Another month in New York City is another month to try, see, taste, and do something new — or to simply enjoy your favorite thing a million times over again. With the weather finally warming up, it's time to venture outside your home and explore the endless possibilities that await you, or at the very least the narrowed-down activities we've rounded up for you this month.
Throughout May, there are a slew of delicious new pop-ups to check out. One highlight is the King’s Hawaiian and Van Leeuwen's limited-edition collaboration treat, aka the Ube Coconut Ice Cream and Ube Coconut Ice Cream Sandwich, which is available to purchase while supplies last at local Van Leeuwen stores. Another is the chance to have actor Diego Boneta (yes, from Rock of Ages and Pretty Little Liars) serve you free Avocados From Mexico guac at Hudson Yards (on May 5th from 1-4pm) in honor of Cinco de Mayo.
And, to think, those are just the tasty appetizers we wanted to make sure to share before getting to this month's main list of events. With multiple free concerts, a new pro dance crew competition series, a high-speed sailing race, and more, your May is about to be booked, busy, and brilliant.
© IDLThe International Dance League will hold its season kickoff event in New York City on May 2nd
International Dance League (IDL) season kickoff competition (May 2)
Time: 6pm
Location: Hammerstein Ballroom
If you've been following dancers and choreographers on social media since the heyday of YouTube, devoured every episode of MTV's America's Best Dance Crew, are always excited to see the new choreo that comes along with a new K-pop release, and have seen You Got Served and all the Step Up movies a hundred times, finally there's a touring event for us: the International Dance League (IDL).
The new league will hold six competitions in various cities for its first season, kicking it all off right here in New York City on May 2. Six dance teams from all over the world are coming together to show off their best skills and compete for the win. With no restrictions on dance style, fans can expect the crews to bring their best, most innovative choreographies to the stage.
Again, if you've been following the dance scene on social media, you might recognize the names of the teams set to compete this season, which include: GRV (Los Angeles, USA), 1MILLION (Seoul, South Korea), Brotherhood (Vancouver, Canada), Quick Style (Oslo, Norway), Jam Republic (Singapore), and Royal Family (Auckland, New Zealand).
There will also be well-known judges, hosts, and analysts from the dance community joining for each event, which for the NYC stop includes popular dancers Megan Batoon and Michael Le (aka @justmaiko) as the hosts. Beyond the incredible dance performances, fans will get the chance to see Saweetie hit the stage as the halftime performer. To commemorate being part of history at IDL's first event of its first season, exclusive merch — we're talking jerseys, beanies, sweatpants, and more designed in partnership with Jeff Staple & Reed Art Department — will be available to purchase,.
If you can't make it out in person, you can still catch the action online. IDL's partner e.l.f. Cosmetics will be broadcasting the competition with YouTube and Twitch livestreams, beginning at 6pm ET. And don't worry if you miss this stop, there are more still to come, including Los Angeles and Vancouver.
© Billboard via Getty ImagesZara Larsson will perform for free in NYC as part of the Citi Concert Series in May
Zara Larsson's free TODAY show concert (May 8th)
Time: Check-in around 5:15am
Location: TODAY Plaza/Rockefeller Plaza
The lead-up to summer brings with it a lot of joy-inducing things — sunshine, warmer weather, blooming flowers, happier faces as everyone takes it all in. Another reason to smile this time of the year in the city? Free concerts. The city is a concert hotspot year-round, just as it is also home to many a fun, random pop-ups (of which you'll often see in these round-ups), but combining the two? That mostly happens during the summer and summer-adjacent months — and it happens quite often, if you know where to look.
Or if you have HELLLO! to help point you in the right place to look, of course. One of the biggest free concert series is put on by the TODAY show, with a massive lineup of artists playing over the next few months. While the performances are part of the actual live NBC morning show, fans can win passes to be there to enjoy it in person as part of the Plaza audience.
It all kicks off on May 8 with TODAY's Citi Concert Series' first artist — the talented, pop singer Zara Larsson. The Swedish star's high energy and exciting vocals will make the early call time for the concert worth it. Plus, if you win a pass, you're able to bring up to three guests with you, so you and your friends can all enjoy the show together. If you don't win, there are still a couple of ways to see Zara's performance: 1. A general admission section will be open day-of for first-come, first-served. 2. You can always catch it when it airs as part of the TODAY show broadcast that morning.
Don't worry if you're not able to make it out to the Citi Concert Series kick-off because it's only just the beginning. There will be more opportunities to the series' free concerts, including Bleachers on May 22 (request fan pass here) and Charlie Puth on May 29 (request fan pass here). Plus, many more to come June through September.
© Getty ImagesThe New York Liberty will play their season home opener game on May 8
New York Liberty vs. Connecticut Sun basketball game (May 8)
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Barclays Center
After making their return to the Barclays Center court a few weeks ago with a preseason game against the Indiana Fever, the New York Liberty are now ready to kick their WNBA season into high gear with their official home opener game. After playing against the Connecticut Sun in a preseason game on May 3 at Mohegan Sun, the two teams will face off a few days later on May 8 for their first game in the regular season.
If the last time the teams squared off — an exciting August matchup where the Liberty cinched an 81-79 victory — is any indication, it's sure to be a nail-biter and not to be missed, live and in person. Or, if you really can't make it to the venue this time around, then at least try for a watch at your favorite local sports bar because: Everyone watches women's sports.
© Getty ImagesAly & AJ will perform a free concert as part of the Hudson Yards summer concert series
Aly & AJ free concert at Hudson Yards (May 13)
Time: 6pm-8pm (doors at 5pm)
Location: Wells Fargo State in the Hudson Yards Public Square
Tickets: None required, just show up!
Remember when I said just a couple of sections ago that there are free concerts galore during the summer? That was not an exaggeration. There will be even more throughout June and July, which Best Quality Designer Handbag will be sure to share, but in the meantime, mark down the free concert series at Hudson Yards that also kicks off this month, starting off with a bang — the sister music duo Aly & AJ.
The multi-talented stars made a name for themselves in the mid-2000s acting in various Disney Channel projects, like Phil of the Future and Now You See It... for Aly Michalka and Cow Belles for both Aly and AJ Michalka, but they also earned recognition at the time for their music. Aly & AJ released multiple smash albums filled with infectious pop hits, including "Potential Breakup Song" and "Like Whoa," that kept fans singing for years to come — so much so that the duo released a more mature, re-recording of "Potential" in 2020, 13 years after its initial release. A year later, they dropped a full new album and have showed no signs of slowing down ever since, with another dropping in 2023 and their most recent album, Silver Deliverer, releasing last May.
Now, fans can catch Aly & AJ performing songs from their genre-spanning discography for free at their Hudson Yards concert on May 13. Feel the nostalgia as they sing beloved songs from earlier in their careers, and witness all their growth as they perform more recent favorites from their newer projects.
While there, Wells Fargo customers can receive free snacks and beverages at the Wells Fargo Club, and Mastercard customers can access meet & greets with select artists, as well as small bites and drinks at a dedicated viewing area near the stage. For all of legal drinking age, there will also be Champagne Pommery available at the Champagne Pommery cart to enjoy.
This exciting, free concert series will continue with Warren G on May 20, Busta Rhymes on May 27, and Jordin Sparks on June 3.
© SailGPSailGP returns to New York with another weekend-long race this May
Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix (May 30-31)
Time: Each day's events begin 2pm
One of the best parts of living in or near NYC is checking out things you never have before (or barely even knew existed). Sure, we're all mostly up-to-date on the basketball, baseball, soccer, and football games going on in the area, but high-performance international sailing competitions with boats racing at speeds of 50-plus knots (roughly 58mph for my fellow non-boaters)?
Those? Those I had not ever been to or even been particularly aware of, but now they are very much on my radar, as they should be for everyone. Enter SailGP. Another new sport to explore, a new community to be introduced to, and a weekend of NYC fun and excitement to be had are all opportunities one should seize.
Even more so because this particular event isn't just a weekly affair that you can check out another time but instead an annual competition here for just the May 30-31 weekend.. And with the teams competing for total prize pool of $12.8 million, you know they'll be racing hard and putting on a great show.
There are multiple ways to witness the action — whether you want to check it out for just one day, the whole weekend, or even upgrade to a luxury ticket offering a food, drink, and music-filled experience alongside the sailing competition. Here's the ticket option breakdown:
- The Classic tickets will offer a view of the 50-foot catamarans racing on the Hudson from the official spectator boat alongside the racecourse.
- The Premium tickets position viewers on a separate boat inside the racecourse offering front-row views. This option also includes select bites and beverages.
- You can also kick the experience up a notch with a Platinum ticket, which has a priority viewing location and more upscale food and drink options.
- Thinking about going all out? That's where the VELA Privé hospitality option comes in. Set on Governors Island at the all-inclusive waterfront Beach Club, this experience includes views of the race, premium food and drinks, as well as a lineup of musicians, singers, and DJs performing all weekend long.
