Photo: Nicole Freezer Rubens

From multicultural flavors at the Egg Rolls, Egg Creams, & Empanadas Street Festival to Swedish Midsummer celebrations, NYC is bursting with outdoor excitement. Kick off summer with the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, a Bryant Park movie night, and concerts in Central Park. Plus, our Long Island reporter has four great ways to celebrate Father’s Day, and our roving photographer is capturing the energy of Bushwick

June 15. The Egg Rolls, Egg Creams, & Empanadas Street Festival

Head to the Lower East Side to the Museum at Eldrige Street from noon to 4 PM for the 24th annual festival celebrating Chinese, Jewish, and Puerto Rican cultures.

The event features delicious food, live performances, and interactive activities. Expect to enjoy:

• Empanadas from Mia’s Cocina
• Egg rolls from Wo Hop
• Egg creams from Brooklyn Seltzer Boys
• Baklava, pickles, and Chinese sugar painting candy
• Live music, Yiddish singing, and a lion dance kickoff
• Mahjong, Jewish fortune telling, and Puerto Rican coqui frog crafts.

The Museum at Eldridge Street, housed in the beautifully restored Eldridge Street Synagogue, is a National Historic Landmark and a testament to Jewish immigrant history in NYC. Built in 1887, it was the first synagogue for Eastern European Jews in America but fell into decline before its stunning restoration in 2007. The museum showcases interactive exhibits, historic artifacts, and breathtaking architecture, including stained-glass windows and hand-painted murals. Located at 12 Eldridge St, Manhattan.

4 Fun Things to Do on Long Island for Father’s Day

Father’s Day is right around the corner, and there’s no better place to celebrate than on Long Island. Whether your dad loves fishing, farm-fresh fun, smoky barbecue, or simply relaxing outdoors with great music, there’s something special waiting just for him. From Suffolk’s scenic shores to Nassau’s lively parks, here are four memorable ways to make Dad feel like the hero he is this weekend. GET THE DETAILS.

June 20. Swedish Midsummer Festival

Head to Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City from 5 to 9 PM for this annual celebration of the summer solstice features traditional Swedish music, dancing around the Midsummer pole, floral crown-making, Swedish delicacies, and a lively market.  This year’s festival also includes a special tribute to Pippi Longstocking’s 80th birthday, with puppet shows and interactive activities. The event is free and welcomes all ages, rain or shine!

Event Highlights:

• Dancing Around the Midsummer Pole: Enjoy traditional folk music and dance led by Ross Sutter, a renowned Scandinavian folklorist.
• Live Music: Featuring Paul Dahlin and fiddlers from the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis.
• Picnic and Treats: Savor seasonal delicacies from local Swedish restaurants.
• Swedish Midway Market: Shop home goods, stationary, kitchenware, cosmetics, and more at pop-up shops from Swedish vendors.
• Pippi Longstocking’s 80th Birthday: Celebrate 80 years of Sweden’s most cherished children’s literary icon with puppet shows by NYC CityParks’ PuppetMobile and an interactive Pippi Corner provided by BonBon
• A Sunset DJ Set: Dance the night away with entertainment provided by Scandinavian Airlines.

June 21. The Coney Island Mermaid Parade

Now in its 43^rd year, this event is the nation’s largest art parade, celebrating creativity, community, and summer’s arrival. Expect mermaids, mermen, sea creatures, marching bands, and dazzling floats parading down Surf Avenue before heading to the Boardwalk and Steeplechase Plaza. GET THE DETAILS.

Bryant Park’s Free Summer Movie Nights Are Back

The 32^nd Season is back. The lawn opens at 5 PM, and movies begin at 8 PM. This year’s lineup includes classics like Kinky Boots (June 23), Pulp Fiction (July 28), and The Godfather (August 11). Enjoy food vendors from Hester Street Fair, and a bar tent with summer drinks. GET THE DETAILS.

Central Park’s Summer Stage Events

SummerStage 2025 is back for its 39th season, bringing over 70 free and ticketed concerts to Central Park and 13 other parks across NYC. The festival features a diverse lineup spanning salsa, jazz, hip-hop, indie rock, dance, opera, pop, and soul.

Highlights in Central Park:

• The Aussie BBQ (June 14) – A showcase of Australian artists, including Flewnt & Inkabee, Gordi, and The Wiggles’ DJ Dorothy Sound System.
• Nordic Next (June 15) – Scandinavian singer-songwriters like **Anna of the North and Sarah Klang, plus a Pippi Longstocking puppet show**.
• James Blunt (June 17) – A ticketed benefit concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of “Back to Bedlam”.
• Dreamland Pride (June 29) – A Pride celebration featuring Gorgon City, Anne Louise, and Hayla.

GET ALL THE DETAILS.

Roving Williamsburg

Our roving photographer Nicole Freezer Rubens writes: 

Last Saturday night, after the rain stopped, I took a subway to Williamsburg to stroll east en route to one of my favorite restaurants, the OG Roberta’s Pizza in Bushwick. I have been going to Roberta’s regularly since it opened in 2008. It is located in a gritty industrial neighborhood that has attracted artists to the community. The graffiti around Moore Street changes but the streets and their vibe have barely evolved over the years, which is a rare inertia for any part of Brooklyn.

As soon as I got above ground, excited to tear apart that perfect chewy but crisp bubbly crust, the clouds burst open again unexpectedly, providing the dramatic effects that make the concrete intriguingly reflective. For me this rare result of sun shower lighting and urban exploring was simply exhilarating. Although my jeans were damp throughout dinner, I felt very grateful for the surprise perfect storm of not only scrumptious wood oven pizza, but also the beautiful bonus of not one, not a double, but two fading rainbows escorting me to dinner!