HOLIDAYS & VACATIONS IN NEW YORK CITY

New York celebrates many holidays and festivals, some with large colorful parades, fireworks or other forms of celebration. Below is a list of the major holidays and how the city celebrates them. When are public holidays celebrated? It can be confusing as to 1. when a "public" holiday is actually celebrated and 2. what is open and what is closed on a specific holiday. In the past decade, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Columbus Day have all been moved to Mondays to create 3-day weekends. Thanksgiving is always on the fourth Thursday in November, Labor Day is always the first Monday in September. Only New Year’s Day, July 4th and Christmas have a fixed date. Note: if these holidays fall on a Saturday, the Friday before is the day off from work for many people. If these holidays fall on a Sunday, the Monday following is the day off from work. Information about holidays. The New York Times lists official closings both on the day before a holiday and on the holiday itself. Many radio news programs such as News 880 also give this information. Shop Closings: Many years ago, most shops were closed on major Federal holidays. Now, except for New Years, Thanksgiving and Christmas, most major stores are open and have large holiday sales. One exception is that stores, which are owned or operated primarily by religious Jews, are closed on the major Jewish holidays and in many cases each Sabbath (from late Friday afternoon through Saturday). Offices and Schools. Many businesses and schools close on holidays. Official Federal Holiday. No postal delivery (except Express Mail), most offices, banks and financial markets are closed. Most schools are also closed and most workers have the day off. *Optional Federal Holiday. No postal delivery (except Express Mail), bank openings vary from state to state. Most stores open. Some schools closed. CitiTip: Public Transport. On public holidays, public transport such as trains, buses, etc. run on a "holiday schedule" which is basically their weekend scedules. Check to see if they are running on a holiday schedule. Parking restrictions change. For many public and religious holidays, alternate side of the street parking restrictions are suspended, making the chore of parking much easier. See PARKING. Major Holidays & Closings in Fed Bank Shops School Jan. 1 New Years Day FH FH FH FH Jan. 7 Orthodox Christmas . . . . Jan. 20 Martin Luther King 3rd Monday in January FH FH Op FH Feb. 1 Chinese New Year . . . . Feb. 12 Lincoln’s Birthday . . . . Feb. 14 Valentines Day . . . . Feb. 17 Presidents Day 3 Monday in February FH FH Op FH Idul-Fit . . . . Feb. 22 Washington’s B-day . . . . Idul-Adha . . . . Mar. 3 Mardi Gras . . . . Mar. 5 Ash Wednesday (Ca) . . . Ca Mar. 17 St. Patrick’s Day (Ca) . . . Ca Mar. 20 Spring Equinox . . . . Apr. 6 Daylight Saving starts 1st Sunday in April . . . . Apr. 13 Palm Sunday (C) . . . . Apr. 17 Passover begins (J) . . . J Apr. 18 Good Friday (C) . SM . C Apr. 20 Easter (C) . . . . Apr 23 Secretary's Day . . . . Apr. 20 Orthodox Easter . . . . May 11 Mothers Day . . . . May 26 Memorial Day Last Monday in May FH FH Op FH Jun. 6 Shavot . . . . Jun. 14 Flag Day . . . . Jun. 15 Fathers Day . . . . Jun. 21 Summer Solstice . . . . July 4 Independence Day FH FH Op FH Sept. 1 Labor Day 1st Monday in Sept FH FH Op FH Sept. 23 Autumn Equinox . . . . Sept. 27 Rosh Hashanah (J) . . J J Oct. 6 Yom Kippur (J) . . J J Oct. 11 Sukkot (J) . . J J Oct. 13 Columbus Day 2nd Monday in Sept FH FH Op FH Oct. 16 National Boss’s Day . . . . Oct. 26 Daylight Saving ends . . . . Oct. 31 Halloween . . . . Nov. 1 All Saints Day . . . C Nov. 7 Election Day 1st Tuesday in Nov, FH FH Op Op Nov. 11 Veterans Day FH FH Op Op Nov. 27 Thanksgiving 4th Thursday in Nov FH FH FH FH Dec. 6 St. Nicholas Day . . . . Dec 21 Winter Solstice . . . . Dec. 20 Hanukkah J J J J Dec. 25 Christmas Day C/FH C/FH C/FH C/FH Dec. 31 New Years Eve . . . . FH = Federal and State Holiday C = Christian Holiday J = Jewish Holiday M = Moslem Holiday Holiday Celebrations **New Year’s Day January 1st See New Year’s Eve below. Chinese New Year Chinese New Year 2 weeks of street festivals to celebrate the lunar New Year in late Jan or early Feb. Primarily celebrated in China Town. St. Valentine’s Day February 14th A day to celebrate romance. Children and lovers exchange "Be My Valentine" cards, boxes of chocolates or roses. St. Patrick’s Day March 17th A parade on 5th Avenue (44th-86th Streets, grandstand for dignitaries at St. Patrick’s Cathedral) commemorates Ireland’s patron saint. Many people skip work or school to observe it. Wear something green and be prepared to drink lots of beer at any local Irish pub. Try Kinsale Tavern at 1672 Third Ave. for a St. Paddy’s day celebration. (See BARS.) Good Friday Easter Sunday: Roman Catholic Easter falls on the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon of spring. Families attend church services, have Easter egg hunts and feast on the Easter dinner. Little girls wear bonnets to church and the many Easter parades like the one along 5th Ave. from 44th -57th Sts. (April 12) A chance to display finery, frills, and frocks. The Stock exchanges are closed on Easter Friday. Orthodox Easter April 30. Passover The Jewish Holiday Passover falls on April 17 and commemorates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. In New York, some schools and colleges and most Jewish firms are closed, at least for the first and last day of Passover. Mother’s Day 2nd Sunday in May Be extra nice to Mom on Mother’s Day - breakfast in bed and/or dinner in her favorite restaurant. ***Memorial Day Last Monday in May Honoring those who died in war with American flags flying everywhere and parades honoring those who served in the military. Also the unofficial start of the summer season - people go to the beach or have outdoor parties and barbecues. Father’s Day 3rd Sunday in June A day to celebrate Dad. Like Mother’s Day, but you can skip breakfast in bed and the restaurant - just leave him alone and let him go golfing in peace. ***Independence Day July 4th Americans celebrate America’s birthday with barbecues and outdoor parties. At night, don’t miss the tremendous fireworks displays (Macy’s East River, the Mets post-game fireworks at Shea Stadium). The best places to watch the fireworks on the East River are along the FDR Drive between 14th & 50th Sts. There are also fireworks displays in South Street Seaport. TYPTip: Fireworks are illegal in the state of New York without a permit. You can be fined (or arrested) for having fireworks. Labor Day 1st Monday in September This day marks the unofficial end of summer. Like Memorial Day, you’ll find people at the beach or having outdoor parties and barbecues. School usually starts the next day. Columbus Day 2nd Monday in October Commemorating Christopher Columbus’ coming to the New World, it’s a great day to take off work and watch the parade. Halloween October 31st A night to celebrate ghosts, goblins and witches and to dress-up in costume and go door-to-door asking "trick-or-treat" for candy. If you’re too old for that, stop by the Village for the fascinating and bizarre Halloween Parade. It’s one of the best nights out in the city. ***Thanksgiving 4th Thursday in November Thanksgiving celebrates when the Pilgrims and the Native Americans made peace and feasted together. The official start of the Holiday season is marked by the Macy’s parade - the biggest in the city, it goes from down Broadway from Central Park West & 77th Street to Herald Square at 34th St. With dozens of giant balloons and floats, it’s an absolute must see. Call 860-4455 for info. After the parade, families come together and have the traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner. This weekend is one of the busiest travel weekends in the country because the entire country tries to get back with family. Hanukkah Menorah lighting at Grand Army Plaza at 5th Ave. and 59th Ave. Christmas traditions in New York The lighting of the giant tree in Rockefeller Plaza by the mayor in early December starts the conversion of Midtown to a winter wonderland (on display for several weeks before Christmas until about a week after New Year’s Day). Christmas Window Decorations turn Fifth Ave. and Macy’s at Herald Sq. into a living Christmas Cards. Shopping at FAO Schwartz Christmas Spectacular at Radio City. Traditional Christmas Events Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, 247-4777 Dicken’s "A Christmas Carol" at The Theater at Madison Sq. Garden, 465-6741. Nutcracker Suite by New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center, 870-5570. Traditional Christmas Concerts Handel’s Messiah sing along with the National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall, 875-5030. Also at many local Churches. St. Thomas Church Concert (Episcopal), 757-7013 St. Ignatius Loyola Concert (Roman Catholic), 288-3588 Riverside Church Concert (interdenominational) 870-6700 Cathedral of St. John the Divine Concert (Episcopal) 662-2133 Christmas Eve Dec 24th Christian families and friends gather to sing carols and decorate the Christmas tree. Many churches have midnight Mass or special concerts. Christmas Day Dec 25th Children open their stockings, families and friends exchange gifts and many celebrate with a sumptuous Christmas Dinner. Kwanzaa Celebrated for 7 days beginning on December 26th and ending on January 1st. On December 31st a feast is prepared for family and friends. Kwanzaa Holiday Expo, see KwanzaaFest New Year’s Eve December 31st Ring in the New Year with half a million people by watching the ball drop over Times Square at midnight. If you pass on that, find a party or a bar. Anywhere you go, you’ll find people celebrating in a big way. (Consequently, not much happens on New Year’s Day except recovery from the night before and watching the Rose Bowl.) For more information about parades and other celebrations, pick-up a copy of Time-Out New York, the Village Voice, or the Arts and Leisure Section of the Sunday New York Times at any newsstand. Or try the city’s home page on the Internet www.ci.nyc.ny.us and click on "Attractions and Events."