This and That: Events, Parties, and Things to Do in NYC in November 2026 (with Free Events!)
November in New York City brings two major collectible design fairs, black-tie galas, landmark art exhibitions, and the arrival of a legendary Parisian car show. From Champagne-fueled evenings to the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, here’s what to see, do, and experience around the city in November.
Prince Hussain Aga Khan: Animal Voyage at Galerie Gmurzynska
What’s happening: Galerie Gmurzynska presents Prince Hussain Aga Khan’s wildlife photography in Animal Voyage. The exhibition brings his attention to animals on land and underwater into the gallery’s stunning Fuller Building space that overlooks Midtown. His photographic practice is connected to conservation work through Focused On Nature, the organization he founded in 2014.
Why go: Photography collectors, conservation supporters, and animal lovers can examine large-scale photographs with rich colors and fascinating, seemingly-choreographed compositions.
What’s involved: Photography exhibition.
Now through Saturday, December 5, 2026 at Galerie Gmurzynska, 595 Madison Avenue, sixth floor, New York, NY 10022. Information here.
Gallery hours:
Monday–Friday: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Roy Lichtenstein: Like New at The Whitney
What’s happening: The Whitney presents Roy Lichtenstein: Like New, the artist’s first New York retrospective since 1993, surveying six decades of painting, drawing, sculpture, film, and printmaking. Curators Meg Onli and Alex Da Corte bring together the artist’s work with four recreated murals, including the Greene Street Mural.
Why go: Painters, graphic designers, and visitors who know Lichtenstein primarily through comic-derived images can follow the breadth of his practice across media and scale. The mural reconstructions give the retrospective a particular reason to visit in person. November is also early in the exhibition’s run, with a free admission opportunity on the month’s second Sunday. The show includes Super Sunset Billboard (1962), a work commissioned by Joan Kron (who just released a book on her role in Pop Art).
What’s involved: Retrospective exhibition, mural reconstructions, painting, sculpture, film, prints.
Now through Sunday, May 10, 2027 at the Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort Street, New York, NY 10014. Information and tickets here.
Whitney Museum of American Art Hours:
Monday: 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday-Thursday:10:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Friday: 10:30 AM to 10:00 PM
Saturday-Sunday: 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM
No Ordinary Light: Akari at 75 at The Noguchi Museum
What’s happening: The Noguchi Museum opens No Ordinary Light: Akari at 75, marking 75 years of Isamu Noguchi’s Akari light sculptures. Curated by Kate Wiener and Matthew Kirsch, the presentation places the paper-and-bamboo lamps alongside works in stone, metal, and clay. Displays draw on settings including the 1951 Eames House tea ceremony and Noguchi’s presentation at the 1986 Venice Biennale.
Why go: One can trace how a familiar domestic object developed within Noguchi’s larger sculptural practice. The opening month offers an immediate reason to visit, particularly on November 6, when the museum’s first-Friday policy makes admission free. The exhibition also rewards anyone interested in the relationship between Japanese craft and modern interiors.
What’s involved: Exhibition viewing, sculpture, historic display reconstructions.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026 through September 5, 2027, open 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Wednesday through Sunday at The Noguchi Museum, 9-01 33rd Road, Long Island City, NY 11106; general admission is $16 and Friday, November 6th is free. Information and tickets here.
Private Kathryn Lewek Concert with the American Mozarteum Society
What’s happening: The American Mozarteum Society presents soprano Kathryn Lewek in a private residence recital on the Upper East Side. Lewek, whose international career includes her celebrated Queen of the Night, appears under the auspices of the American affiliate of Salzburg’s International Mozarteum Foundation.
Why go: Society members, opera followers, and supporters of Mozart performance can hear a singer associated with major opera stages at close range. The residential setting makes vocal detail and the relationship between performer and audience the evening’s central attraction. This is a ticketed members’ event, so prospective attendees should establish their eligibility before making plans.
What’s involved: Vocal recital.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at a private Upper East Side residence, with the address supplied to confirmed guests. Information and membership inquiries here.
15th Annual Salon Art + Design Fair
What’s happening: Salon Art + Design marks its 15th anniversary at the Park Avenue Armory, bringing together galleries presenting extraordinary furniture, lighting, decorative arts, and contemporary design. ABASK introduces its first lighting collection, spanning more than 200 pieces by over 20 makers alongside antique and vintage lighting. Its Salon presentation includes 13 makers, with New York names such as Episode, Yuxuan Huang, and Peter Speliopoulos Projects. British floral artist Hamish Powell creates a botanical installation in the Armory’s grand entry hall for his first US project.
Why go: Salon lets interior designers, decorative arts collectors, and design enthusiasts move through a living museum, with furniture, lighting, and objects situated in immersive exhibitions from top galleries and showrooms. Past attendees have included Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Irina Shayk, Linda Fargo, Robert Stilin, and more. A series of side events and VIP experiences enhance the week.
What’s involved: Gallery presentations and collectible design
From 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Friday and Saturday and 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Sunday at Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065. Information and tickets here.
COLLECTIBLE Fair New York
What’s happening: Clélie Debehault and Liv Vaisberg’s contemporary design fair, COLLECTIBLE, returns for its third New York edition, occupying a former cinema on East 86th Street. The fair concentrates on contemporary collectible design and pairs its presentations with a talk program.
The show spans five principal sections: MAIN showcases established galleries, including Colony; NEW GARDE introduces emerging collectives and nonprofits like Salon 21; BESPOKE focuses on commissioned and made-to-order design, featuring galleries like Boym Partners; CURATED presents Human Resources, Alex Tieghi-Walker’s exploration of office culture and corporate aesthetics, and FASHION examines design’s relationship with retail and runway environments, featuring the likes of Mary Wallis Studio.
Why go: Emerging design collectors, architects, and independent furniture designers get a concentrated look at the objects and practices entering the collectible market. The talk program gives visitors a way into those questions before making purchasing decisions. A special projects sections adds standalone collaborations and installations.
What’s involved: Design presentations, gallery browsing, talks.
From 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Friday and Saturday and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday at 210 East 86th Street, New York, NY 10028. Information and tickets here.
Italian Wine Tasting for the New York–New Jersey Kyudo Renmei
What’s happening: The New York–New Jersey Kyudo Renmei is a regional organization dedicated to kyūdō, the traditional Japanese martial art of archery. Now, the organization is hosting an Italian wine tasting fundraiser, pairing seven wines with an introduction to the craft. Wine educator Lisa Saunder leads the tasting, which connects Italian wine regions with places where kyudo is practiced. The evening includes artisan cheeses and meats, an explanation of kyudo’s history and philosophy, and an archery demonstration.
Why go: Wine students, Japanese culture enthusiasts, and supporters of martial arts education get a structured tasting with a specific beneficiary. Ticket proceeds support the organization’s equipment, insurance, educational activities, and workshops. The combination also gives curious newcomers a practical introduction to a discipline they may otherwise encounter only through photographs.
What’s involved: Wine tasting, kyudo introduction, archery demonstration.
Friday, November 6, 2026, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Astor Center, 23 East 4th Street, New York, NY 10003; tickets are $125. Information and tickets here.
FREE EVENT: NYC Halal Fest
What’s happening: Muslim Foodies brings NYC Halal Fest to Astor Place for a day of food, shopping, and community programming. The free outdoor festival, sponsored by the Yemeni American Merchants Association (YAMA), includes food vendors, a bazaar, games, and prizes. It extends the platform’s work documenting New York’s halal dining scene into a gathering visitors can explore on foot.
Why go: Halal diners, families, and food enthusiasts looking beyond their usual restaurant rotation can sample the city’s food culture in one place. The bazaar adds a shopping component, making this a useful outing for those interested in supporting Muslim businesses. Free entry leaves the food budget available for its intended purpose.
What’s involved: Food vendors, bazaar shopping, games, prizes.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, from noon to 8:00 PM at Astor Place, New York, NY 10003. Information here.
Le Bal Impérial Benefiting French Heritage Society
What’s happening: French Heritage Society annual Gala Dinner Dance comes with an Empire-period theme and a separately ticketed afterparty. The benefit supports the organization’s preservation and educational work connecting France and the United States. The dinner includes dancing to the Bob Hardwick Sound; the afterparty brings a DJ, open bar, late-night bites, and Pol Roger Champagne.
Why go: Architectural preservation supporters, Francophiles, and gala regulars can take part in a longstanding fixture of New York’s French cultural calendar. The afterparty provides a direct route into the later portion of the evening for readers who want dancing and drinks. It also makes the event accessible beyond the dinner’s patron ticket categories. Past editions have drawn an impressive cross-section of New York society, including Jean Shafiroff, Sharon Bush, Geoffrey Bradfield, Meera Gandhi, Timothy Corrigan, Daisy Soros, and Barbara Tober
What’s involved: Benefit dinner, live music, dancing, DJ afterparty.
Dress code: Black tie for the gala.
Wednesday, November 11, 2026 from 7:00 PM onward at a private Manhattan club. Information, dinner, and afterparty tickets here.
Magic Hour’s Rooftop Icebar
What’s happening: Magic Hour introduces its winter Icebar installation on the rooftop of Moxy Times Square. The seasonal transformation uses cascading icicles, frosted décor, and blue lighting across the venue’s rooftop setting, adding a new backdrop to its cocktail and nightlife program.
Why go: After-work groups, couples planning a drinks date, and visitors making an evening of Midtown get a seasonal opening before the holiday party calendar fills. The installation gives regulars a reason to return, while the rooftop’s Empire State Building views provide a familiar point of orientation for out-of-town guests.
What’s involved: Cocktails, seasonal installation, rooftop views.
Thursday, November 12, 2026 through the season at Magic Hour, Moxy Times Square, 485 Seventh Avenue, 18th floor, New York, NY 10018. Information and reservations here.
The 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
What’s happening: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade reaches its 100th edition with a planned lineup of 100 floats, with new entries and iconic fixtures. Announced additions include Disney’s Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey and the return of Underdog, whose last flight was in 1984. A float devoted to Tony Sarg recalls the designer’s role in establishing the parade’s visual language.
Why go: Families, illustration and theatrical design enthusiasts, and New Yorkers with visiting relatives have an anniversary-specific reason to join the sidewalk audience. The scale of the balloons, their handlers, and the moving floats is the essential in-person experience. Sarg’s tribute also connects the contemporary spectacle to the history of puppetry and department-store display.
What’s involved: Character balloons, floats, marching bands, street performances.
Logistics: The parade takes place Thursday, November 26, 2026, in Manhattan, with the broadcast beginning at 8:30 a.m.; public street viewing is free, while the final 2026 viewing map and street schedule should be checked through Macy’s official parade guide before choosing a location.
Thanksgiving Dinner at BLACKBARN
What’s happening: BLACKBARN serves a three-course Thanksgiving menu at its NoMad restaurant under chef-owner John Doherty and executive chef Israel Reyes. Starters and sides arrive family style, with main-course choices including roast turkey with braised thigh and giblet gravy, filet mignon, and scallops with mushroom risotto. Dessert options include pumpkin pie and chocolate bourbon pecan pie.
Why go: Families dining out, couples staying in the city, and hosts handing the kitchen over for the day can keep the traditional meal while giving guests different main-course options. Doherty’s background as executive chef of the Waldorf Astoria gives the holiday service an established hospitality pedigree. The location also makes it practical for an afternoon around Madison Square Park.
What’s involved: Three-course dinner.
Thursday, November 26, 2026, at available reservation times at BLACKBARN, 19 East 26th Street, New York, NY 10010, priced at $145 per adult and $55 for children 12 and under. Information and reservations here.
First-ever Rétromobile New York
What’s happening: Rétromobile, the Paris collector-car salon, launches its first American edition at the Javits Center, bringing together more than 100 exhibitors spanning specialist dealers, restorers, museums, and automotive collectibles. The inaugural program includes the Petersen Automotive Museum and a Gooding Christie’s auction featuring more than 70 motorcycles from Billy Joel’s personal collection, offered without reserve.
Why go: Classic-car collectors, industrial designers, vintage-watch enthusiasts, and automotive photography nerds can explore the craftsmanship and collecting culture surrounding historic vehicles. The New York debut arrives in Rétromobile’s 50th anniversary year, extending an established Paris institution into Manhattan. Visitors can examine vehicles at close range, speak with specialists, and browse automobilia; the accompanying TIME ON SHOW presentation adds collectible watches to the itinerary.
What’s involved: Collector-car displays, specialist exhibitors, auction viewing, automotive art and memorabilia, collectible watches.
From 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Thursday, November 19, 2026 through Saturday, November 21st and 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Sunday, with VIP entry starting at 8:30 AM each day at the Javits Center, 429 Eleventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001. Information and tickets here.
PopUp Bagels in Times Square
What’s happening: PopUp Bagels brings its hot, whole-bagel format to Broadway, with hours extending into the evening. The Times Square location opened in October and enters its first full month this November. Customers buy bagels to tear and dip into schmears, continuing the approach founder Adam Goldberg developed from the business’s Westport beginnings.
Why go: Theatergoers, Midtown office workers, and bagel enthusiasts have a new stop that remains open well beyond the usual breakfast window. The evening hours make the shop useful before a show or for a group walking through Times Square. This is an ongoing food stop for November, with the current schmear selection worth checking before ordering.
What’s involved: Hot bagels, schmears, takeaway.
Open daily from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM at PopUp Bagels, 1501 Broadway, New York, NY 10036. Information and ordering here.
This Month’s NYC Events Guide
In one of Paris’ largest exhibition halls, acres of classic automotive treasures await admiration. Celebrating its 50th edition in France, writer Dan Latif and photographer Julien Fautrat show and tell the story of Rétromobile ahead of its New York City debut later this year.