New York City Things To Do in November

The air changes, the leaves turn, and a glimmer of holiday cheer starts to peak out past the spooky decorations and carved pumpkins leftover from last month. Find your twinkle, dazzle, spark, whatever you want to call, it this month.

Stores have already switched over their displays to christmas. Might as well lean in a little more and start the shopping earlier at Bryant Park’s Winter Village. The ice rink is out, the village shops are open and the smell of spiced apple cider and cocoa is wafting down 42nd. If you’re planning ahead, book an igloo for a cozy refuge with snacks from the shopping or a session of bumper cars on ice to shake things up.

Walk down the iconic 5th Avenue and you’ll see the city elves stringing lights on trees and decorating parking meters with candy cane stripes. But the main event is the reveal of the holiday window displays along the avenue. The theme this year is holiday activities and the magic of friendship. Mark November 16th for the official window reveals and walk 5th for next month’s gift list inspiration.

Literal dazzle and twinkle are coming out this month at Lightscape in the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Once the sun sets, a curated path illuminates through the gardens by light installations, sculptures, and music with the promise of photo ops and fun for all ages. The night time show starts November 17 and goes through January 1, 2024.

See (figurative) friction sparks fly between the works of Manet and Degas at The Met. Friends and foes during their lives and artistic careers. “Manet/Degas” explores the parallels between these influential French artists and how their relationships affected their art.

End the month with the OG event of ultimate sparkle from 3 million Swarovski crystals atop the tree in Rockefeller Center. See the first lighting of 2023 November 29th. Never fake. This year’s tree is 80 ft of Norway Spruce from Vestal, NY. Make it an evening with skating, hot cocoa and maybe some banana bread pudding from Magnolia Bakery across the street.