gold with nearly two carats of stones.
What’s involved: Luncheon, fashion presentation, fundraising, raffle.
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at Riverpark, 450 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016. Information and tickets here.
Italy on Madison 2026
What is it: Italy on Madison is taking over a Madison Avenue townhouse for four days, bringing together more than 100 Italian brands across design, fashion, food, beauty, and accessories. Organized by the Italian Trade Agency, the space unfolds as a sequence of rooms that move between interiors, retail, and hospitality, with names such as Cassina, Flos, Poltrona Frau, Lavazza, and Parmigiano Reggiano integrated throughout.
Why go: The program spans multiple disciplines, with distinct moments running throughout each day of the celebration. Design is covered through talks such as “Theater of Excellence,” featuring figures including Hani Rashid and Nao Tamura, alongside a dedicated session on yacht design presented by the Genoa International Boat Show. Beauty programming includes hands-on Italian Makeup Moments, as well as short lessons like “Beyond Makeup” and “Good Skin = Better Makeup.” Fragrance is treated separately, with guided sessions such as “Sweet Obsession” and “Into the Woods” exploring different scent profiles. Food anchors the schedule, from structured Italian breakfast tastings to midday pasta prepared and finished inside a wheel of cheese, and evening formats like the Giallo Zafferano Social Aperitivo, led by chefs Silvia Barban (Top Chef season 14) and Alberto Marcolongo with pastry by Bilena Settepani. The week concludes with a closing party with Italian street food, wine, and cocktails.
What’s involved: Timed entry, tastings, beauty sessions, fragrance workshops, cooking demonstrations, design talks.
Tuesday, May 12 through Friday, May 15, 2026 at 33 E 67th St, New York, NY 10065. Entry is ticketed in one-hour windows. Information here.
The Great Curious Cocktail Party at Club Curious
What’s happening: Curious Elixirs hosts its annual Great Curious Cocktail Party, a synchronized nationwide event bringing together more than 100 alcohol-free gatherings across the U.S. at the same time. In Brooklyn, the flagship celebration takes place at Club Curious, the brand’s Williamsburg speakeasy-style space, featuring non-alcoholic cocktails, live performances, and a curated social atmosphere built around the sober-curious movement. Founded in 2015 by JW Wiseman, Curious Elixirs has become a defining name in the growing category of complex, spirit-free drinks.
Why go: The event taps into a cultural shift as more people reconsider alcohol without giving up nightlife entirely. Rather than a toned-down alternative, this is positioned as a full-scale party: burlesque performances by Pearls Daily, music, and an intentionally social crowd. The Brooklyn edition adds a distinct draw with large-format cheese spreads from Metro Cheese Club and a setting that mirrors a classic speakeasy, just without the alcohol. For anyone curious about how nightlife feels in a zero-proof format, this is a direct way to experience it.
What’s involved: Non-alcoholic cocktails, live music, burlesque, social gathering.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 from 6:00 PM at Club Curious, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. Tickets $40. Information and tickets here.
Frieze New York 2026
What’s happening: Marking its 15th edition, this global contemporary art fair returns to The Shed in Hudson Yards with more than 65 galleries from 26 countries presenting a tightly curated cross-section of today’s leading artists. Blue-chip names such as Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Pace Gallery, and David Zwirner anchor the fair alongside younger galleries and first-time participants. The Focus section, curated by Lumi Tan, highlights emerging artists through tightly conceived solo presentations.
Why go: Frieze’s reputation is built on moments that extend beyond standard booth viewing. In past editions, Ragnar Kjartansson staged durational performances with musicians repeating the same phrase for hours inside constructed domestic interiors, while Hank Willis Thomas presented mirrored text works and sculptural installations that play with advertising language and reflection. Other presentations have included rooms filled floor-to-ceiling with a single material, video works looping across entire walls, and booths transformed into near-total environments rather than simple displays. It draws collectors, curators, advisors, and artists into the same space during Frieze Week, while the broader city activates with museum shows and gallery openings that extend the experience well beyond the fair.
What’s involved: Gallery presentations, curated sections, large-scale installations, performances, citywide exhibitions.
Wednesday, May 13 through Sunday, May 17, 2026 at The Shed, 545 West 30th Street, New York, NY 10001. Information and tickets here.
In The Raw Sugar Takeover at Ludlow Coffee Supply
What is it: Brown packaging and the big crystals. In The Raw is taking over Ludlow Coffee Supply for three days, giving the familiar Lower East Side café a gentle reimagining. The Brooklyn-based company behind Sugar In The Raw, first introduced in 1970, built its name on raw cane sugar with a slightly golden color and subtle molasses flavor.
Why go: If you already know Ludlow Coffee Supply, it’s worth seeing the space reimagined. Plus, the first 100 guests each day get a free coffee or matcha. There are two limited drinks, a honey lavender latte and matcha, that lean into the brand’s natural sweetness.
What’s involved: Coffee, matcha, limited drinks, casual drop-in.
Thursday, May 14 through Saturday, May 16, 2026 from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM (free drinks for the first 100 guests daily from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM) at Ludlow Coffee Supply, 176 Ludlow Street, New York, NY 10002. Information here.
Ruinart Art Lounge at Frieze New York 2026 Featuring Tadashi Kawamata
What’s happening: Champagne producer Ruinart returns to Frieze New York with its long-running Art Lounge, presenting new work by Tadashi Kawamata as part of its Conversations with Nature series. Known for constructing site-specific environments from reclaimed wood, Kawamata presents preparatory studies and models tied to three permanent installations underway at Ruinart’s historic estate in Champagne. The presentation brings his large-scale, in-situ practice into a more intimate format while maintaining a direct connection to architecture, landscape, and material.
Why go: Kawamata’s work is physical and immediate. His installations often take the form of precarious wooden structures built from scrap materials, including tree houses wedged into branches, nest-like forms attached to buildings, and scaffold-like towers that visitors can climb or move through. For Ruinart, this includes a six-meter-high wooden observatory shaped like an inverted champagne bottle, along with a suspended nest and a tree structure integrated into the estate. At Frieze, those ideas appear as scaled studies and models, offering a closer look at how these environments are conceived before being built at full scale. The airy lounge also serves Ruinart champagne throughout the day, making it a natural pause point within the fair for collectors, brand partners, and design-focused visitors moving between presentations.
What’s involved: Art installation, architectural models, champagne lounge.
Wednesday, May 13 through Sunday, May 17, 2026 at Frieze New York, The Shed, 545 West 30th Street, New York, NY 10001. Information and tickets via Frieze here.
International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) 2026
What is it: The International Contemporary Furniture Fair is returning to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center for its 2026 edition, anchoring the city’s design calendar during NYCxDESIGN. Long known as North America’s leading platform for contemporary furniture, the fair brings together more than 60 international galleries and brands across furniture, lighting, materials, and interiors. This year’s theme, “Common Ground,” leans into global exchange, with a noticeable expansion into lighting, material innovation, and cross-disciplinary design.
Why go: ICFF is one of the few places where you can see the full spectrum of contemporary interiors in one pass, from established names to early-stage studios. Expect sculptural marble furniture from un’common, flexible paper-based partitions from molo, low-impact lighting by Tala, and minimalist home pieces from Thuma. The fair also includes installations and lounges that are actually worth stepping into, especially the Juniper Recharge Lounge, which uses lighting to shape the entire environment rather than just illuminate it. Even if you’re not in the industry, it’s a strong way to see what’s coming next in how homes, hotels, and public spaces will look and feel.
What’s involved: Design fair, exhibitions, installations, talks, networking spaces.
Sunday, May 17 through Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at the Javits Center, 429 11th Avenue, New York, NY 10001. Information and tickets here.
This Month’s NYC Events Guide
The Met Gala remains a meticulously staged cultural event and one of fashion’s most definitive spectacles. Now, questions around sponsorship and values are increasingly reshaping the narrative. The Interior Review takes a closer look at how influence, capital, and image converge on fashion’s biggest night.