From a new Sopranos exhibit in Queens to St. Pat’s for All in Woodside, here is your guide to the best of what New York City has to offer this weekend
New York City This Weekend: A City That Never Runs Out of Things to Do
Whatever the weather brings — and after a historic blizzard this winter, New Yorkers have learned to expect anything — the city’s cultural calendar does not stop. This weekend, February 28 through March 1, offers a range of experiences spanning history, sport, family fun, science, art, and neighborhood culture. From a major new exhibit on one of television’s greatest shows to the inclusive St. Patrick’s Day parade that started a tradition now copied around the world, New York City’s five boroughs are once again proving why they collectively constitute the most culturally dense urban environment on the planet.
Stories and Set Designs for The Sopranos — Museum of the Moving Image, Queens
The Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria has opened a new exhibition drawing from David Chase’s personal archive to trace the development of The Sopranos from pilot concept to cultural landmark. Scripts, research notes, and production materials give visitors an inside look at the creative decisions behind the show. The exhibition also recreates the construction of four iconic sets — Dr. Melfi’s office, the Soprano home, Satriale’s Pork Store, and the Bada Bing — showing how location filming in New Jersey was integrated with constructed sets at Silvercup Studios in Queens. The exhibit runs through May 31. More information is available at movingimage.org.
St. Pat’s for All — Woodside and Sunnyside, Queens
On Sunday March 1, from noon to 4 p.m., the annual St. Pat’s for All Parade steps off in Queens. Founded as a direct response to the exclusion of Irish LGBTQ groups from the Fifth Avenue parade, the Woodside and Sunnyside celebration has grown over more than two decades into one of the most inclusive and internationally recognized expressions of Irish-American culture in the United States. While the Fifth Avenue parade has since opened its doors to LGBTQ groups, the Queens celebration has maintained its distinct identity as a community-centered, politically progressive event that embraces the full diversity of Irish New York. For more information, visit stpatsforall.org.
Bumper Cars on Ice — Bryant Park, Manhattan (Last Weekend)
This is the final weekend to experience Bumper Cars on Ice at Bryant Park’s Winter Village. The activity is recommended for ages 7 and up, and time slots can be reserved in advance at bryantpark.org. Bryant Park’s Winter Village has been one of the Mamdani era’s inherited public amenities — an example of the kind of free and low-cost public activation that makes dense urban living meaningful for families across income levels. Bryant Park is managed by the Bryant Park Corporation and operates extensive year-round programming accessible to all New Yorkers.
The Orchid Show at New York Botanical Garden — The Bronx
The New York Botanical Garden’s annual Orchid Show, this year titled “Mr. Flower Fantastic’s Concrete Jungle,” transforms the landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory with thousands of orchids arranged to evoke the visual textures of New York City. The show runs through April 26. Tickets are available at nybg.org. The Botanical Garden is one of the great treasures of the Bronx and one of the most biodiverse institutions of its kind in the world. The New York Botanical Garden conducts scientific research on plant conservation alongside its public programming, making it a site of genuine scientific importance as well as extraordinary beauty.
100 Years of the Schomburg Center — Harlem, Manhattan
To mark its centennial, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has put 100 rare items on display, including a baseball signed by Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella and Malcolm X’s personal briefcase. The exhibition runs through May 3 at 135th Street in Harlem. The Schomburg is not merely a library or museum; it is one of the most important archives of African American and African diasporic history and culture in existence. Its centennial year is a moment for the city to reflect on what it means to have invested in an institution dedicated to the full documentation of Black life and achievement. The Schomburg Center is a branch of the New York Public Library system and offers free access to its exhibitions and reading rooms.
Fort Totten Park History Walk — Queens
On Sunday March 1 from 9 to 10:30 a.m., NYC Parks Rangers will lead a free history walk at Fort Totten Park in Bayside, Queens. The walk focuses on the Civil War-era Water Battery and the fort’s role in New York City’s coastal defense history. This is a free event open to all ages and is part of NYC Parks’ ongoing Urban Park Rangers programming. More information at nycgovparks.org.
