One of New York City’s most iconic annual events takes place right here in Greenwich Village. Every October 31st, costumed revelers and giant paper mache puppets march up 6th Avenue in the Annual Village Halloween Parade. Village residents and Halloween lovers look forward to parade every year, putting together elaborate costumes to impress the onlookers that line the parade route. It’s a tradition unique to Greenwich Village and helps preserve the neighborhood’s reputation as a home for creative minds.

With the change in seasons, New York City is offering several new options to allow diners to visit their favorite restaurants safely. Starting September 30th, restaurants throughout the city will be allowed to offer indoor dining at 25% capacity, provided they meet certain guidelines to maximize social distancing.

National Hispanic Heritage Month begins Tuesday, September 15th and runs through Thursday, October 15th. This month is designated as a time to celebrate “the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America,” according to the Library of Congress. This is an especially exciting time for New York City, whose Hispanic and Latinx communities have helped shape the city’s history since the beginning of the colonial era.

As schools adjust to life in a pandemic, this back-to-school season is shaping up to be different than any other before it. Some schools will return to in-person instruction this fall while others will begin the year remotely. The New York City Department of Education announced that public schools will take a hybrid approach this fall, with students attending class in person part of the week and remotely on the remaining days.

Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, Electric Lady Studios opened its doors for business on August 27, 1970. Jimi Hendrix walked through the street-level door at 52 West 8th Street and turned it into an artist’s paradise. Electric Lady Studios was the guitarist's own state-of-the-art recording facility, and he had personally supervised many of its psychedelic details, like the mural of an elfin woman at the console of a spaceship. The studio where subsequent music legends like Stevie Wonder and Black Sabbath went to record was described by studio architect John Storyk as a dream for Hendrix.

Let’s face it: you’re probably itching to break out of your apartment this summer and take advantage of the great outdoors (yes, even in New York City). With 1,700 parks, playgrounds and recreation facilities across the five boroughs, the city has plenty of places for you to stretch your legs and enjoy some fresh air. One of the best ways to enjoy the city’s parks is with a picnic, a favorite summer pastime of many New Yorkers. Here are a few tips for planning the perfect New York City picnic this summer.

New York City has seen a lot of changes over the last few months as we adjust to life under COVID-19. As your local business improvement district, we at the Village Alliance are continuing to support the community with essential services, regular communications and new programs to safely bring the neighborhood together.

A locally sourced farmers market is coming to Astor Place! We are happy to announce the opening of the new Astor Place Greenmarket in partnership with GrowNYC. The market will be located on Astor Place Plaza South across from the Alamo Cube. and will begin for the season on Tuesday, August 11th, continuing through November 24th.

As more and more local businesses reopen after the pandemic shutdown, we’re slowly starting to resume some aspects of our daily lives, like dining out and shopping outside of our homes. The COVID-19 Pandemic is far from over, though, and there are still many steps you can take to reduce your risk of catching the virus or infecting others. Etiquette has changed and there are many things we all must consider before leaving our homes. To make things a little bit easier, here are just a few ways that you can be a good customer to the various businesses ...

Prominent New York City industry leaders in restaurants, nightlife, retail, and economic development have come together once more to advocate for a call to action for the survival of the city’s small business community.