Photo: Nicole Freezer Rubens

Summer is unfolding with color, culture, and connection — and this week’s NYC Life brings it all together. Sample our NYC Insiders’ Club with two special events, celebrate the return of the NYC Pride March, explore the New‑York Historical Society’s stunning new Tang Wing and shoe exhibition, and discover how Long Island women are embracing a new “Season of Us.” We’re also spotlighting the serene new Calder Gardens in Philadelphia and the inspiring launch of The Soulful Forest, a nonprofit transforming outdoor spaces into healing sanctuaries for children and caregivers. There’s no better moment to step into the season with curiosity and joy.

Two Events to Sample the Insiders Club

Our NYC Insiders’ Club members have been having wonderful adventures this year. If you’d like a taste of what it’s like, we have two upcoming opportunities to join us.

• High Line Tour: This Tuesday, we’re hosting a FREE private tour of the High Line — a perfect summer outing. Sign up here.
• Schmigadoon!: We also have group tickets for Wednesday, August 5 at 2 PM to see Schmigadoon! — winner of Best Musical at the 2026 Tony Awards. These are excellent orchestra seats for $139 + service fee (regularly $169). We have 5 seats available, and tickets must be purchased no later than this Sunday, June 28. Get tickets here.

June 28. The NYC Pride March Returns

The parade brings millions of people into Manhattan for one of the most vibrant and meaningful celebrations of LGBTQIA+ identity in the world. Beginning at Fifth Avenue and 25th Street and moving south toward the Stonewall National Monument, the march transforms the city into a river of color, music, activism, and joy. Community organizations, performers, families, and allies come together to honor the legacy of Stonewall while celebrating the progress, resilience, and creativity of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Throughout the day, PrideFest adds even more energy to the celebration, filling Greenwich Village with food, music, vendors, and community booths. This year’s theme, “For All of Us,” underscores the movement’s commitment to collective liberation and visibility at a time when advocacy remains essential. The march is both a celebration and a reminder: Pride is a living, breathing act of solidarity that continues to shape New York City’s cultural and civic heartbeat. GET THE DETAILS.

New‑York Historical Society’s New Wing and Shoe Exhibit

The New York Historical opened its doors on June 18 to the Tang Wing for American Democracy and with it unveiled one of the most buzz‑worthy inaugural exhibitions: a dazzling, deeply researched showcase of shoes that spans centuries of style, identity, and cultural storytelling, including more than 100 pairs of historic shoes, from the suffragettes of the 19th-century to the Beyoncés of now.

From there, the first-floor main gallery uses its triple-height ceilings to display a variety of artifacts and artworks via its inaugural exhibition, “Democracy Matters” (June 18-November 1), including fragments of the equestrian statue of George III toppled in 1776. GET THE DETAILS.

The Season of Us

Our Long Island reporter, Andrea Peponakis, says a quiet shift is unfolding across Long Island as women who spent decades caring for everyone else finally turn toward themselves. This summer, they’re no longer waiting for perfect timing or permission. They’re rediscovering joy, independence, and the simple pleasure of choosing what they want — and doing it now. And Long Island has so many options of things to this summer! GET THE DETAILS>

Roving in Philly

Nicole Freezer Rubens writes:

 Philadelphia has a new jewel in its artistic crown. Calder Gardens opened last fall, set between the Barnes Foundation and the Rodin Museum, blending more art, architecture, and lush landscaping into the City of Brotherly Love, while honoring its native Alexander Calder and the experimental mood of his work. This new institution invites the visitor to attend a museum in a whole new way. There are no traditional wall labels or QR codes titling the selected works. The light and space is conducive to quiet contemplation with lots of inviting nooks and crannies in which to sit and interpret the art in one’s own way.

The 1.8-acre, 18,000-square-foot museum, designed by landscape designer Piet Oudolf from New York’s High Line, and the globally accomplished architect Herzog & de Meuron, moves viewers inside and outside from a busy urban parkway to a quiet and contemplative moment. The site location honors three generations of artistic Calders, not far from the artist’s father’s and grandfather’s iconic sculptures; William Penn on top of City Hall, and the Swann Memorial Fountain in Logan Circle. The limited Calder artworks at Calder Gardens will rotate, offering a different intimate experience each time to encourage repeat visits and unique inspiration for years to come.

~Nicole Freezer Rubens is the author of “The Long Pause and the Short Breath”

Michael Colby’s Cast of Characters Now Streaming

Michael Colby’s critically acclaimed Cast of Characters—a vibrant two‑part celebration of the classic musical‑theatre character song—is now available for free streaming through July 6. Originally featured in Urban Stages’ Winter Rhythms Festival, the production brings together an extraordinary roster of Broadway, cabaret, and concert artists performing material from across Colby’s prolific career. Hosted by Colby with Music Director Joe Baker and directed by Sara Louise Lazarus, the program highlights the wit, theatricality, and emotional depth that have made Colby one of the genre’s most admired storytellers.

Featuring songs from Boynton Beach Club, Charlotte Sweet, Happy Haunting, Tales of Tinseltown, They Chose Me!, and many more, Cast of Characters offers a rare opportunity to experience decades of Colby’s work interpreted by an all‑star ensemble including Ann Harada, Adam Heller, Jill Paice, Eric Michael Gillett, N’Kenge, Eddie Korbich, and Stephen Berger, among others. Colby’s own history—shaped by his childhood at the legendary Algonquin Hotel—infuses the evening with theatrical lineage and charm. Audiences can enjoy both parts of this rich musical journey at https://www.urbanstages.org/castofcharacters%20through July 6.

The Soulful Forest: A Place to Breath

We are so excited for the beautiful and talented Christina Connors on her latest project—The Soulful Forest is a new nonprofit born from a simple but radical belief: every child and every caregiver deserves a place to breathe again. In a world where kids are overstimulated and adults are stretched thin, the Soulful Forest transforms unused outdoor spaces into device‑free sanctuaries filled with music, mindfulness, and moments of calm. The first installation—a 10,000‑square‑foot courtyard at Doolittle School in Cheshire, CT—will open this summer as the prototype for a national movement to bring healing back to nature.

Christina Connors, a burnout‑prevention specialist, keynote singer, and MBSR‑certified mindfulness practitioner who has spent more than two decades helping people come back to themselves. She blends the healing power of live music with the science of pattern awareness to help caregivers, teachers, parents, and healthcare professionals find their center. Learn more and consider making a donation.