The humidity is giving way to a crisp breeze, the leaves are starting to fall, and your flannel shirt is calling to you from the back of your closet. That’s right: Fall is here. And with our list of the 15 best events to check out this autumn, you’ll be ready for it. From pumpkins to film festivals to wine tastings, here’s everything you need to see and do this fall, all accessible via New York City Transit, Metro-North, and the Long Island Rail Road.
Apple picking is the quintessential fall experience in New York, and with Metro-North and the LIRR, you’re just a train ride (and a short rideshare) away from your own fresh fruit. One of the closest orchards to New York City accessible by Metro-North is Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm near Cortlandt Manor; ride the Hudson line roughly an hour from Grand Central to Peekskill and take a 15-minute car share from there. Both Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard and Outhouse Orchards in North Salem are a scant 10-minute drive from the Croton Falls Metro-North station on the Harlem line. Fishkill Farms in East Fishkill is one of the biggest and best-known orchards in the Hudson Valley, and you can get there via a 20-minute drive from the Beacon Metro-North station on the Hudson line. And a bit further north, you’ll find Barton Orchards in Poughquag, which is a 15-minute drive from Pawling’s Metro-North station on the Harlem line. There are easily accessible orchards, too, on Long Island via LIRR. Take a Ronkonkoma-bound train to Mattituck and then hire a car to take you to Harbes Orchard near Riverhead, about 10 minutes away. Hank’s Pumpkintown in Water Mill is a five-minute drive from the Southampton LIRR station on the Montauk branch. Just one stop down that line is Milk Pail Farm, five minutes away from the Bridgehampton LIRR station.
Autumn brings the changing of the leaves, which you can glimpse in all their glory across New York City’s parks. Central Park and Prospect Park are the obvious destinations, but we recommend hopping on the A train and heading to the northern tip of Manhattan to walk through Fort Tryon Park and Inwood Hill Park, both of which boast lots of old-growth forest and far fewer crowds. New York's botanical gardens, like Wave Hill in the Bronx and Snug Harbor on Staten Island, are also a great spot to admire the foliage; check out our guide to learn how to get there. On Long Island, Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay has expansive grounds perfectly suited for a fall picnic. And if you don’t mind a long train ride, take Metro-North to the last stop on the Hudson line in Poughkeepsie and take in the breathtaking views from the Walkway over the Hudson.
One of the highlights of fall in New York City is the Feast of San Gennaro, the annual Italian street fair and food festival in Little Italy. First celebrated in Manhattan in 1926 in honor of Gennaro, an early Christian martyr and the patron saint of Naples, this year’s edition begins with the traditional Blessing of the Stands on September 12, followed by the Grand Procession, a parade during which a statue of Saint Gennaro is carried through the streets, on September 14. The Feast will take over Mulberry Street between Canal and Houston Streets from September 12 through 22.
It isn’t fall without pumpkins, and you’ll find them by the hundreds at various festivals around the city. The Bronx Zoo will host four Pumpkin Nights, featuring an illuminated animal-themed jack o’lantern trail, pumpkin carving, food trucks, and more, in September and October. Not to be outdone, the New York Botanical Garden will hold its annual pumpkin festival, Fall-O-Ween, from September 28 to October 27, which will include pumpkin carving and their Bales & Ales craft beer tasting event. Outside of the city, the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze will take part in the Hudson Valley (September 13 to November 17) and on Long Island (October 4 to November 3), with thousands of carved and decorated pumpkins on display.
Speaking of pumpkins: Fall means Halloween, and that means the annual Village Halloween Parade on October 31. Back for its 51st year, you can join the costumed revelers on the march — if you’re taking part, this year’s theme is “Meow!” — or watch from the sidelines as the parade winds its way up 6th Avenue from Canal Street to 15th Street starting at 7 pm. Halloween isn’t just for people, either: the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade will return on Saturday, October 19 at 1 pm, as will Fort Greene’s Great PUPkin dog costume contest, scheduled for October 26.
Dive into reading at the Brooklyn Book Festival, coming to downtown Brooklyn at Borough Hall from September 22 to 30. Nearly 200 authors, writers and illustrators will be on hand to talk all things literary, including Judy Blume, Amy Chu, Bess Kalb, George Pelecanos, Kiley Reid, and R.L. Stine. Special events include Children’s Day on September 28 from 10 am to 4 pm, with readings and signings for kids of all ages (and a special appearance from Dav Pilkey's Dog Man), and the flagship Festival Day and Literary Marketplace on September 29, featuring author readings and panel discussions indoors and outside.
The New York City Wine & Food Festival is arguably the city’s biggest gustatory experience, with more than 80 events over four days from October 17 to 20 at the Brooklyn Army Terminal. There’ll be tastings, cooking classes, culinary demos, cocktail parties, a live show featuring Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, and the chance to meet your favorite celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, Alex Guarnaschelli, Duff Goldman, and more.
Some of the world’s best and funniest comedians will crash the Big Apple from November 8 to 17 for the 20th annual New York Comedy Festival, with performances at the Beacon Theatre, Carnegie Hall, Kings Theatre, and Town Hall. The lineup includes Judd Apatow, Tracy Morgan, Jaboukie Young-White, JB Smoove, Dave Attell, and Gabriel Iglesias, with more talent still being added to the roster.
Fans of cinema can’t miss the New York Film Festival, taking place from September 27 to October 14 at Lincoln Center. This year’s lineup includes the U.S. premiere of The Room Next Door, the latest release from Pedro Almodovar starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore; new movies from Steve McQueen, Sean Baker, Paul Schrader, David Cronenberg, Luca Guadagnino, Pablo Lorrain, and Leos Carrax; and appearances from Saiorse Ronan, Adrien Brody, Richard Gere, Isabelle Huppert, and many more leading lights of Hollywood.
Fall is the start of the new seasons at some of the city’s most treasured cultural institutions. The Metropolitan Opera will take to the stage starting on September 23 and will perform, among other productions, Tosca, Rigoletto, and La Boheme this autumn. The New York City Ballet opens its season on September 17 and will feature performances of George Balanchine’s Coppelia from September 27 to October 6. And the New York Philharmonic will return to the stage on Setptember 12 for a season that will include performances of Mahler, Beethoven, Strauss, Jaws in concert, and a two-day celebration of the music of the African diaspora. You can find all three companies at Lincoln Center.
The Knicks, Nets, Rangers and Islanders will all return to action this fall. The Knicks will play their home opener against the Pacers on October 25. Brooklyn, meanwhile, will open the Barclays Center against two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on October 27. On the ice, the Rangers’ season kicks off at Madison Square Garden on October 1 versus the Devils, while the Islanders will open their 2024-25 campaign at UBS Arena in Belmont Park with a cross-borough matchup against the Rangers on October 4.
Comic book fans assemble: New York Comic Con returns to the Javits Center in Manhattan from October 17 to 20. Special guests at this year’s gathering include Kyle MacLachlan, Hayley Atwell, and the Eleventh and Thirteenth Doctors (aka Matt Smith and Jodie Whittaker), plus the usual array of artists and exhibitors and show and movie panels for the fantasy, sci-fi and superhero fans among us.
You don’t have to be able to run 26.2 miles to enjoy the New York City Marathon, which is always one of the best days of the year in the city. You can follow and cheer for the runners at any point along the course route, which crosses all five boroughs (beginning in Staten Island and ending in Central Park) and is the largest marathon in the world. This year’s race takes place on Sunday, November 2.
September and October are the best times to go wine tasting at any of the vineyards on the North Fork, which is Long Island’s wine country. And most of the wineries are within a five-to-10-minute drive of an LIRR station — primarily Riverhead, Mattituck, Southold and Greenport, all on the Ronkonkoma branch. Near Riverhead, you’ll find Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard, Palmer Vineyards, and Paumanok Vineyards. By Mattituck is Bridge Lane Wine, Clovis Point, Coffee Pot Cellars, Ev&Em Vineyards, Jason’s Vineyard, Lenz Winery, Macari Vineyards, McCall Wines, Peconic Bay Vineyards, Pellegrini Vineyards, RGNY, Rose Hill Vineyards, Sannino Vineyard, Suhru & Lieb Vineyards, and Terra Vite Winery. Close to the Southold station is Chronicle Wines, Croteaux Vineyards, Mattebella Vineyards, The Old Field Vineyards, Osprey’s Dominion, Pindar Vineyards, Raphael, and Sparkling Pointe Vineyard. At Greenpoint, there’s Kontokosta Winery. In addition, you can take the Montauk branch to Channing Daughters Winery and the Wölffer Estate Vineyard (Bridgehampton), Duck Walk Vineyards (Southampton), and Fire Island Vines (Bay Shore).
If wine isn’t your speed, how about a stein of some fine German lager? There are plenty of places in New York to celebrate Oktoberfest, no car needed. Watermark Bar on Pier 15 near the South Street Seaport will be holding Oktoberfest parties every night from September 14 through October 27, pairing Bavarian pretzels with waterfront views. Right nearby on historic Stone Street will be a weekly Oktoberfest celebration every Saturday from September 21 through October 26, featuring live music, games, and stein-holding competitions. Work off the calories at Hike-tober Fest in Van Cortlandt Park on October 19, including trail runs, bike rides, family hikes, and nature walks. And various New York City breweries will gather for Blocktoberfest on September 29 at Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg.